Microsoft's Visio 2002 which was launched together with Office XP, is the first Microsoft-developed version of the product since the company's acquisition of Visio Corporation in January 2000.

Microsoft has aligned this version of Visio more deeply with Microsoft Office and other Microsoft products and technologies, and has also incorporated an array of new features to make the product more accessible to organisations.

Graphical enhancements

Microsoft has enhanced the product's graphical quality and visual impact, ensuring that lines and text are smoother, colours are vibrant, diagrams display with higher fidelity when viewed electronically, and images from other sources such as Microsoft Office XP's Clip Organiser, scanners and digital cameras can now be imported into and manipulated from within Visio. Through Visio's tighter integration with the Web, customers will be able to locate and add the shapes they need to their drawings. Further, they can publish Visio diagrams as Web pages and display the nongraphical properties for each shape within their browser.

Comprehensive product offering

In response to customer feedback, Microsoft has streamlined the Visio product line. It now contains two primary products - Visio Standard and Visio Professional - instead of four, and additional IT resources are available through an add-on. Visio Standard, best known for its ability to easily create flowcharts, organisation charts and timelines, is a diagramming application designed for business professionals. Visio Professional provides comprehensive drawing and diagramming functionality for more technical users such as IT professionals, engineers, facilities managers and software developers.

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