SMARTDRAW REPLACING VISIO^®:

Creating Diagrams for Digital Radiology Systems

The Wrong Frequency
Running an I.T. consulting company specializing in digital radiology systems for hospitals is no easy task. Just ask Tapani Kunnas of Meditap Consulting.

"My company is a one-man firm owned entirely by me, so productivity and efficiency is very important," said Kunnas. "I have to consider all expenses very carefully."

Kunnas had been using Microsoft Visio^® for several years to create flowcharts, UML diagrams, network diagrams, and GUIs. The problem? Visio's^® high price, in both dollars and time.

"I really wanted to find a more cost-effective solution, as Visio^® is very expensive," said Kunnas.

He searched for Visio^® alternatives on the Internet, and found SmartDraw.

Switching Channels
Kunnas quickly found that SmartDraw was a snap to learn.

"It was similar enough to Visio^®, and other drawing programs I had used before, that it fit my working habits very well," he said. "I read a few of the tutorials in the beginning, and I was on my way."

SmartDraw offers thousands of symbols, images, and templates, making easy work out of even the most complex diagrams. Kunnas found that he could even create his own symbol libraries for use in similar projects.

"The ability to create symbol libraries is very powerful," said Kunnas. "I create a lot of special symbols for Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS), so I was able to set up my own library for that."

Another big bonus-SmartDraw's helpful templates. Kunnas learned that he could modify existing templates in SmartDraw for his diagrams, without having to start from scratch.

"The templates allow me to compose large activity diagrams in just minutes," he said.

Picture Perfect
Kunnas now uses SmartDraw every day to complete projects like UML diagrams, network diagrams, floor plans, flowcharts, and GUIs. The diagrams are powerful tools for communicating with his clients.

"With SmartDraw, I can quickly visualize a complex workflow process in a way that tells both the end-user, the hospital staff, and the system vendor how the planned system should operate," he said.

SmartDraw saves him time, allowing him to maximize his productivity on the job. The long-time Visio^® user is now a full-fledged SmartDraw convert.

"I think I could do the same projects with Visio^®, but it would definitely take a lot more time and effort," he said. "Time is money, and with SmartDraw I am able to achieve more in less time."

And, according to Kunnas, SmartDraw doesn't occupy his computer resources like Visio^®.

"When I was running Visio^® on my computer, everything worked very slowly," he said. "With SmartDraw, I can use several other programs simultaneously, without problems."

The bottom line? Kunnas concludes that SmartDraw is simply a better value than Visio^®.

"There is just no need to pay for Visio^® when you can get SmartDraw for a lot less, and still do everything you need to do," said Kunnas. "SmartDraw gets the job done!"