I need a new tool, other than Visio, any ideas?

Question

(This is not a repeat of the question "Is there the substitute good tool of Visio?")

I really do not have a problem with Visio for technical diagrams, except it seems thats all its good for. Its really good for producing those intimidating "techie UML diagrams" and "Scary looking technical work-flows".

I need a tool that I can use to describe software not to other techies, but to the upper business layer of management. You know the kind that wear suits, come into a presentation, and just want the high level overviews, so they can nod, and sip their tea.

Visio, just doesn't bridge this gap.

I definitely need prettier looking diagrams. But I can't afford SmartDraw, any other ideas from your personal experience?

Answer 1

What's wrong with PowerPoint? Suits LOVE a good PPT.

Answer 2

PowerPoint. Seriously, someone at that level just wants a snazzy looking block diagram, nothing more. Mostly what they're interested in from a technical perspective would be a software stack, and that can be drawn as a bunch of rectangles, some sitting on others, to give the impression of "we took this base library and we built our application on top of it."

Answer 3

Try looking at this list: http://alternativeto.net/desktop/microsoft-visio/

Answer 4

I have really started to fall in love with the new SketchFlow product included in Expression! it allows you create a functioning application mock up that you can navigate through and get approvals. It is not so specific that people get hung up on pixels and colors (similar to balsalmiq) but very much gets the point across.

Answer 5

try Dia

"Dia is roughly inspired by the commercial Windows program 'Visio', though more geared towards informal diagrams for casual use. It can be used to draw many different kinds of diagrams. It currently has special objects to help draw entity relationship diagrams, UML diagrams, flowcharts, network diagrams, and many other diagrams. It is also possible to add support for new shapes by writing simple XML files, using a subset of SVG to draw the shape."

Run in Windows, Linux.

Answer 6

I don't understand why Visio won't do what you want. If you want the diagrams to be simpler than the techie UML diagrams, just put less stuff in them. Use the normal boxes, ovals or boxes with rounded corners. Don't use the UML template. Whatever you want.

Visio won't complain if you do a simpler diagram.

Also, I often just use Word or Powerpoint for simple diagrams - I find those programs are actually better than most drawing programs, at least for me (for some reason I don't get along well with most drawing programs. Probably because I'm a total spaz artistically. Even my stick figures look crappy).

Answer 7

I absolutely agree with Michael Burr. I've done tons of presentations to exec-types who wouldn't understand a line of code by using big boxes with lines connecting them. The 3D rectangles in particular do a really good job of stacking content to make it look like you're building on other components or some component is a subcomponent of another.

Answer 8

Try http://gliffy.com. It's supposed to be Visio killer but I haven't seen how it does that :)

Answer 9

I think you are looking for ARIS Express (http://www.ariscommunity.com/aris-express). The ARIS tools are exactly meant to bridge the gap between business and IT. Historically, ARIS comes from the business community and is not an IT tool. So you might want to try it. ARIS Express is free-of-charge.

Answer 10

http://cacoo.com/