Understand Flowcharts

Flowcharts are maps or graphical representations of a process. Understand flowchart is necessary to improve a process. The designer needs to understand the flowchart operation and flowchart symbols in detail.

There are many varieties of flowcharts and scores of symbols that you can use. Experience has shown that there are three main types that work for almost all situations:

• High-level flowcharts map only the major steps in a process giving a good overview.

  

• Detailed flowcharts show a step-by-step mapping of all events and decisions in a process.

  

• Deployment flowcharts organize the flowchart by columns, with each column representing a person or department involved in a process.

  

The trouble spots in a process usually begin to appear as a team constructs a detailed flowchart.

When to use Flowchart

• Use it when analyzing or defining a process, to detail the actions and decisions within it.
• Use it when looking for potential problem points in a process flowchart.
• Use it when investigating the performance of a process, to help identify where and how it is best measured.
• Use it as a communication or training aid, to explain or agree the detail of the process.

Free Download Flowchart Software and View All Examples

More Flowchart Resource

Flowchart Software

How to draw flow chart

Flowchart Examples

A special note on team flowcharting

Use flowcharts to clarify and communicate

Flowchart symbols