Visio 5.0 - Dec/Jan '98

Visio 5.0

I have used Visio to create simple graphical drawings for client and bar presentations for years. Visio was the first graphics program to use the "drag-and-drop" metaphor for creating graphics. Instead of creating shapes by hand, you just select one from a Stencil and drop it into your drawing. Visio Standard 5.0 continues a tradition of making it easy to create graphical drawings.

The metaphor for Visio is "drag-and-drop" drawing. When you begin, you are presented with a blank sheet and several "Stencils" from which to choose "SmartShapes." You can click and drag these shapes onto your drawing page where you manipulate, format or add text to these "drop-ped" shapes.

Visio Standard comes with Stencils for flowcharts, organizational charts, project timelines, block diagrams, geographic and directional maps, marketing shapes, basic network diagrams, TQM diagrams and office layouts.

The standard version also has several "Wizards" that guide you through the creation of drawings. There are several, although you are likely to use Org Chart Wizard, Project Timeline Wizard and Flowchart Wizard more often.

For the legal user, there is an add-on available for drawing accident scenes. It includes roadways, signs and a variety of vehicle shapes. I used this once several years ago to send a summary to an insurance carrier when someone ran into my old Camry.

New in 5.0 are 75 marketing shapes for colorful and informational marketing presentations. There are also several new Advance Flow-charting Shapes, including an audit flowchart. Project Time-lines have also been improved. It is now simple to add several steps to a project, estimate
the time needed to complete them, and have Visio generate a great-looking timeline. Visio Project Timelines are a great way to express to a client how long litigation might take.

There is also an improved Organizational Chart Wizard and ODMA support for document management programs. Visio also includes Microsoft Office 97 compatible features, but doesn't appear to include any Corel-compatible features. The toolbars are supposed to look like those in Office 97.

Visio 5.0 has improved Internet support. There are better hyperlinks, and you can save drawings as HTML files. There is direct support for Microsoft's Internet Explorer 4.0. Visio Internet Help is a click away on the Help menu.

Visio Corp.
(800) 248-4746
www.visio.com
Windows 95, NT

$149

Reviewed by Richard C. Belthoff, Jr., attorney, Grier & Grier, Charlotte, N.C.

Dec/Jan '98 Issue