Hands-On Visio^®:
Designing Effective Visual Solutions

What is this course about?

This course begins with the basics of Visio and provides the necessary techniques to streamline the creation of diagrams.

The course then moves into more advanced aspects of Visio. You learn to use Visio to import images into Word documents and PowerPoint presentations. You also learn how to use the powerful data integration features of Visio that enable automatic generation of diagrams from a number of external sources, including spreadsheets, databases, Web sites, Microsoft Project files and Outlook calendars. The course also demonstrates how shapes in diagrams can be linked to data held in databases and spreadsheets.

What background do I need?

Basic experience with Microsoft Office applications is helpful, but not required.

Who will benefit from this course?

Anyone who uses Visio to create diagrams will benefit from this course. Those who need to integrate Visio with other applications to automate the creation and maintenance of diagrams will find this course especially useful. Though the course is not geared toward Web designers, those looking for best practices for converting Visio diagrams for use in Web pages will also benefit.

What level of database knowledge do I need to have before attending this course?

No knowledge of database systems is required prior to taking this course. The methods used to connect Visio diagrams to databases are covered in the course. You learn the process by which Visio diagrams are automatically updated when changes to database records are made.

What are shapes and stencils?

In Visio, shapes are re-usable drawing objects.

A stencil, in the context of Visio, is a collection of related shapes. For example, an architectural stencil may contain shapes representing windows, doors and walls.

Does this course cover creation of shapes and stencils?

Yes. You learn to create your own shapes in this course. In addition, you learn how to customize pre-defined shapes to suit your particular needs. You also learn how to group shapes of particular interest to you in custom stencils.

How will Visio help me save time?

Visio automates many of the time-consuming tasks involved in creating diagrams by providing a number of Wizards, which import data. In addition, Visio provides intelligent routing of lines between shapes, so objects on a page can be moved and the connecting lines will automatically adjust, taking the task of line drawing off of the user. Stencils of shapes allow you to avoid reinventing the wheel. Linking to a database for automatic maintenance and updating of diagrams is also a significant timesaving benefit of Visio.

Will Visio allow me to generate powerful presentations?

Yes. The predefined drawing objects of Visio allow you to create professional presentations. Visio provides tools to ensure that shapes in a diagram are correctly aligned and distributed, for a look that is clean and sophisticated.

What version of Visio is used in this course?

This course uses Visio 2010 Professional Edition. However, the course has been designed to allow for exercises to be done on either Visio 2007 or Visio 2010.

Is this course applicable toward a Project Management Institute (PMI) certification?

Yes. Though this course is not designed as preparation for an exam, it is beneficial to anyone working toward, or maintaining, a PMI certification. Most PMI certifications require a specific number of PDUs in order to obtain and maintain the credential. Completion of this course provides 11 professional development units (PDUs).

Learning Tree offers several courses that help you prepare for PMI certifications, including Course 276, Preparing for the Project Management Professional (PMP)^® Exam, which prepares you for PMI's most popular certification. For more details on these courses and PMI certifications, please see the Learning Tree PMI Registered Education Provider Q&A.

How much time is spent on each topic?

How much time in this course is devoted to hands-on exercises?

Forty percent of this course is spent on hands-on exercises and an evolving case study. Exercises include:

• Drawing with basic tools and creating custom stencils
• Importing Excel data to create organization charts
• Creating flowcharts with intelligent routing
• Building a timeline using Microsoft Project data
• Embedding and linking diagrams in MS Office documents
• Creating layered architectural diagrams
• Connecting Visio to a database to illustrate its structure
• Linking Visio shapes to database records
• Mapping Web site structure

How does this course relate to other Learning Tree courses?

The following courses complement the skills gained in this course:

• 319, Technical Writing: A Comprehensive Hands-On Introduction  provides the skills necessary to assess the needs of users and create a variety of technical documents for paper, online and Web-based environments.
• 219, Business and Report Writing: A Comprehensive Hands-On Introduction  provides the skills necessary to create more effective business documents and reports, by developing a clear and persuasive writing style.
• 195, Power Excel®: Analyzing Data to Make Business Decisions  provides advanced Excel techniques to build sophisticated spreadsheets. Participants learn to perform "what if" analysis, apply statistical and financial functions, manipulate PivotTables and present results to make better decisions for planning and budgeting.

If you are interested in using Visio to create drawings for use in web pages, you may also be interested in:

• 470, Developing a Website: Hands-On  provides the knowledge and skills you need to develop a well-designed website.

Because Visio provides a UML diagram template, this course also relates to the following UML course:

• 216, UML 2: A Comprehensive Hands-On Introduction  you learn to generate and interpret Unified Modeling Language (UML) models as applied to a wide range of activities.