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Brian Culp

Need to learn Visio quickly? Looking to enhance your skills at the office?

Then this is the course for you.

Join author, Microsoft Certified Trainer, and bestselling Udemy instructor Brian Culp for Udemy's #1 reviewed course on Visio as he demonstrates the most frequently-used, most time-saving features of this pro diagramming tool.

The Like a Boss series has received hundreds of five-star reviews. Here's what others are saying:

"Excellent content. Just what I was looking for to enhance productivity at the office." -Paige Popejoy

Read more

Need to learn Visio quickly? Looking to enhance your skills at the office?

Then this is the course for you.

Join author, Microsoft Certified Trainer, and bestselling Udemy instructor Brian Culp for Udemy's #1 reviewed course on Visio as he demonstrates the most frequently-used, most time-saving features of this pro diagramming tool.

The Like a Boss series has received hundreds of five-star reviews. Here's what others are saying:

"Excellent content. Just what I was looking for to enhance productivity at the office." -Paige Popejoy

"Great personality and explained things well. Felt like he was at my desk explaining it to me." -William Potts

"Very precise, clear and constructive." -Forent Sidler

"Perfect." -Yvonne Belo

Microsoft Visio Like a Boss includes approximately eight hours of video instruction delivered in over 100 separate, bite-sized lessons, making it perfect for learning the application from the ground up, or for going back to review/refresh on a specific skill.

Whether you're creating a first Visio diagram, or a veteran looking for a deeper understanding of Visio's capabilities, you'll be given a guided tour that will help you make professional diagrams with less frustration.

Students will quickly progress from basic skills to a deeper dive into Visio's more advanced features by learning about:

  • adding and editing diagram shapes and text

  • connecting and grouping

  • creating flowcharts, floor plans, and org charts

  • documenting business processes

  • linking Visio with external data sources

  • collaborating with other users

  • creating custom Visio shapes

  • time-saving tips and tricks

  • and much more

In this course, you'll learn by doing.

Most lessons start exactly where you would while at work or at school - with a blank diagram. By simply following along, students will create and edit Visio shapes, text, and connectors, building the skills needed to create flowcharts, floor plans, business process, or start from one of hundreds of ready-made templates.

There's nothing to lose, except the headache of struggling to make the diagrams that can help your company (and your career).

After completing Microsoft Visio Like a Boss, you'll be able to communicate your ideas visually more easily and effectively than ever before. Plus, you're always covered by Udemy's refund policy.

So, if you're ready to explore the potential of this powerhouse diagramming tool, please enroll today. Because whether you're documenting timelines, engineering designs, or UX decision trees, communicating with a professional diagram can make all the difference in the world.

See you in class.

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Confidence with navigation tasks: zooming in and out of complex diagrams; selecting and positioning shapes
  • Work with shape connections and connection points, learning what happens to connections as diagrams change
  • Quickly apply shape styles use diagram themes
  • Utilize shape grouping and layering in diagrams
  • How to add and control your shape text
  • How to create specialized diagrams like flowcharts and org charts
  • Work with pictures within visio diagrams
  • Use dynamic data from external applications like excel
  • Generate reports based on visio content
  • You will understand the building blocks of visio diagrams: stencils, shapes, and the drawing window

Syllabus

Visio Anatomy - quickly get up to speed with Visio

Be sure to download the Visio keyboard shortcuts for quick reference as we go along.

Read more

The lessons, clicksteps, and features shown in this course will work no matter if you're learning on Visio 2013, Visio 2016, or Visio 365. That's because they're essentially the same thing - the desktop install of Visio.

In fact, the most recent Office 365 naming convention calls them Visio Online 1. And Visio Online 2. I know.

The good news is that the features are the same. If you have any questions, please post them to the discussions section. And have fun learning Visio!

Keyboard shortcuts help you quickly navigate your drawings. The more complex the drawings, the more valuable this info will be. (NOTE: a reference to Section 12 is now Section 13... I've added a dedicated section on Visio connectors.)

Learn the behavior of the Dynamic grid and how it affects the positioning of shapes.

If you want to start with the exact file I'm using here, I've attached the .vsdx file as a .zip (Udemy doesn't allow the upload of .vsdx files).

As a final note, a student mentioned a known issue with the Dynamic Grid, which is that is might not work over a Remote Desktop (RDP) session. If applicable, you can read more here, including info about a possible workaround.

https://visio.uservoice.com/forums/229400-visio-on-desktop/suggestions/35859562-dynamic-grid-functionality-is-missing-if-we-open-v

Also posted to the LAB YouTube channel, these next few lessons help master connectors, which will be used in virtually all your diagrams. Enjoy, and please subscribe for lots more tips and tricks covering the apps you use most. Here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/c/LikeABossLearning?sub_confirmation=1

You were introduced to this earlier in Lesson 11; this covers the topic in a bit more detail.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Covers Visio 2013, 2016, and 365, ensuring relevance for users across different versions of the software, which is helpful for diverse workplaces
Teaches time-saving tips and tricks, which can significantly improve productivity for professionals who use Visio regularly in their workflows
Explores linking Visio with external data sources like Excel, which is useful for creating dynamic diagrams and reports in a business context
Includes lessons on creating specialized diagrams like flowcharts, org charts, and swimlane diagrams, which are commonly used in business process documentation
Features a section on business-specific diagrams such as networking diagrams and BPMN, which are essential for IT and business professionals
Uses older versions of Visio, which may not reflect the latest features and interface improvements found in the most recent releases of the software

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Reviews summary

Microsoft visio practical mastery

According to learners, this course is a highly effective and practical guide to mastering Microsoft Visio. Many praise the instructor's clear explanations and engaging teaching style, which makes learning complex topics easy to follow. Students appreciate the course's comprehensive coverage of key Visio features, including shapes, connectors, data linking, and creating various diagrams like flowcharts and org charts. The bite-sized lessons are frequently highlighted as making the material digestible and easy to revisit for specific skills. The content is widely considered directly applicable to professional work, helping learners quickly improve productivity and create professional diagrams. While a few mention the pace can be slow if you're already familiar with the basics, the overwhelming sentiment is that this is a definitive resource for anyone needing to use Visio effectively.
Provides a solid foundation for new Visio users.
"Starts with the basics and builds skills effectively."
"I had never used Visio before, and this course made it approachable."
"Helped me get comfortable with the Visio interface and tools quickly."
"Perfect for someone starting out with diagramming software."
Lessons are easy to digest and revisit.
"The bite-sized lessons are perfect for learning step-by-step."
"I like how the course is broken down into manageable sections."
"Easy to go back and find specific topics I need to review."
"The structure makes it easy to learn from the ground up."
Covers a wide range of essential Visio features.
"It covers everything from basic shapes to data linking and different diagram types."
"A truly definitive course that explores many key functionalities of Visio."
"I learned about features I didn't even know existed, like reporting on shape data."
"The course goes into sufficient depth on essential tools needed daily."
Instructor explains concepts clearly and engagingly.
"His explanations are so clear and easy to follow."
"The instructor's style is very engaging; it felt like he was right there helping me."
"I appreciate how clearly each step is demonstrated and explained."
"The lessons are well-structured and easy to understand, even for beginners."
Directly applicable skills for professional use.
"Excellent content, exactly what I needed to enhance productivity at the office."
"I can immediately apply what I learned here to my work diagrams."
"This course helped me quickly create the professional diagrams needed for my job."
"Learning the practical applications like linking data was extremely valuable for my role."
Pace may feel slow for users with prior experience.
"For me, some early parts felt a little slow, but it got better as it progressed."
"If you know the absolute basics, you might find the initial lessons a bit drawn out."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Microsoft Visio 13/16/19 Like a Boss - The Definitive Course with these activities:
Review Basic Diagramming Concepts
Reinforce your understanding of fundamental diagramming concepts to better grasp Visio's application of these principles.
Browse courses on Visual Communication
Show steps
  • Research diagramming principles online.
  • Identify the key elements of effective diagrams.
  • Practice sketching simple diagrams by hand.
Review 'The Back of the Napkin'
Explore visual problem-solving techniques to enhance your ability to create effective diagrams in Visio.
Show steps
  • Read the book 'The Back of the Napkin'.
  • Identify the key principles of visual problem-solving.
  • Apply these principles to create sample diagrams in Visio.
Practice Creating Flowcharts
Reinforce your flowchart creation skills to improve speed and accuracy in Visio.
Show steps
  • Find flowchart examples online.
  • Recreate the flowcharts in Visio.
  • Time yourself and try to improve your speed.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Create a Visio Diagram Tutorial
Solidify your understanding of Visio by creating a tutorial for others.
Show steps
  • Choose a specific Visio diagram type.
  • Create a step-by-step tutorial on how to create it.
  • Share your tutorial online.
Design a Business Process Diagram
Apply your Visio skills to a real-world business scenario by designing a process diagram.
Show steps
  • Identify a business process to document.
  • Gather information about the process.
  • Create a Visio diagram of the process.
  • Present your diagram to stakeholders for feedback.
Develop a Data-Linked Visio Dashboard
Master Visio's data linking capabilities by creating a dynamic dashboard.
Show steps
  • Identify a data source to link to Visio.
  • Connect Visio to the data source.
  • Create a dashboard that visualizes the data.
  • Automate the data refresh process.
Review 'Information is Beautiful'
Gain inspiration for creating visually appealing and informative diagrams in Visio.
Show steps
  • Browse the examples in 'Information is Beautiful'.
  • Analyze the design choices made in each example.
  • Apply these design principles to your Visio diagrams.

Career center

Learners who complete Microsoft Visio 13/16/19 Like a Boss - The Definitive Course will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Business Analyst
The role of a Business Analyst involves documenting business processes and workflows, and this course on Microsoft Visio directly translates to success in this area. A Business Analyst creates diagrams to represent systems and processes, and this course provides the skills to confidently create flowcharts, swimlane diagrams, and business process model and notation diagrams. Learning how to link Visio with external data sources and generate reports based on Visio content helps a Business Analyst provide data-driven insights. The course's focus on practical, hands-on learning and its comprehensive coverage of Visio's features may be especially beneficial.
Process Improvement Specialist
A Process Improvement Specialist analyzes and optimizes business processes. This Microsoft Visio course helps you excel in this role by providing the skills to visually map and document processes. As a Process Improvement Specialist, you can use Visio to create flowcharts, swimlane diagrams, and business process model and notation diagrams. The course teaches how to link Visio with external data sources and generate reports, enabling you to analyze process data effectively. Learning how to create custom Visio shapes and use time-saving tips and tricks also makes a Process Improvement Specialist more efficient.
Systems Analyst
Systems Analysts design and implement information systems, often relying on visual representations to communicate system architecture and data flow. This Microsoft Visio course helps a Systems Analyst create comprehensive diagrams. The course covers creating flowcharts, network diagrams, and database models, visualizing system components and their interactions. Learning how to link Visio with external data sources and generate reports based on Visio content allows a Systems Analyst to analyze system performance and identify areas for improvement. This course will be especially helpful due to its lessons presented in bite-sized format.
Technical Writer
A Technical Writer creates documentation for technical products and processes. This Microsoft Visio course can significantly enhance a Technical Writer's ability to create clear and concise diagrams. This course helps a Technical Writer create flowcharts, network diagrams, and other visual aids to illustrate complex information. The focus on adding and editing diagram shapes and text, connecting and grouping elements, and using time-saving tips and tricks helps you become a more efficient and effective Technical Writer. Furthermore, the course shows how to create templates, reuse graphics, and publish Visio diagrams to the web.
Project Manager
Project Managers often use diagrams to communicate project plans, workflows, and organizational structures. This Microsoft Visio course helps a Project Manager create professional-looking diagrams with ease. The course covers how to create flowcharts, org charts, and timelines. It helps Project Managers document business processes and collaborate with other users. The course's guided tour of Visio's features, from basic skills to advanced techniques, may prove most helpful.
Instructional Designer
Instructional Designers create learning materials, often using visual aids to enhance understanding. This Microsoft Visio course helps an Instructional Designer create engaging and informative diagrams. The course covers how to create flowcharts, org charts, and other visual representations of concepts. Learning how to add and edit diagram shapes and text, connect and group elements, and use time-saving tips and tricks allows an Instructional Designer to design effective learning materials. The course reviews how to create templates, reuse graphics, and publish Visio diagrams to the web.
Data Analyst
Data Analysts often need to visualize data flows and processes. This course on Microsoft Visio helps a Data Analyst create diagrams that effectively communicate complex data relationships. This course teaches you how to link Visio with external data sources, generate reports based on Visio content, and create custom Visio shapes. Learning to add and edit diagram shapes and text, connect and group elements, and use time-saving tips and tricks may enhance a Data Analyst's productivity. The course shows how to create templates, reuse graphics, and publish Visio diagrams to the web.
Network Engineer
Network Engineers design, implement, and manage computer networks. This Microsoft Visio course helps a Network Engineer create detailed network diagrams. The course covers how to create computer network diagrams. A Network Engineer can effectively document network infrastructure, troubleshoot issues, and plan for future expansions. The course may be useful because it teaches how to add and edit diagram shapes and text, connect and group elements, and use time-saving tips and tricks.
Database Administrator
Database Administrators (DBAs) are responsible for the performance, integrity, and security of databases. This Microsoft Visio course helps a Database Administrator create entity-relationship diagrams and data flow diagrams. The course covers how to link Visio with external data sources and generate reports based on Visio content. A DBA can use this course to visualize database structures and data flows, troubleshoot performance issues, and plan for database expansions. The course may be useful because it teaches how to add and edit diagram shapes and text, connect and group elements, and use time-saving tips and tricks.
Business Intelligence Analyst
Business Intelligence Analysts analyze data and create reports to help organizations make better decisions. This Microsoft Visio course helps a Business Intelligence Analyst to visualize data and processes, enhancing communication. The course covers how to link Visio with external data sources and generate reports based on Visio content. The Business Intelligence Analyst can create diagrams to illustrate data flows, business processes, and key performance indicators. The course may be useful because of its focus on the essentials of diagrams such as adding and editing diagram shapes and text.
Quality Assurance Analyst
A Quality Assurance Analyst ensures that products or services meet certain standards of quality. This Microsoft Visio course helps a Quality Assurance Analyst to document test plans, test cases, and bug reports using visual diagrams. This course focuses on the essentials of diagrams, such as adding and editing diagram shapes and text, connecting and grouping elements, and using time-saving tips and tricks. The course also shows how to create templates, reuse graphics, and publish Visio diagrams to the web. This helps the Quality Assurance Analyst to communicate effectively with developers and stakeholders.
Technical Support Specialist
A Technical Support Specialist troubleshoots technical issues and provides support to users. This Microsoft Visio course may help a Technical Support Specialist create diagrams to explain complex technical concepts. The course covers how to create flowcharts, network diagrams, and other visual aids to assist users in resolving issues. The ability to add clarity by using diagrams may make a Technical Support Specialist more effective. The course's guided tour of Visio's functions and its coverage of basic skills to advanced techniques may be most helpful.
Management Consultant
Management Consultants advise organizations on how to improve their performance and efficiency. This Microsoft Visio course may help a Management Consultant visualize business processes and organizational structures. The course covers how to create flowcharts, org charts, and other diagrams to represent complex information. A Management Consultant can use Visio to map out current processes, identify bottlenecks, and recommend improvements. The course helps in learning templates, reusing graphics, and publishing Visio diagrams to the web.
Architect
Architects design buildings and other structures. This Microsoft Visio course may help an Architect to create floor plans, elevations, and other diagrams. The course covers how to add and edit diagram shapes and text, connect and group elements, and use time-saving tips and tricks. An Architect can use Visio to communicate their design ideas to clients, contractors, and other stakeholders. The course's guided tour of Visio's functions, from basic skills to advanced techniques may be most helpful.
Facilities Manager
Facilities Managers oversee the maintenance and operations of buildings and facilities. This Microsoft Visio course may help a Facilities Manager to create floor plans, space layouts, and other diagrams to manage facilities more effectively. The course covers how to add and edit diagram shapes and text, connect and group elements, and use time-saving tips and tricks. This course may be useful in learning about creating templates, reusing graphics, and publishing Visio diagrams to the web.

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Microsoft Visio 13/16/19 Like a Boss - The Definitive Course.
Teaches how to use simple drawings to solve complex problems. It's a great resource for understanding the power of visual communication, which is at the heart of Visio's purpose. The book provides a framework for creating clear and effective diagrams, which complements the practical skills learned in the course. It is more valuable as additional reading to expand on the course.
Showcases examples of effective data visualization. It provides inspiration and guidance for creating visually appealing and informative diagrams. While not specific to Visio, it helps develop a strong understanding of visual communication principles. This book is more valuable as additional reading than as a current reference.

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