Learn about using Visio for mapping your business development, goals, and investments.

An Example of Mapping a Developing Business

Our crop selling business began as a small hobby for my wife and I. The overall demand was more than what we had initially expected, and our business became more busy than we had previously anticipated.

As time went by, I had a hunch that we were not looking at the business clearly. So, I opened up Microsoft Visio and created a business flowchart.

After creating a work-flow diagram type of flowchart in Visio, I was able to see from a highlevel the entire operation of our business. One of the key components in our business was the bank. The bank controlled the right to sell and the stores we sold at. So, in a nutshell, the business began with the bank, and ended with the bank. The land was another consideration. While borrowing the land to cultivate, seed, and grow crops, we were also increasing the value of the property (which had been neglected for decades).

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Using Visio to map out details within each business process, I was able to determine which factors of the business needed to be changed. Furthermore, I could calculate when those changes were possible to take effect.

The whole trick of using a flowchart program, like Visio, is having everything about the business visible on the screen or page, and drawing logical connectors between each part of the business.
 
 
Other components in the business include resources. If I purchase my seeds from the store that is owned by the bank, then my purchases (the input side of the business) also come from the bank. So, the input and output of the flowchart begins and ends with the bank. However, some of my seeds are obtained free of charge (or are they?). I happen to know someone who acquires free seeds from a shop owner who attends the same religious organization. So, in essence I am obtaining some seeds free. However, in order to maintain this resource some return to the resource is necessary (diplomatic relations). In my case, I give some harvest to the person who gives me the free seeds. Because of this, I need to plot on my flowchart a relative link back to the resource.

The benefit of utilizing Visio for my business is being able to visualize the entire business process, spot weaknesses, and determine where there is room for improvement.

To learn more about Visio for mapping, check out my blog on Visio Maps.