Book Image

Visualize Complex Processes with Microsoft Visio

By : David J Parker, Šenaj Lelić
Book Image

Visualize Complex Processes with Microsoft Visio

By: David J Parker, Šenaj Lelić

Overview of this book

Every business has process flows, but not all of them are fully described to or verified for accuracy with each stakeholder. This not only presents a risk for business continuity but also removes the ability to make insightful improvements. To make these complex interactions easy to grasp, it’s important to describe these processes visually using symbology that everybody understands. Different parts of these flows should be collaboratively developed and stored securely as commercial collateral. Visualize Complex Processes with Microsoft Visio helps you understand why it is crucial to use a common, systematic approach to document the steps needed to meet each business requirement. This book explores the various process flow templates available in each edition of Microsoft Visio, including BPMN. It also shows you how to use them effectively with the help of tips and techniques and examples to reduce the time required for creating them, as well as how you can improve their integration and presentation. By the end of this book, you’ll have mastered the skills needed to create data-integrated business flowcharts with Microsoft Visio, learned how to effectively use these diagrams collaboratively, but securely, and understood how to integrate them with other M365 apps, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Power Automate.
Table of Contents (14 chapters)

Defining the detail with a flowchart diagram

Each of the process steps in the cross-functional flowchart in the previous section (see Figure 1.13) had subprocesses within them. Some of these subprocesses may involve interaction with other actors, but some do not. For example, the writing of this chapter does not involve others until it is ready for the senior editor to review. There are many subprocesses within the chapter writing process, such as research and testing, and a specific specification for inserted images must be followed. So, any process that does not involve more than one actor can be defined with a flowchart diagram.

A flowchart diagram can be created by any of the Visio editions, either by using the Basic Flowchart template or by starting with a blank diagram and opening the Basic Flowchart Shapes stencil.

The following example explains the process required for an author to insert an image into the preliminary draft chapter. It uses only the Start/End, Process...