Visio Gaant Capabilities

[Brian Leapman]

We are looking to use Visio in our business and have specific requirements
for the Gaant Diagrams and have some questions that I have not been able to
find answers for in the tutorials and help sections.

Q's
Can I use an elapsed time shape within the Gaant diagram for each individual
task?

Can I add a Color Value to each Gaant diagram task?

Can I add an Icon Set to each Gaant Diagram task?

Can I position the Icon Shape to align with the elapsed time shape?

If the task has been aborted can I show that the elapsed time has halted and
is lagging behind the rest of the tasks?

Can I hyperlink from the Icon Set Shape (or any other Visio Shape) of a task
to another Visio diagram that shows greater detail?
Or would the layers facility be better to use? I have some concerns that the
openong of the layers facility might lead to too much visual overload so
would prefer to open another screen.

 

[John Goldsmith]

Hello Brian,

Did you read my reply to your earlier post?

http://groups.google.co.uk/group/mi...agrams+in+Visio&rnum=1&hl=en#68ee42a06f952979

Best regards

John


John Goldsmith
www.visualSignals.co.uk

 

[Brian Leapman]

John,

My apologies I did not get the earlier post. For some reason I could not see
the original posting even in the list. I just rechecked and I could not find
it, so I reposted.

I have a couple of secondary questions within the text below.

I am looking to use Visio as our primary modelling and monitoring tool in
our
business for the management of mulitple parallel processes and their
state.

Q's
Can I use an elapsed time shape within the Gantt Diagram for each task?

The Task shape has a percentage complete shape within it. Does this do what
you want? Select the task and then drag the left yellow control handle to
the desired position or enter the % value in the Shape Data window.

It may. I guess what you are saying is that I would have to drive the
percentage complete shape with a time driver in the data feed and convert
this into a percentage. Is this correct?
Is there no way to access the time lines shapes from inside the gantt
application and apply this to the bar of the gantt chart directly?

Can I add a Color Value to each Gantt Diagram task?

Yes. There is a Color by value Data Graphic (Data / Display Data on
shapes... / New Data Graphic / New Item / Color by value...). This also
applies the same colour to the percentage complete shape as well, so you
might want to edit some of the formulae in the Task bar master's shapesheet.
If you're familiar with the ShapeSheet and would like some help with this,
you might benefit from a separate post. (I'll keep an eye out.)
I appreciate the offer.

Can I add an Icon Set Shape to each Gant Diagram task?

Yes. Select your task/s shape/s and select Data / Display Data on shapes...
/ New Data Graphic / New Item / Icon Set...

Can I position the Icon Set Shape to align with the Elapsed Time shape, so
that the Icon moves down the line according to the elapsed time?

Not easily. The Icon gets applied to the Task group shape (even if you sub
select the percentage complete shape first). Again, this would require you
to look at the master's shapesheet.
So I guess I may need some help with this to get it to work.

If the task is aborted or temporarilly halted can I show that the elapsed
time is halted and lagging behind the rest of the tasks?

I'm afraid I'm not clear on your question here. There are two sets of
timings such as Start Date and Actual Start Date. This would at least give
a data representation if not a visual one.
There are two drivers required in the visualisation. The primary one is the
elapsed time of the task. The second one is state. If the task is going well,
we want the shape icon to keep up with the elapsed time. If the task is going
badly, in dispute or aborted we want the shape icon, and the time elapsed
icon to halt on the Gantt bar at the time of entering dispute or abortion. It
gives a clearer picture of progress.
There must be a way of linking the two data feeds and creating a set of
business rules; I guess you are going to tell me we might to have play around
with the masters again???

Can I hyperlink from the Icon Set Shape (or any Visio Shape for that
matter)
to another Visio diagram that gives greater or lesser detail of the task
or
process?

Yes. Check out Insert / Hyperlink... which will give you right-click link
options.

Would the layer function be better for this last task? I am concerned that
the view might become overladen with two much informationif it is overlaid
on
the rest of the exisitng diagram, so my preference is to open up a new
diagram in a different layer in a different view.

My feeling is no, it wouldn't. Better to link to other pages/docs depending
on the size of the sub-tasks.
That's fine, that was my feeling and preference too.

I really appreciate the answers, they have certainly clarified my
understanding.

 

[John Goldsmith]

Hello Brian,

I'll add my responses below again.

Best regards

John

John Goldsmith
www.visualSignals.co.uk

John,

My apologies I did not get the earlier post. For some reason I could not
see
the original posting even in the list. I just rechecked and I could not
find
it, so I reposted.

I have a couple of secondary questions within the text below.



The Task shape has a percentage complete shape within it. Does this do
what
you want? Select the task and then drag the left yellow control handle to
the desired position or enter the % value in the Shape Data window.

It may. I guess what you are saying is that I would have to drive the
percentage complete shape with a time driver in the data feed and convert
this into a percentage. Is this correct?
Is there no way to access the time lines shapes from inside the gantt
application and apply this to the bar of the gantt chart directly?

No. I had the wrong end of the stick and I think I can see what you're
after now. Firstly, I think you'd have a tough time trying to use the %
complete bar as it is as this is based on the width of the underlying task
shape. The timeline shape cannot be applied to the Gantt chart as both
solutions rely on supporting add-on code, so the Gantt chart won't be
expecting, or know what to do with, an Elapsed time shape from a different
solution.

However, having had a look at the Elapsed time shape, its width is determine
by the NOW() function, which returns the current date. It occurs to me that
perhaps a line marker, akin to the "Today" shape in the Timeline solution,
could be stretched vertically over the Gantt chart rows and produce a
similar result? If you draw a rectangle and add the following formula:

Height = Gantt Chart frame!Height-Gantt Chart frame!User.HeaderHeight

....this would track the correct height and then you'd just be left with
trying to determine either its width and or PinX based on relating the NOW()
function to the date columns (take a look at the following User cells in the
Task shape: ScaleStart and ScaleEnd).

As you can see it is possible but will certainly give a good puzzle.

Yes. There is a Color by value Data Graphic (Data / Display Data on
shapes... / New Data Graphic / New Item / Color by value...). This also
applies the same colour to the percentage complete shape as well, so you
might want to edit some of the formulae in the Task bar master's
shapesheet.
If you're familiar with the ShapeSheet and would like some help with this,
you might benefit from a separate post. (I'll keep an eye out.)
I appreciate the offer.


Yes. Select your task/s shape/s and select Data / Display Data on
shapes...
/ New Data Graphic / New Item / Icon Set...


Not easily. The Icon gets applied to the Task group shape (even if you
sub
select the percentage complete shape first). Again, this would require
you
to look at the master's shapesheet.
So I guess I may need some help with this to get it to work.

Yes, although I guess it depends on your approach with the Elapsed time
shape.

I'm afraid I'm not clear on your question here. There are two sets of
timings such as Start Date and Actual Start Date. This would at least
give
a data representation if not a visual one.
There are two drivers required in the visualisation. The primary one is
the
elapsed time of the task. The second one is state. If the task is going
well,
we want the shape icon to keep up with the elapsed time. If the task is
going
badly, in dispute or aborted we want the shape icon, and the time elapsed
icon to halt on the Gantt bar at the time of entering dispute or abortion.
It
gives a clearer picture of progress.

Yes, I can certainly understand that. However this changes my understanding
of the Elapsed time as we're no longer talking about time to date so to
speak. Thinking about this I wonder if you wouldn't be better off with a
some kind of Data Bar data graphic to represent the Elapsed time value.
This would be much easier to link the data. However if it is really
important to see a %complete style bar then you'll have to add another shape
to the Task bar group shape and calulate its width in the way I mentioned
above.

There must be a way of linking the two data feeds and creating a set of
business rules; I guess you are going to tell me we might to have play
around
with the masters again???

Depends on previous paragraph (answer).

Yes. Check out Insert / Hyperlink... which will give you right-click
link
options.

My feeling is no, it wouldn't. Better to link to other pages/docs
depending
on the size of the sub-tasks.
That's fine, that was my feeling and preference too.

I really appreciate the answers, they have certainly clarified my
understanding.

My pleasure. I think an all data graphics solution (icon + Data bar) will
be your best bet and certainly a decent interim answer even if you do head
off down the shapesheet route.

As a final tip you might also be interested in the following link:

http://blogs.msdn.com/visio/archive/2007/06/01/make-your-own-data-graphic-data-bars.aspx

Hope that helps.

John

 

[Brian Leapman]

John,

Thanks for your reply, really useful. The data bar looks a better bet. I've
had a chance to review the blog link you gave me now. So let me run the
scenario past you to see if I've got this straight:

I need to make the length of the data bar variable to the expected time
duration, so in the shape transform width field, can I put an algorithm that
says Xday=Xcm for instance, or does this only take a fixed length value?

The circle shape to go on the bar is fine. I can give it value colours for
different states. At the same time, I can use the Percent Filled facility,
driven by an algorithm that uses (elapsed days divided by variable expected
days X 100) to determine the position of the circle on the Data Bar. Is this
correct?
I am assuming I can hide the text percentage value itself from display as we
do not need to see it.

Lastly, can I write an instruction that states: if colour value X occurs
ignore further change in elapsed days; which effectively freezes circle on
the bar until the colour value changes? If so where do I do that and in what
field? What would be the appropriate instruction that the programme would
recognise to do this?

If this is so, we should be able to get Visio to display the information the
way we want in the Gantt diagram.

Many thanks,

Brian



Many thanks

 

[John Goldsmith]

Hello Brian,

I hope I understand you correctly, but I'm not suggesting that you replace
the Task shape with a Data Bar data graphic. The blog article is just an
example of how you could create your own custom data graphic, although I was
assuming this would still sit to the side of the Task shape.

I think to really get to what you're after you need to add to your Task
shape master, which would involve a rough walkthrough as follows:

1) Add Shape Data row to Task group shape ("Is Suspended")

2) Add User cell to Task group shape ("Elapsed Time")
(Elapsed Time might calculate something like DATEVALUE(NOW()) - Task Bar
start date and pause if "IsSuspended" = True)

3) Add rectangle to Task group shape (let's call it "Elapsed Bar") .

4) To start off, set Elapsed Bar's PinX/Y and Width to track the parent
group shape (Task Bar)

5) Adjust Elapsed Bar Width formula to be based on "Elapsed Time" (also see
User.ScaledStartPos and User.ScaledDuration cells in Task Bar group shape)

6) Add small circle to Task group shape (let's call it "Elapsed Time Value")

7) Set "Elapsed Time Value" PinX to track end of "Elapsed Bar"

8) Set "Elapsed Time Value" fill colour to toggle between red and green
depending of "IsSuspended" state

9) Of course that's not a complete step by step but I think should help as a
basic process.

Best regards

John

John Goldsmith
www.visualSignals.co.uk