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June 22, 2018

What Makes a Good Visio Alternative?


Visio is arguably the most popular diagramming and process mapping software at present. Introduced in 1992 by Shapeware Corporation (and subsequently acquired by Microsoft (News - Alert) in 2000), it provides an easy to use and useful system for creating flowcharts, diagrams, or process maps. However, there are Visio alternatives you can use if you have some aversion to this commonly used software. You have to make sure, though, that the alternative you choose is worth it.



Listed and briefly discussed below are some of the most important features that would make a good Visio alternative.

Free

If you are going to switch to something new, it’s always better to not spend anything on it. Look for something free. Visio is part of the Microsoft Office package so if you already have Office on your computer, why would you look for an alternative and spend for it? Most Windows computer owners already have Microsoft Office installed, hence Visio already comes “free” with it.

Rich features

Of course, being free is not going to be enough. Not all freeware is created equal. You have to carefully go over your choices and make sure you get the features and functions you need. Getting something that is free but lacking in functions does not make sense. Consider getting something like Engage, which offers a rich set of features including the ability to present cost details in the process map. This is a very useful feature for businesses as it makes it easy to determine how much a process costs, how long it takes, and how efficient it is.

Additionally, Engage comes with powerful analysis tools that come in handy in detecting bottlenecks and pointing out wasteful use of resources. These analysis tools can help improve processes and the overall operations of an establishment.

Moreover, it would help to have the ability to quickly redesign and do metrics comparisons. These features are advantageous in making sure that a business or organization promptly and appropriately responds to changes and takes advantage of opportunities. At the same time, having a process map software that can be used across platforms (what others refer to as “workshop friendly”) is going to be beneficial.

Compatible with other applications

In addition to having a rich set of features, it is also advisable to find a Visio alternative whose output is compatible with popular process mapping or diagramming applications. In other words, this alternative should produce files that can be opened or at least easily converted to a popular format. This is to make sure that the process maps created are not exclusively accessible by the same software. Not everyone would be using the same software so the output file should at least be accessed by other similar software.

Easy to use

Lastly, a good alternative has to be intuitive or easy to use. Learning it should take only a few hours or even minutes. Its user interface preferably should be comparable to those of other process mapping or diagramming software.

If you are still in the process of finding an alternative to Visio, make sure that it has the functions and features you need and want and that it can produce a file that can be opened by other popular diagramming software. Likewise, give preference to one that can be used for free.



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