Product Description

The smart way to learn Microsoft® Office Visio® 2007--one step at a time! Work at your own pace through the easy numbered steps, practice files on CD, helpful hints, and troubleshooting tips to master the fundamentals of working with the latest version of Office Visio. You'll discover how to create and format shapes and diagrams, create project schedules with Gantt charts, create organization charts, and lay out office spaces. You'll also learn the basics of creating network diagrams, integrating data with your diagrams, and analyzing data with PivotDiagrams. You'll also master building your own templates as well as integrating Visio diagrams into other Office documents. With STEP BY STEP, you can take just the lessons you need, or work from cover to cover. Either way, you drive the instruction, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Includes an easy-to-use companion CD with hands-on practice files, a fully searchable eBook, and additional resources.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21545 in Books
• Brand: LITTLE, BROWN AND CO
• Published on: 2007-03-14
• Platform: No Operating System
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 1.41 pounds
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

From the Publisher
Key Book Benefits:

-Describes how to navigate the new user interface
-Includes a quick reference card to new features in Visio 2007
-Lets you take just the lessons you need or work from cover to cover--you set the pace
-Includes coverage of all the fundamentals, including creating diagrams, business drawings, organization charts, and more
-Features easy-to-follow lessons and hands-on skill-building exercises
-Includes an easy-to-use companion CD with practice files and other resources

About the Author
Judy Lemke specializes in documentation and training for Microsoft Office Visio. She is an award-winning writer with more than ten years of experience writing, editing, and designing everything from developer documentation and tutorials to product manuals and marketing collateral.

Customer Reviews

Thrown Together
I've had some luck with these guides in the past. They're decent overviews of basic functionality. There are exercises, but mostly I use them as references. I guess it's MSFT's version of the 'For Dummies' series.

The thing about Visio is that much of the basic functionality is intuitive. It seems this book could have done a better job of showing why Visio is superior to other programs by digging into what Visio can do. There are too many gaps. Add to that the typos and at least one illustration that's been misplaced, and you get what feels like a very slipshod effort.

I think there are bound to be a lot of folks who feel that way about this book. There have to be better resources out there, whether it's MSFT's Inside Out series or something else.

If you've never touched Visio or you're just using it for school, this one may cut it. If you're using it for a few different applications at work and you're hoping for a good desk reference, look for something else!

Practically useless
I got this book after transitioning from Autosketch to Visio Pro due to integration with other software.
I ordered this book after realizing that Visio is based on markedly different concepts than Autodesk products. This book is pretty much a clone of the material that is available for free at the Microsoft Visio website.
Anyone who has dabbled with CAD programs before will know that drawing aids like Snap, Alignment and Guides are rudimentary tools, without which, you have no hope of creating even a simple drawing - Try looking up Snap in the index, it's not there. Instead, the authors think that they can teach you the program by giving you step by step instructions on a few sample applications. These sample applications only take you to the most basic of steps and then leave you on your own.
Looking through the help menu will serve you way better.

Better books are available - buy one of them instead
I had a good experience with one of the "Step by Step" books a few years ago, but this one was pretty disappointing. The text and exercises are helpful only at the most basic level. While I knew it was an introductory book, I did not realize just HOW basic it would be. If you've never seen Visio before, you may find it of some use, but it will be of absolutely no value as a desk reference after it's been read.

In addition, it is supposed to be a paperback book with a CD that, in addition to practice files, includes an eBook version for the buyer's convenience. That makes a good selling point for this product, but it is misleading. Only 60% of the book is in hard copy, the remaining chapters are stored in individual PDF files on the accompanying CD along with the eBook (which also contains only 60% of the content). I did not expect or want to be tied to my desktop computer in order to read the last 40% of the book (a total of 4 chapters).

Overall, Microsoft Visio 2007 Step by Step was poor choice and I would not recommend it to anyone.