So you want to learn flowcharts? Well, This flowchart tutorial will teach you all you need to know. It will cover the history of flowcharts, flowchart symbols, how to create flowcharts, flowchart best practices and we’ve also included a section to answer frequent questions about flowcharts. Best of all you can use our flowchart software.
Creately already has some really awesome articles and videos covering various things related to flowcharts like meanings of flowchart symbols, how to use swimlanes in flowcharts, flowchart best practices, case studies, and much more.
What is a Flowchart
A flowchart is a visual representation of a process, system, or algorithm, typically displayed using a combination of symbols, arrows, and text. It maps out the sequence of steps or decisions that lead to a particular outcome, making it easier to understand complex processes at a glance. Flowcharts are designed to simplify communication, provide clarity, and make it easier to identify bottlenecks or inefficiencies in a process.
Flowcharts are commonly used in many fields:
Software Development: Developers use flowcharts to visualize program logic, algorithms, and decision-making processes. This helps in debugging and planning new features.
Business: Flowcharts are often utilized to streamline operations, optimize workflows, and document standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Engineering: Engineers use flowcharts to design systems, troubleshoot issues, and ensure all components of a system function cohesively.
Education: In classrooms, flowcharts help break down complex topics into easily digestible steps, aiding both teaching and learning.
A well-designed flowchart has a logical sequence of steps, making it intuitive and easy to follow. It starts with a clear beginning, follows through decision points or processes, and ends with a defined outcome.
History of Flowcharts
The history of flowcharts dates back over a century, with their origins deeply rooted in the pursuit of efficiency and process optimization. The concept was first introduced in 1921 by Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, American engineers and early advocates of scientific management techniques. Initially, flowcharts were referred to as “Process Flow Charts”, and they were primarily used to analyze workflows in manufacturing and industrial settings.
Frank Gilbreth’s work focused on motion study and the elimination of unnecessary steps in a process. His introduction of flowcharts provided businesses with a powerful visual tool to document processes, improving productivity and reducing wasted time and effort.
In the 1930s and 1940s, Allan H. Mogensen, a pioneer in industrial engineering and efficiency, began training business professionals on the practical use of flowcharts. He recognized their potential to simplify complex systems, helping managers and workers alike understand and improve their workflows. Mogensen’s teachings played a significant role in popularizing flowcharts within the business world.
As flowcharts gained traction, they became a staple in fields such as engineering, business management, and software development. In the mid-20th century, flowcharts were adopted by computer scientists as a way to represent algorithms and programming logic. With the rapid growth of computer science, flowcharts became an indispensable tool for documenting processes and understanding the flow of data within systems.
Today, flowcharts are widely used across industries to map out everything from business processes and engineering designs to software architecture and educational content. The evolution of flowcharts has been significant, transitioning from hand-drawn diagrams to sophisticated digital tools that allow for dynamic, collaborative flowchart creation.
For a more detailed look at the historical development of flowcharts, you can explore the comprehensive entry on Wikipedia, which provides an in-depth summary of how flowcharts have evolved over the years.
Flowchart Benefits
Simplifies Complex Processes: Flowcharts transform complicated workflows into visual diagrams that are easy to follow.
Enhances Communication: They bridge the gap between teams, allowing non-experts to understand technical processes.
Improves Decision-Making: By visualizing every step, flowcharts help pinpoint potential problems and areas for improvement.
Encourages Process Optimization: Identifying inefficiencies becomes easier when the entire process is laid out visually.
Flowchart Symbols
Flowcharts use a variety of symbols to represent different elements of a process. Each symbol has a specific meaning, helping to clearly communicate actions, decisions, or data flows within the chart. Here’s a quick overview of the most commonly used symbols:
| Symbol | Description |
|---|---|
| Terminal/Terminator | Marks the start or end of a process. |
| Process (Rectangle) | Represents a task, action, or operation in the flow. |
| Data (I/O) | Indicates inputs to and outputs from a process, shaped like a parallelogram. |
| Decision (Diamond) | Represents a decision point, with arrows branching based on the answer (e.g., yes/no). |
| Document | Symbolizes a report or document, shown as a rectangle with a wavy bottom. |
| Stored Data | Represents general data storage. |
| Direct Data | Symbolizes data stored on devices like a hard drive. |
| Internal Storage | Common in programming, represents data stored in memory (RAM). |
These common symbols are used to building an accurate and understandable flowchart. There are more key flowchart symbols used for more complex processes and industries. Read the Flowchart Symbol guide to learn about comprehensive list flowchart symbols.
Although these are the standard symbols available in most flowchart software, some people do use different shapes for different meanings.
How to Draw a Flowchart
How do you draw a flowchart? Well, our flowcharting tool is a good place to start. But before directly using the tool, let’s take a look at some basics.
There are four main types of flowcharts. Document flowchart, System flowchart, data flowchart, and program flowchart. Not everyone agrees with this categorization, but the core principles of drawing a flowchart remain the same. You need to consider a few things when drawing a flowchart, Check out 6 useful tips on drawing flowcharts before you start.
If you are drawing a flowchart with many responsible parties you can group them together using swimlanes. Swimlanes are a powerful technique to increase the readability of your flowchart so you should use them according to the situation.
Here are the Steps to Draw a Flowchart
1. Explain the procedure
Determine the function and boundaries of the system or process you wish to depict in the flowchart. The process’s inputs, outputs, and actions should be identified.
2. Choose the shapes and symbols
To represent the many process components such as the start and end points, inputs, outputs, actions, decisions, and loops—choose the right symbols and shapes. Rectangles, diamonds, circles, and arrows are the most often utilized shapes in flowcharts. To access all shapes, enable Creately’s flowchart shapes library.
3. Organize the flow
Determine the order of the steps in the process and the different paths that can be taken. This will help you organize the flow of the flowchart. Use Creately’s Plus Create to add the next shape and the connector in a single click.
4. Review and revise
Check that the flowchart accurately depicts the procedure and is simple to read and understand. If required, revise it to make it more precise and understandable. Share feedback using Creately’s contextual comments.
5. Share the flowchart
Distribute the flowchart to coworkers, stakeholders, or clients who will need to use it or refer to it easily with a workspace link
Flowchart Templates and Examples
Although you can start drawing flowcharts by scratch it is much easier to use templates. They help you reduce errors and remind you about the best practices to follow. If you want to use a ready-made template, go to the flowchart examples section and click on the flowchart that best suits you. Click on the use at template after the image and you are ready to draw your flowchart.
Below are two templates out of hundreds of flowchart templates available to the user. Click on any of them to start drawing flowcharts immediately.
Flowchart Best Practices
There are a few things you can do to make your flowchart universally accepted. And there are some things that you can do to make it visually pleasing to others as well.
If you’re planning to share your flowchart or hoping to use it on a presentation etc. then it’s wise to use standard symbols. However, it is important to remember that the idea is to give out information in an easy-to-understand manner. It is perfectly acceptable to use an alternative image instead of the document symbol as long as the audience understands it.
Keeping the arrow flow to one side, using the same size symbols, naming the decision blocks, processes, arrows, etc. are a few things you can do to make it better. The common mistakes section covers most of these practices in detail.
Common Mistakes Made when Drawing Flowcharts
This section highlights the common mistakes made when drawing flowcharts. Some of the things mentioned here are to make it better looking and more understandable, not having them in your flowchart won’t make it wrong. Since there are two posts covering these mistakes in-depth I will link to them from this flowchart tutorial.
15 mistakes you would unintentionally make with flowcharts (Part 1) 15 mistakes you would unintentionally make with flowcharts (Part 2)Effective Use of Flowcharts – Case Studies
A flowchart tutorial isn’t complete without some case studies. Below are three case studies and real-life examples of how flowcharts can help you make decisions.
- Ten Flowchart Ideas for Your Business – How flowcharts can be used in making business decisions and optimizing the current business processes
- Analyzing Sales Funnel with Flowcharts – How to analyze the Google analytic sales funnel using a flowchart.
- Flutterscape Case Study – How one of our customers used flowcharts to enhance their processes.
Frequently Asked Questions About Flowchart
The comments section of this article is full of questions. Please note that I will not draw flowcharts for specific scenarios. Below I have answered some of the most frequently asked questions.
Q 01: What is a subprocess in a flowchart?
Answer: Sometimes complex processes are broken down into smaller sub-processes for clarity. So a flowchart can point to a different sub-process within its flow. The predefined process symbol is used to show such subprocesses.
Q 02: How are flowcharts used in computer programming?
Answer: A computer program consists of many processes and flows. Flowcharts are used to visualize the processes and make them understandable for non-technical people. They are also used to visualize algorithms and comprehend pseudo-code which is used in programming.
Comments and Feedback on the Flowchart Tutorial
I hope this flowchart tutorial will help you to come up with awesome flowcharts. Flowcharts are a great way to present complex processes in a simple-to-understand manner and they are used all over the world in many industries. If you have a question about drawing flowcharts or have any suggestions to improve this post, feel free to mention in the comments section.
