Flowcharts, diagrams, and charts are used to quickly understand a process. A flowchart can be created quickly and easily using SmartDraw Software.

Before you begin to create a flowchart it is important to recognize what type of chart you will need. There are three basic types of flowcharts. The first type is the Basic Flowchart and it is used to outline a process quickly or to chart a process that involves few people. An Opportunity Flowchart is created to help understand or improve a process that has many steps including when things go right and when things go wrong. The Deployment Flowchart illustrates the detailed steps in a procedure for each group of people involved in the process.

Choose one type of Flowchart:

1. Basic Flowchart - Used to quickly outline a process.

2. Opportunity Flowchart - Used to identify steps taken when things go right and wrong.

3. Deployment Flowchart - Used to outline a process that involves different groups of people.

Here are 7 Suggestions for Creating an Effective Flowchart

1) Put a title on each chart identifying the process that it illustrates. (For example: "Order Entry Process").

2) Note the author's name and the date on each chart.

3) Clearly indicate the starting and ending points of the process, using standard symbols marked "Start" and "End."

4) Keep the direction of flow consistent. Avoid confusion by keeping all flow lines moving from top to bottom and left to right. Don't reverse the direction in the chart unless the flow reverses itself in reality.

5) Number your steps.

6) Break the steps down to a consistent level of detail. Don't include trivial sub-steps of one task while treating an another, equivalent task as a whole. If one step or task needs to be analyzed in detail, make a separate chart illustrating that sub-process. (In SmartDraw, you can hyperlink the shape representing a sub-process to the chart that illustrates it, allowing users to "drill down" for more detail)

7) Avoid Crossing Flow Lines In a well-designed chart, flow lines will not cross each other. By rearranging a chart you can usually get rid of crossed lines. If two lines must cross, use a "bridge" (also known as a "line hop") to show that the lines do not intersect.

SmartDraw is the Internet's #1 "try-before-you-buy" Windows program for drawing flowcharts quickly and easily.

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At the SmartDraw Flowcharting Resource Center, you will find flowchart examples, tutorials, free software and more!

Click Here to Visit the SmartDraw Flowcharting Resource Center