There is a whole methodology called “Balanced Scorecard” which focuses on providing access to metrics on quality, customer satisfaction, and other key business categories for success. Balanced Scorecard hinges on the axiom that “if you can’t measure it...

The customer base for the Microsoft Operations Server (MOM) overlaps pretty significantly with Visio’s customer base. Most of the IT professional desktops that use MOM have Visio installed for network diagramming, database modeling, and process diagrams...

I’ve gotten some questions about Visio’s ability to import or export XAML-based graphics files. Visio can’t do this today but you can use Visio 2003’s SVG functionality to achieve the same goal. You can save a Visio diagram out as SVG and then use a SVG...

We just published an article on MSDN that provides a step-by-step tutorial for using ShapeStudio to build shapes. It’s a good way to get started with the tool since it walks through the typical actions a shape developer might take. -- Mai-lan

Do you struggle with getting your shapes just right in your Visio diagrams? Do you have limited time and interest for going through a Visio user book? Here’s an easy way to update your Visio knowledge: take free online Microsoft tutorials that introduce...

The Visio 2003 Drawing Control does not work in the Visual Studio 2005 Beta 1. We’ve done some testing on more recent builds of the VS 2005 bits (post-beta 1 bits), and the control does work in the more recent builds. This will be fixed by Visual Studio...

Visio 2003 lets developers integrate their Visio content installation with a Windows Installer application. There are publish component table entries that can be added to MSI files to tell Visio about new Visio content (stencils, templates and add-ons...

When I gave my talk at the Microsoft Office System Developer Conference, I was surprised how few folks had heard about the Visio Viewer. Visio has shipped a free viewer for the last two releases of the product. You can download a Visio Viewer for Visio...

Last week, Microsoft hosted the Microsoft Office System Developer conference , the first ever developer conference solely targeted at the Office developer last week. I presented a well-attended session called “ Programming the Visio Graphical Platform...

A blog reader asked if it was possible to get a cheaper digital certificate for a smaller dev shop. I looked into this and unfortunately, there is no special discount for individual software production houses. The real issue when talking certificates...

I’ve gotten lots of mail from Visio blog readers who are still confused about how digital signing works for any Office solution. Siew-Moi Khor, a Programmer/Writer in the MS Office organization who writes seriously good documentation on complex topics...