SMARTDRAW REPLACING VISIO^®:

Creating Computer-Based Training Materials in Advanced Combat Simulation

Under Fire
As a course developer for the Dynamics Research Corporation, a leading defense contractor, Bob Hayes was looking for a better way to create computer-based training materials and Help screens for combat simulations.

"I wanted to add a little pizzazz to my drawings, while improving the instructional effectiveness of the material," said Hayes.

He'd previously used Microsoft Visio^® to create flowcharts and other graphics, but he wanted to find a more user and wallet-friendly replacement.

"I really wanted to see if there was an effective, lower-cost alternative to Visio^®," said Hayes.

After comparing SmartDraw to Visio^® on the web, he decided to download SmartDraw's free trial.

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Hayes was excited to find SmartDraw so intuitive that he could get started drawing immediately.

"Within minutes of downloading SmartDraw, I was working on graphics for my training proposal," he said.

Combining the ease of drag-and-drop drawing with the power of thousands of built-in symbols and templates, SmartDraw was just what Hayes had been looking for.

"There is such a rich variety of ready-made examples and templates in the program, " said Hayes. "The possibilities are endless."

Hayes also visited the SmartDraw.com website to browse through hundreds of additional examples and downloadable templates. Drawing flowcharts and presentation-quality graphics for virtually any project was finally easy. Just as it should be.

"With SmartDraw, I could focus on the information I wanted to convey, instead of struggling with the mechanics of the program," said Hayes.

When he did have a question, Hayes was pleased to find SmartDraw's free, 24-hour tech support responsive and knowledgeable.

"I did have one question that I emailed to tech support," said Hayes. "I received an in-depth response, and it answered my question completely!"

Mission Accomplished
Hayes now describes himself as a heavy SmartDraw user, creating a wide range of diagrams.

"I've drawn software-design flowcharts, process diagrams, task analysis charts, and course structure diagrams with SmartDraw," he said.

SmartDraw has helped improve his training materials and presentations, allowing his audience to better "see what he means." Hayes even plans to use SmartDraw in his doctoral studies.

"SmartDraw helps me convey information quickly and efficiently. Even simple concepts are explained better visually," said Hayes.

"Whether you are a novice or an experienced user, SmartDraw allows you to quickly create sharp-looking charts and graphics," said Hayes. "It offers a high value for a very small price!"