Combine Visio and MSN Maps to depict company processes

[jonnorelius]

I work at HQ for a large bank in Seattle and we continuously struggle with
how to capture, share and refine process maps for the company when we have to
artificially cut off the maps so they fit onto a piece of paper. If we want
to show the "bigger picture" then the map has to be redrawn with the detailed
process steps combined and called "subprocesses". Going up another higher
level, again, requires another redraw and another level in the artificial
hierarchy.

Idea: Combine the technology of MSN Maps with Visio so a map of the entire
company can be built and allow business/department owners to maintain their
part of it (right down to procedure documents that could be linked to the
process maps) but still allow mid-management and executives to see the big
picture. The user could then zoom in and out and see exactly that they need
using real-time information. If correctly priced, this app. would be a
must-have for everyone in the company (instead of just the SixSigma, Process
and IT people that have Visio now). Let me know if you need more info on how
this could be used.

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http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...98b6cc8849a&dg=microsoft.public.visio.general

 

[Mark Nelson [MS]]

Thanks for the suggestions. Do you see the main problem the need for the
page to grow to fit bigger processes or the need for processes to be broken
across pages and easily maintained?

--
Mark Nelson
Office Graphics - Visio
Microsoft Corporation

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[giles.barker]

The problem has already been solved to an extent by a company called
Triaster www.triaster.co.uk who have created a very specialised plug-
in and web publisher for Visio. Ask for a demo and you will be
pleasantly surprised.

Regards

Giles

 

[giles.barker]

The problem has already been solved to an extent by a company called
Triaster www.triaster.co.uk who have created a very specialised plug-
in and web publisher for Visio. Ask for a demo and you will be
pleasantly surprised.

It can solve the issues of having large maps split across many pages
and allows individuals to update their own sub-processes and
procedures. I'm not a rep so I won't sell it any more here.

Regards

Giles

 

[jonnorelius]

I''d like to eliminate the concept of a "page" all together. Just as MSN
Virtual Earth, and Google Earth, and "virtual world" applications (e.g.
Second Life) are apps that have eliminated the "page" concept, why can't an
application like Visio eliminate the need for a hard-coded page. Or maybe
another way of looking at it is that I'd like to put the entire company,
including the most detailed subprocess and associated procedures, onto a
single page. Then, when someone wants to understand a particular area, then
a dynamic pan/zoom tool is used to "fly" over and drill into the process.
There would be multiple layers that could be depicted and the user could us a
check box to determine what layers should be shown (human processes,
technology systems, physical locations, organization reporting structure,
etc.). In the case where a business area has not provided details, then the
lowest level of detail would be a single process box. In the other cases
where someone has provided tremondous detail, then they are depicted on that
page.

A Business Process Model in Visio is really just a documented virtual proxy
for what happens in the real world. We put it on paper as a means of
communicating with others and analyzing it for problems and potential need
for changes. We have thousands of these files scattered around the company
we put a lot of money into building them, rebuilding them and maintaining
them. Yet, very few people actually use them outside of technology groups,
and business process analysts. At the same time we build procedures,
guidelines, standards, etc. and collectively these things capture and
communicate what we do. I'm looking for a way to publish this to the entire
company (with appropriate security levels, so everyone in a company like ours
(50K employees) can have a broad perspective with detailed information that
can be used as needed.

It know it sounds a bit "blue sky" but it seems like all of the basic tools
are starting to appear.

Does this help explain it?

 

[Mark Nelson [MS]]

Thanks for the details. It helps to have a real scenario in mind when
making decisions about how a feature should work.

--
Mark Nelson
Office Graphics - Visio
Microsoft Corporation

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.