A person using a Visio diagram you create can learn a lot
about the subject of the diagram based on your choice of shapes, their
positions on the page, how they are connected, and many other visual
cues. However, if your diagram is connected to an external data source,
it can convey so much more information.
In this section, you will see four examples of diagrams that use
data graphics to tell even more of the story behind the picture.
Network Equipment Diagram
The
story behind this diagram is as follows:
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You are a data center manager and have created rack diagrams
for each rack in your computer room.
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You’ve populated your drawing with data to connect
your diagram to a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet or a
database.
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The data for each rack-mounted server includes the data
shown in the following graphic.
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The spreadsheet or database contains some static data about
your equipment, but it also contains live status information that
is updated periodically.
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You have configured your Visio diagram to automatically read
the data source and refresh the drawing at a preset time
interval.
The result is that you can use data graphics to turn your Visio
drawing into a dashboard for viewing network and equipment status. In
the following graphic, several data graphics have been applied to the
equipment rack to highlight the following:
The following graphic shows the same equipment rack, at the same
moment in time, but it uses different data graphics to highlight
different information. In this version of the rack diagram, you see
the following:
In addition, the status of the server is made even more evident
by applying a color to the entire server shape rather than using an
icon as in the previous example.
Part of the appeal of data graphics is represented by these two
examples—you can apply different graphics at different times depending
on what you need to know.
Tip
If you would like to work with a very similar diagram to the
preceding example, click the File tab, and then click New. In the
Other Ways To Get Started section, click Sample Diagrams, and then
double-click the IT Asset Management thumbnail.
Process Improvement Workflow
In this example, data graphics have been applied to
process steps in a swimlane diagram in order to show several process
quality measurements. In the upper right of the diagram, you also see
a data graphic
legend.
The metrics in this diagram:
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Show the duration of each step (look for a thermometer bar
across the bottom of each task shape).
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Display a warning if the step is taking either 5-9 days or
10 or more days (lower-left corner of each step).
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Indicate whether each step is improving or being
investigated (shape color).
The symbolism used for each of these metrics is explained in the
legend that appears in the upper-right corner of the page.
Tip
If you would like to work with a very similar diagram to the
preceding example, click the File tab, and then click New. In the
Other Ways To Get Started section, click Sample Diagrams, and then
double-click the Process Improvement thumbnail.
The third example illustrates the types of near
real–time information that a casino manager might view in Visio with
the goal of monitoring critical operations. In all likelihood your job
doesn’t involve managing a casino, but you can probably think of
important operations that you do need to monitor.
You see text callouts that highlight each bettor’s recent
history, including current dollar standing, average bet, and number of
blackjacks. There is also a red or green arrow showing how each player
is trending.
In the final example, you are viewing part of a process map that
was created using a Visio add-in called TaskMap (www.taskmap.com). The following
graphic shows three tasks in the middle of a sales proposal
process.
In this diagram, the data graphics depict two aspects of
risk management:
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Yellow triangles identify risks; the number in each triangle
relates to an entry in a master list of risks. Green diamonds show
the corresponding control that the organization has put in place
to mitigate the risk. (An organization might maintain the master
list of risks and controls in something as simple as a
spreadsheet, or they might employ a formal risk management
system.)
In a task like the one in the center, the organization has
identified a risk but not a control, so the risk is more
significant.
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The red arrows identify tasks that exceed a defined time
threshold—30 minutes in the case of this example.
There is a third data graphic in this example: the task on the
right displays a red diamond to indicate that it is a decision point
in the process.
The examples in this section highlight the importance of the
data behind a diagram and suggest a variety of creative ways you can
add value to your data-connected diagrams.
