Tools for Drawing Expansion Plan

How do yous quickly capture these brainstorming ideas while creating a record that you tin analyze, edit, and human activity on later on?

When you create a brainstorming diagram in Microsoft Office Visio, you create a visual archive of your ideas like the drawing below. The diagram tin can help you rapidly recognize and lodge themes and hierarchies, making it a snap to pull a programme of action out of a chaotic idea-generating session.

This commodity describes five different ways to create a brainstorming diagram in Visio. Each method has its appeal, depending on how you like to work.

Using a brainstorming diagram

There are ii principal means to use a brainstorming diagram. The first is to begin with a main idea and then generate related topics and subtopics hierarchically to go far at a large number of dissimilar possible approaches.

The 2nd is to capture all ideas every bit they are expressed and later to organize them in a hierarchical diagram. You then revise, refine, and share the results among the members of the grouping. This method is most useful during a brainstorming meeting where people are contributing ideas in rapid succession. In this setting, hierarchies aren't e'er credible and you lot need to capture ideas apace.

Starting a new brainstorming diagram

• Click File, and then click New.

• Nether Concern, click Brainstorming Diagram. If you don't run into Business concern, click Templates or Categories.

  

Expand the cartoon page to fit your brainstorming diagram

If your brainstorming diagram extends beyond the borders of the drawing folio, you can easily expand the folio without moving your topics to a unlike page. There are two ways to resize the page: past manually dragging the borders of the page or by using the Page Setup dialog box.

Resize the cartoon folio past manually dragging the borders

1. On the View menu, click Zoom, and click Whole Page. This view shows you the borders of your drawing page.

2. Place the pointer on the edge of the drawing page that you want to expand, and and so press the CTRL key. When the pointer changes to a two-headed arrow, drag the pointer to resize the folio.

Resize the drawing page using the Page Setup dialog box

1. Click Design, and then press Shift+F5 to open up the , the Page Setup dialog.

2. Click the Page Size tab.

3. Under Custom size, type the size y'all desire to page to be, and click OK.

Notation:The changes to the size of the cartoon page apply only to the page you are currently viewing. Also, brand sure that you type the right unit of measurement (inches or millimeters) in the Custom size boxes when yous are typing in the size of the page.

Using the Brainstorming ribbon

You can perform the nearly common tasks in building a brainstorming diagram, such as calculation a main topic or arranging topics on the page, past clicking buttons on the Brainstorming ribbon.

You tin easily access these tools without dragging the pointer off the drawing page. For example, if yous are using a Tablet PC, you lot just tap in one case on the Brainstorming ribbon to place topics on the drawing page.

The Brainstorming ribbon gives you admission to all the tools designed specifically for the Brainstorming template. In addition to adding or arranging topics, you can use commands on this ribbon to perform such actions as changing the type of an existing topic or moving a topic to a new folio.

Create a diagram using the Brainstorming tab

1. On the Brainstorming tab, click Main.

2. With the shape selected, type the text that you want the main thought to correspond.

3. With the Main Topic shape selected, click Subtopic.

   A subtopic connects to and is subordinated to the main topic.

4. Type the title of the subtopic.

Add more topics using the Brainstorming toolbar

You lot tin add more topics to your diagram by doing ane of the post-obit:

Add together multiple subtopics

1. Select the topic you lot want to add together subtopics to, and then, on the Brainstorming toolbar, click Multiple Subtopics.

2. In the dialog box, blazon the text for each new topic, and press ENTER after each 1. When you are finished calculation all the topics that you want, click OK.

Add a peer topic

1. Select the topic you lot desire to add a same-level topic to, and then, on the Brainstorming toolbar, click Peer.

2. Blazon the championship of the topic.

Add ane topic at a fourth dimension

1. Select the topic that y'all want to add together a same-level topic or subtopic to, and then, on the Brainstorming toolbar, click Peer or Subtopic.

2. Type the title of the topic.

Arrange topics

You can improve the appearance of your diagram and maximize the infinite on the cartoon folio by doing the following:

• On the Brainstorming toolbar, click Auto-Arrange.

Tip:You lot can manually adjust topics by selecting the topics that you lot want to movement, and then dragging them to a different location on the page. When you move a topic, its connectors reposition automatically and its subtopics movement with it.

Using the shortcut menu

In whatever Microsoft Office application, the shortcut (or "right-click") menu is a handy tool to use when you lot desire to quickly perform an action without moving the cursor off the page. The shortcut carte du jour also includes standard Visio cartoon page commands for tasks such as copying and pasting shapes.

Most experienced users use the shortcut method because of its accessibility. In Visio, yous tin easily build your diagram using this method.

Create a diagram using the shortcut method

1. Right-click the cartoon page and click Add together Main Topic.

2. With the shape selected, type the text that y'all want the main idea to represent.

3. Right-click the Master Topic shape, and then click Add Subtopic.

4. Type the title of the subtopic.

Add topics using the shortcut method

There are several ways to add topics to your diagram:

Add multiple subtopics

1. Right-click the topic you want to add together multiple subtopics to, and then click Add Multiple Subtopics.

   

2. In the dialog box, type the text for each new topic, and press ENTER subsequently each i. When yous are finished calculation all the topics that yous want, click OK.

Add a peer topic

1. Right-click the topic that you lot want to add a same-level topic to, and click Add Peer Topic.

2. Type the text for the new topic.

Add a topic at a time

1. Correct-click the topic that you want to add together a same-level topic or subtopic to, and click Add together Peer Topic or Add Subtopic.

2. Type the title of the topic.

Conform topics

Yous can ameliorate the appearance of your diagram and maximize the space on the drawing page by doing the post-obit:

• Right-click a blank area on your page, and and so click Machine-Arrange Shapes.

Tip:Y'all can manually arrange topics past selecting the topics that y'all want to motion, and and so dragging them to a unlike location on the page. When y'all move a topic, its connectors reposition automatically and its subtopics move with it.

Using the Outline Window

The Outline Window displays a tree structure of your brainstorming diagram, which captures the hierarchical relationships of the topics and condenses all the information that is spread over multiple shapes and pages into one central location. Use the feature when you want to organize your ideas in a linear view without affecting the appearance of your diagram and without having to navigate back and along between shapes and pages.

Plow Outline Window on or off

To turn the Outline Window on or off, on the Brainstorming tab, check or uncheck the Outline Window checkbox.

Create a diagram using the Outline Window

1. In the Outline Window, right-click "Drawing1" or the saved drawing file name, and so click Add Chief Topic.

2. Correct-click Main Topic and select Rename.

3. Type the text you want the main idea to represent.

4. To add a subtopic, correct-click the Main Topic (or whatever other topic), and and so click Add Subtopic. Rename the subtopic the same way you renamed your main topic.

Tip:To delete topics, correct-click a topic, so click Delete Topic. When you lot delete a topic with subtopics, all of the corresponding subtopics are as well deleted. You tin can also delete a topic past selecting the topic that y'all want to delete, and and so pressing the DELETE central.

Add more topics to your diagram using the Outline Window

To add more topics in the Outline Window, right-click the topic that you want to add together more topics to, and and then click Add together Multiple Subtopics. In the Add Multiple Subtopics dialog box, type the names of the topics, and then click OK.

Alter a topic into a subtopic

Because the Outline Window displays topics in a linear view, you tin use information technology to control the hierarchical structure of your topics. In the Outline Window, you tin make a topic into some other subtopic by dragging the name of the topic to a dissimilar level.

If yous want to motion a subtopic to a higher level (or lower level) within the hierarchy, drag the name of the subtopic on superlative of the higher-level topic (or lower level topic). If the subtopic you moved has corresponding subtopics, they also move with it and the changes are reflected in your diagram.

Annotation:Promoting or demoting a topic in the hierarchy using the Outline Window automatically changes the structure of your diagram.

Move a topic up or downwards within the Outline Window

You lot can organize or prioritize topics in the Outline Window without affecting the structure of your diagram. For instance, if yous desire to prioritize topics, yous can motility the topics with college priority to the top section of the Outline Window — the arrangement of shapes on the page volition stay the aforementioned.

• Correct-click the topic that y'all want to move, and then click Movement Up or Motion Down.

  This change is reflected only in the Outline Window. The topic position in your diagram remains unchanged.

Using the Brainstorming Shapes

Dragging shapes from the Brainstorming Shapes stencil gives you lot the most control over the position of your topics on the cartoon page and their type of connexion.

Note:Considering this method does non take advantage of the Brainstorming template's automated features, when you use it the Car-Suit command and Outline Window might not e'er give you the results you wait.

Before you lot begin: Diagram your thoughts and expand your pages

Before y'all create your diagram, consider ii things: your arroyo to creating the diagram, and how to make your diagram fit in the cartoon page to make information technology readable equally you add more than topics to information technology. It is a good thought to familiarize yourself with the methods here ahead of time and then that y'all can exist efficient in creating your diagram during your brainstorming session.

Creating a brainstorming diagram

At that place are two chief ways to create a brainstorming diagram:

• The first is to begin with a main thought and and then generate related topics and subtopics hierarchically to arrive at a big number of different possible approaches.

• The second is to capture all ideas as they are expressed and afterward to organize them in a hierarchical diagram. Yous then revise, refine, and share the results amidst the members of the group. This method is well-nigh useful during a brainstorming meeting where people are contributing ideas in rapid succession. In this setting, hierarchies aren't always apparent and you demand to capture ideas rapidly.

Expand the cartoon page to fit your brainstorming diagram

If your brainstorming diagram extends beyond the borders of the cartoon folio, y'all can hands expand the page without moving your topics to a dissimilar page. There are two means to resize the page: by manually dragging the borders of the page or by using the Page Setup dialog box.

Resize the drawing page by manually dragging the borders

1. On the View menu, point to Zoom, and click Whole Folio. This view will let you to see the borders of your drawing page.

2. Place the pointer on the border of the drawing folio that y'all want to expand, and then printing the CTRL primal. When the pointer changes to a two-headed pointer, drag the pointer to resize the page.

Resize the drawing page using the Page Setup dialog box

1. On the File bill of fare, click Page Setup.

2. Click the Folio Size tab.

3. Under Custom size, blazon the size you lot want to page to be, and click OK.

Annotation:The changes to the size of the drawing page apply simply to the page yous are currently viewing. Also, make sure that you blazon the right unit of measurement (inches or millimeters) in the Custom size boxes when you are typing in the size of the page.

Using the Brainstorming toolbar

You can perform the nearly common tasks in building a brainstorming diagram, such as adding a main topic or arranging topics on the page, by clicking buttons on the Brainstorming toolbar.

Yous can easily access these tools without dragging the pointer off the drawing page. For example, if you are using a Tablet PC, you just tap in one case on the Brainstorming toolbar to place topics on the drawing folio.

Tip:If you don't see the Brainstorming toolbar, on the View menu, point to Toolbars, and then click Brainstorming.

Create a diagram using the Brainstorming tab or toolbar

1. On the Brainstorming tab or toolbar, click Main or Add Main Topic.

2. With the shape selected, blazon the text that you want the principal idea to represent.

3. With the Master Topic shape selected, click Add Subtopic.

   A subtopic connects to and is subordinated to the principal topic.

4. Type the title of the subtopic.

Add more topics using the Brainstorming toolbar

You can add more topics to your diagram by doing one of the following:

Add multiple subtopics

1. Select the topic you want to add together subtopics to, and so, on the Brainstorming toolbar, click Add together Multiple Subtopics.

2. In the dialog box, type the text for each new topic, and press ENTER subsequently each one. When you lot are finished adding all the topics that you want, click OK.

Add a peer topic

1. Select the topic you want to add a same-level topic to, and then, on the Brainstorming toolbar, click Add Peer Topic.

2. Type the title of the topic.

Add 1 topic at a fourth dimension

1. Select the topic that y'all want to add a same-level topic or subtopic to, and and then, on the Brainstorming toolbar, click Add together Peer Topic or Add Subtopic.

2. Blazon the title of the topic.

Arrange topics

You lot can improve the appearance of your diagram and maximize the space on the drawing page by doing the following:

• On the Brainstorming toolbar, click Automobile-Conform Topics.

Tip:You can manually arrange topics by selecting the topics that y'all want to move, and and then dragging them to a unlike location on the page. When you move a topic, its connectors reposition automatically and its subtopics move with it.

Using the Brainstorming carte du jour

The Brainstorming menu gives you admission to all the tools designed specifically for the Brainstorming template. In addition to adding or arranging topics, you can use commands on this menu to perform such actions equally changing the type of an existing topic or moving a topic to a new page.

Using the shortcut menu

In any Microsoft Function awarding, the shortcut (or "correct-click") carte du jour is a handy tool to apply when you want to apace perform an action without moving the cursor off the page. The shortcut bill of fare too includes standard Visio drawing page commands for tasks such as copying and pasting shapes.

Most experienced users apply the shortcut method because of its accessibility. In Visio, you can easily build your diagram using this method.

Create a diagram using the shortcut method

1. Correct-click the drawing page and click Add Main Topic.

2. With the shape selected, type the text that you want the primary thought to represent.

3. Right-click the Main Topic shape, and so click Add Subtopic.

4. Blazon the championship of the subtopic.

Add together topics using the shortcut method

There are several ways to add topics to your diagram:

Add multiple subtopics

1. Right-click the topic you want to add multiple subtopics to, and so click Add together Multiple Subtopics.

   

2. In the dialog box, blazon the text for each new topic, and press ENTER after each one. When you are finished adding all the topics that you want, click OK.

Add a peer topic

1. Right-click the topic that y'all desire to add a same-level topic to, and click Add Peer Topic.

2. Type the text for the new topic.

Add together a topic at a fourth dimension

1. Right-click the topic that you want to add a same-level topic or subtopic to, and click Add together Peer Topic or Add Subtopic.

2. Type the title of the topic.

Arrange topics

You lot tin can better the appearance of your diagram and maximize the space on the drawing page past doing the following:

• Correct-click a blank area on your folio, and and so click Auto-Suit Shapes.

Tip:You tin manually arrange topics by selecting the topics that you lot want to motility, and then dragging them to a different location on the page. When you move a topic, its connectors reposition automatically and its subtopics move with information technology.

Using the Outline Window

The Outline Window displays a tree structure of your brainstorming diagram, which captures the hierarchical relationships of the topics and condenses all the information that is spread over multiple shapes and pages into one key location. Use the feature when you want to organize your ideas in a linear view without affecting the advent of your diagram and without having to navigate back and forth betwixt shapes and pages.

Create a diagram using the Outline Window

1. In the Outline Window, right-click "Drawing1" or the saved drawing file name, and so click Add Master Topic.

2. Correct-click Master Topic and select Rename.

3. Type the text you want the master idea to represent.

4. To add a subtopic, right-click the Primary Topic (or any other topic), and and so click Add together Subtopic. Rename the subtopic the aforementioned way you renamed your main topic.

Tip:To delete topics, right-click a topic, so click Delete Topic. When you delete a topic with subtopics, all of the respective subtopics are as well deleted. You tin also delete a topic by selecting the topic that you desire to delete, and then pressing the DELETE key.

Add more topics to your diagram using the Outline Window

To add together more topics in the Outline Window, right-click the topic that you want to add more topics to, and then click Add together Multiple Subtopics. In the Add Multiple Subtopics dialog box, type the names of the topics, and then click OK.

Change a topic into a subtopic

Because the Outline Window displays topics in a linear view, you tin can use it to command the hierarchical structure of your topics. In the Outline Window, you tin can make a topic into some other subtopic by dragging the name of the topic to a different level.

If you want to movement a subtopic to a college level (or lower level) within the hierarchy, drag the name of the subtopic on top of the higher-level topic (or lower level topic). If the subtopic you moved has corresponding subtopics, they also movement with it and the changes are reflected in your diagram.

Note:Promoting or demoting a topic in the hierarchy using the Outline Window automatically changes the structure of your diagram.

Move a topic up or downwardly within the Outline Window

You tin organize or prioritize topics in the Outline Window without affecting the structure of your diagram. For example, if you desire to prioritize topics, you tin can motion the topics with higher priority to the top section of the Outline Window — the organisation of shapes on the page volition stay the same.

• Right-click the topic that you desire to move, and then click Move Up or Move Downward.

  This change is reflected simply in the Outline Window. The topic position in your diagram remains unchanged.

Using the Brainstorming Shapes

Dragging shapes from the Brainstorming Shapes stencil gives you the well-nigh control over the position of your topics on the cartoon page and their type of connection.

Note:Because this method does non accept advantage of the Brainstorming template's automated features, when you use it the Motorcar-Arrange control and Outline Window might not always give you lot the results you expect.

Create a diagram by dragging shapes onto the cartoon page

1. From the Brainstorming Shapes stencil, elevate the Chief topic shape onto the cartoon page.

2. Type the text that y'all want the main topic to represent.

3. To add together a subtopic, drag the Topic shape to the page. With the Topic shape selected, type the name of the topic.

4. Yous can add together multiple topics and subtopics by dragging the Multiple topic shape onto the folio. In the dialog box, blazon the proper noun of the topics, and so click OK.

Earlier you connect shapes: sympathize connection types

Topics do not automatically connect when you drag them from the Brainstorming Shapes stencil, then it is a good idea to empathise how connectors work in Visio.

Visio includes 2 methods for connecting topics in your diagram, shape-to-shape and signal-to-bespeak. Each method is designed for specific situations and the method you should utilise depends on how fixed yous desire the actual point of connections to be.

Shape-to-shape

When you move shapes that are connected shape-to-shape, the connectors reposition themselves to keep the connection as direct every bit possible. If you want a shape-to-shape connexion, elevate the ends of the connector line to the middle of the shape until a reddish box surrounds the topic shape.

Bespeak-to-point

When a connection is point-to-signal, the ends of the connector are glued to specific points on each shape. If y'all want a betoken-to-bespeak connectedness, elevate the ends of the connector line to a point on the shape until a red X appears. If you move the shapes, the connector remains attached at those original points.

Identify the connexion type

To meet whether a connection is shape-to-shape or point-to-point, click the connector to select it.

If the ends of the connector become big red squares, the connection is shape-to-shape. If the ends go pocket-sized red squares with symbols in them (x or +), the connectedness is betoken-to-point.

Change one blazon of connectedness to another

To alter a shape-to-shape connexion to point-to-point, drag a connector endpoint abroad from the shape, and then drag information technology back to the connection point, marked with a blue 10, where you want information technology to connect to the shape.

To change a point-to-bespeak connection to shape-to-shape, drag a connector endpoint over the process stride shape until a red box surrounds the entire shape.

Connect topics

1. Elevate the Dynamic connector from the Brainstorming Shapes stencil onto a blank area on the page.

2. Elevate 1 finish of the connector line to the center of the outset shape that y'all want to connect until the topic shape is surrounded by a red box.

3. Drag the other end of the connector line to the center of the 2nd shape that you want to connect until it also is surrounded by a cherry-red box.

When yous release the mouse and select the connector, each endpoint appears every bit solid red square, which indicates the shapes are connected correctly.

Show associations between topics

Yous can bear witness a special relationship between ii topics in your brainstorming diagram using an Clan line, which appears as a dashed line between associated topics. Unlike the Dynamic connector, which defines the main construction of your diagram, the Clan line connects topics on different branches at the aforementioned (hierarchical) level.

The Association line is a visual cue only and is non included in the bureaucracy of your diagram. The Outline Window does not display the clan betwixt the topics.

Y'all can connect topics using an Association line shape the same way you apply the Dynamic connector. When yous connect topics using the Association line, information technology reroutes with the topics when y'all move them.

See Likewise

Create a brainstorming diagram

farleyexproul.blogspot.com

Source: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/five-great-tools-for-making-brainstorming-diagrams-in-visio-92d2505b-8187-4134-b1a9-16e7a20720e8

Share this post