Lucidchart
Lucidchart is an online diagramming tool used to create flowcharts, engineering tools, organization charts, site maps, wireframes, mindmaps, networking, sales diagrams, etc. The easy-to-use interface allows for seamless, organized design. Once charts are created, they can be embedded or shared for collaboration or editing. The interface is user-friendly.
Tool Requirements
Supported Browsers
- Latest version of Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, or Safari
Operating System
- Windows 8 or higher
- Mac OS 10.9 or higher
Internet Connection
- Required internet for viewing and editing
- Some features can work offline when you change your Lucidchart account settings
Software Download
- View & edit using a web browser
- Android/iOS apps available
Account
- Sign-up for a free account with Lucidchart
Opportunities
- Access free templates, graphics, and shapes to help build dynamic charts.
- Create up to 10 documents with up to 100MB of storage space.
- When collaborating, multiple users can comment and edit a chart simultaneously.
- Advanced options for publishing content include sharing access with collaborators, publishing online with a URL or PDF link, sharing it on social media, or embedding it using an iframe.
- Import diagrams from MS Visio (.vdx, .vsdx, and .vsd), Gliffy (.gxml, .gliffy), Draw.io (.xml), and Omnigraffle (.graffle, .graffle.zip).
Considerations
- Any edits made to a diagram are automatically saved. Shared URLs are automatically updated as well, so be careful when making changes to published diagrams.
- Content created in Lucidchart includes brainstorming and mindmapping. Piktochart is a better tool for creating charts from data used in surveys or Microsoft Excel documents.
Additional Support
For details on how to use Lucidchart, visit ERAU's Lucidchart User Guide.
Microsoft Visio
Microsoft Visio is a diagramming and vector graphics application that can draw a variety of diagrams. These include flowcharts, org charts, building plans, floor plans, data flow diagrams, process flow diagrams, business process modeling, swimlane diagrams, 3D maps, and many more.
Tool Requirements
Supported Browsers
- Latest version of Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, or Safari
Operating System
- Windows 8 or higher
- Mac OS 10.9 or higher
Internet Connection
- Required internet for collaborating with others.
Software Download
- Use all features on the Microsoft Visio Desktop Application
- View & edit using Office Online
- Android/iOS apps available to view diagrams
Opportunities
- Access templates, shapes, different connectors, and themes to build visually compelling diagrams.
- Convert Microsoft Excel process map data into Visio diagrams with Data Visualizer.
- Automatically document your Visio process diagrams in Microsoft Word.
- Break down complex diagrams into single parts with Microsoft PowerPoint Slide Snippets
- Collaborate with others and share diagrams seamlessly
Considerations
- Unlike Lucidchart, Microsoft Visio saves files to your system. This means you need to keep track of your files on your hard drive or OneDrive.
- With larger projects, auto-arrange can result in errors, including the wrong diagram arrangement.
Additional Support
For details on how to use Microsoft Visio, visit ERAU's Microsoft Visio User Guide.