Flow Chart Basics: Providing a Step-by-Step Depiction of a Process

When the message you want to convey involves showing someone how the steps of a process flow together or how a specific job is done, utilizing a flow chart might be your best option. By visually mapping out each step in a flow-chart format, you can make a procedure much more understandable. Another bonus? Diagramming the process helps you to determine ways to potentially improve it.

Understanding Flow Charts

Basically, flow charts create a step-by-step picture of a process in order to define, analyze, discuss, and improve individual tasks within it. By breaking the procedure into steps, you can better focus on the detail of each task - rather than the entire process. Not only does the software you utilize - Microsoft® Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio - depend on your personal preferences, it also depends on the type of flow chart you want to create. In fact, many people even construct a flow chart using a pen and paper and then transfer their design to the computer.

Software packages offer a variety of different symbols for flow charts; however, basic charts are made up of three main symbols: rectangles, diamonds and arrows. These primary symbols signify actions to take (rectangles) and decisions to make (diamonds), which are all connected by arrows showing how the process flows.

Creating a Flow Chart

While each software package has its own method for creating flow charts, generally the best way to start is to brainstorm and create a task list. Then, include what questions to ask and what decisions need to be made in the process. For instance, let's say you're recruiting for a job opening, and you need to decide which candidates to invite for face-to-face interviews.

In a flow-chart diagram, the process might look generally like this:

Begin with your first action and move through the process, asking questions when appropriate. While you can choose to utilize any shapes in the chart, the standard format is to place an action in a rectangle and a question in a diamond and then link all of your rectangles and diamonds with arrows.

The general concept is to provide viewers with additional details about the procedure while challenging your own ideas about how the process really works. In fact, you may find that by formally laying out a flow-chart diagram, you actually correct faulty assumptions or find better ways of doing things. Lastly, these diagrams can help communicate your ideas and provide you and your readers with a better understanding of how certain processes flow.

Talk About It

So, do you frequently utilize flow charts? If so, what are your biggest likes and gripes about them?