Training: Using Visio for Interaction Design
At Namahn, we have noticed that when applications are being developed, interface design is often the responsibility of the people who perform the
functional analysis. Apart from writing use cases, these people have to draw screens/pages to illustrate the functional analysis, so that developers do not have to design the screens themselves.
We have also noticed that these people, even if they have some talent as interface designers, do not have the proper tools for interface design. That is why they often have to resort to tools like Microsoft Word and PowerPoint to do this job. Often, they are not aware that – given some training on the proper tools – they could be designing screens/pages much more efficiently and professionally. One of these tools is Microsoft Visio, which has the added advantage of being pretty well established in corporate environments.
In this training, you will learn how to leverage some of the features of Microsoft Visio and use it as a tool for interaction design. You will also learn how to make optimal use of Namahn’s Visio design kit, a collection of Visio stencils and templates that Namahn has optimised for producing wireframes with Visio efficiently. Above all, the course is practical. Very early in the course, you will find yourself drawing screens and pages, and learning the tips and tricks for using Visio as an interaction design tool as we go along. The number of participants per course is limited to eight, so the two teachers can give sufficient attention and assistance to the course participants during exercises.
The complete course covers the following topics:
- Basic Visio concepts and techniques: layout, lines, shapes and text *
- Working with stencils and shapes *
- Some basic interaction design concepts needed for producing wireframes
- Where do wireframes produced with Visio fit in with the User Centered Design process?
- Working with pages, templates, foregrounds and backgrounds
- Using the Namahn Visio design kit, with rationale for using design kit components correctly
- Using layers and annotations
- Creating links and workflows
- Exporting the design to web pages and producing mock-ups
* These topics are covered at the start of the day, between 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM, for people with little or no previous experience of Visio.
Timing
We start at 9:00 AM for beginners, and at 10:00AM for users with previous experience with Visio. We end at 5:00 PM.
Location
The course takes place in the Namahn library and design studio in Brussels. Directions can be found in the How to reach us section of this site.
Language
The course is in English.
Registration
The participation fee is €700 for the beginners' course (starting at 9:00 AM) and €600 for the more experienced users' course (starting at 10:00 AM). To ensure diversity we accept a maximum of two participants from the same company per session – the second participant qualifies for a 10% rebate on the participation fee. To ensure a highly interactive session we accept at most eight participants.
Please register by filling out this form.
KMO-portefeuille
Namahn holds the Qfor quality label, qualifying us for inclusion in the KMO-portefeuille (site in Dutch). KMO-portefeuille aims to provide SMEs based in Flanders affordable access to high-quality consultancy and training in innovation and international business. The organisation delivering the consultancy or training must carry a quality label, such as Qfor.
SMEs based in Flanders may be entitled to a 50% refund for this course. See the Hoe registreren en aanmelden page for more information.
Hardware and software needed
Participants will need a Windows-based laptop with Viso installed. If you do not have Visio yet, a free 60-day trial version of Visio Professional 2007 is available from Microsoft.
Target audience
Participants need to be familiar with using Microsoft Office programs – not specifically Visio in particular. We advise participants with little or no Visio experience to follow the 1-hour introduction on basic Visio techniques, stencils and shapes (between 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM).
Lunch
Of course, a nice lunch is provided – either on site or in a nearby restaurant.
