Creating clear, well-formatted, and publication-ready figures is essential when preparing a technical manuscript for IEEE or any other reputed conference/journal. Microsoft Visio, while primarily a diagramming tool, is a popular choice for drawing circuits, block diagrams, and custom plots due to its precision and flexibility.
Drawing from years of experience creating high-quality figures for technical publications [Check out]—and insights gained as an Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems I (TCAS-I)—this guide outlines step-by-step practices for building professional, publication-ready plots using Microsoft Visio.
1. Set Up Your Canvas with the Right Dimensions
IEEE papers typically follow a two-column layout. Your figure dimensions should correspond to the target layout to maintain clarity and proportion.
- Single Column Figure: 3.5″ x 3.5″
- Double Column Figure: 7.16″ x 7.16″
Pro Tip: Always use the U.S. measurement system (inches) while designing in Visio.
2. Zoom In to Design, Zoom Out to Verify
While designing, you can zoom in as needed for detail work, but always check the figure at 100% zoom before exporting. This ensures what you see on screen closely resembles how it will appear in print.
3. Enable Grid and Snap Features
Turn on grid snapping to keep lines and shapes neatly aligned. This helps create visually clean diagrams and ensures symmetry across elements.
4. Drawing Wires and Connectors
- Use straight wires: Double-click on the wire and verify the angle (e.g., 0° or 180°) to ensure it’s straight.
- Line weight: Stick with the default weight of 1.5 pt for consistency.
- Line style and color:
- Use a maximum of 3–4 colors.
- Recommended color scheme: Black, Blue, Red (darker shades).
- Consistency is key — all similar plots should follow the same color order.
- Dashed lines: Use Style #23 for professional-looking dashed patterns.
- (Find under: Format → Line → More Lines)
5. Use Stencils and Shapes Effectively
Leverage Visio’s built-in stencils and the More Shapes menu to maintain visual consistency across your diagrams. Whether you’re working with block diagrams, circuit symbols, or flow elements, using predefined shapes streamlines the design process and ensures standardization.
- Rounded shapes can be created easily using this guide on shape corner rounding.
- You can also create and save your own custom shapes as stencils for future use — a huge time-saver for recurring elements like analog/digital sub-cells, logic blocks, or waveform symbols.
💡 Tip: Build a personalized stencil library for your lab or project team to ensure everyone uses the same design standards.
6. Arrows and Annotations
- Arrow Style: Use Style #4 for diagrams.
- Arrowheads: Keep them very small for figures meant for papers. You can use larger heads for PowerPoint presentations.
- Dimensions: Double-click the arrow to enter dimension labels directly.
7. Fonts and Text Guidelines
- Font type: Use Arial only.
- Font size:
- Min: 7–8 pt for internal labels
- Standard: 11 pt for published figures (do not exceed this)
- Text boxes: Build without borders initially; you can add them later as needed.
- Line spacing: Stick with 100% for consistency.
8. Managing Sub-figures and Layout
- Sub-figures don’t get individual captions — only the main figure should be captioned.
- Use standard round brackets (parentheses), not square ones.
- For visual hierarchy:
- Arrange images left to right
- Use dots or arrows to indicate flow
- Subtle shadows can add clarity when appropriate
9. Save and Export Correctly
- Select All → Save As → PNG
- Export Settings:
- Color Format: Use 16 color for regular images; 24-bit only for complex/full-color images (note: this increases file size drastically)
- Resolution: Set at 300×300 px/inch (max: 400×400 for black & white)
- Naming: Use descriptive file names and keep annotation layers separate where possible
⚖️ Tip: Higher resolution and color depth improve clarity but increase file size. Stick to the lowest setting that keeps text and lines crisp.
10. Technical and Formatting Tips
- Connectors: Use built-in connector tools to create wire jumps when crossing lines.
- Curves and arcs: Use multiple points to shape arcs — great for depicting modulated signals or waveforms.
- Double column figures in LaTeX: Always place them at the top or bottom of a page — not inline.
- Software Compatibility: Ensure you’re using the latest version of Visio, or one that is compatible with your collaborators.
Final Thoughts
Creating publication-quality figures in Visio isn’t just about aesthetics — it’s about clarity, consistency, and compliance with journal standards. Following these tips ensures your diagrams not only look professional but are also easier for reviewers and readers to understand.
Let us know about your experience of creating figures in the comments.
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