Microsoft Visio is not a mere diagramming tool!
As described on several Microsoft sites, Microsoft Visio 2010 situates diagramming to an advance level with dynamic, data-driven visualization tools, and advanced Web sharing capability. It composes data from various sources, including Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Services list, Microsoft Office Excel workbook, Microsoft Office Access database, Microsoft SQL Server database, and other OLEDB or ODBC data source and presents it using vibrant graphics design. What is more, it facilitates SharePoint workflows creation and publication for instantaneous implementation.
The Visio Graphics Service is a SharePoint Server 2010 service application that enables dynamic viewing, refreshing, and sharing of data-driven Microsoft Visio 2010 diagrams through Visio Web Access Web part, Web part Connections, and Visio Services Mash-up API. This piece will provide high-level steps in consuming this service application.
Step 1: Enable Visio Graphics Service
Using the Farm Configuration Wizard from Central Administration, as illustrated below, enable the Visio Graphics Service. This is not to mention that the same configuration could be done through Windows PowerShell.
Step 2: Create SharePoint List
For the purpose of demonstration, create a SharePoint list to server as the data source of the Microsoft Visio diagram to be created in Step 3. Conversely, this is an optional step since we could use Microsoft Office Excel workbook, Microsoft SQL Server database, and other sources mentioned above.
Step 3: Create Microsoft Visio Diagram
Create a Microsoft Visio diagram and link the shapes to data from the SharePoint list created in Step 2, as illustrated below.
And to have an effervescent presentation of data, edit the data graphics of the diagram.
As illustrated below, save the diagram to SharePoint as Visio Web Drawing.
Step 4: Embedding Microsoft Visio Diagram
Embedding Microsoft Visio diagram in SharePoint Server 2010 could be facilitated through Visio Web Access Web part in SharePoint Server 2010.
And finally, it could also be viewed directly from a SharePoint list through View in Web Browser facility.
Recommended readings:
Installing and Configuring Visio Services – http://blogs.msdn.com/visio/archive/2009/11/12/installing-and-configuring-visio-services.aspx
Introducing Visio Services – http://blogs.msdn.com/visio/archive/2009/10/30/introducing-visio-services.aspx
Publishing Diagrams to Visio Services – http://blogs.msdn.com/visio/archive/2009/11/03/publishing-diagrams-to-visio-services.aspx
Embedding a Web Drawing into a SharePoint Page – http://blogs.msdn.com/visio/archive/2009/11/05/embedding-a-web-drawing-into-a-sharepoint-page.aspx
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