Purpose
Flowcharts are step by step, schematic pictures used to describe a process being studied. They allow a team to identify the actual flow or sequence of events in a process. A flowchart will also provide a team with common reference points when investigating an existing process or project.

How does it work ?

• Compares the actual flow with the ideal flow of a process.
• Shows changes, unexpected complexity and problem areas which have occurred in the flow where standardising, or improvement is possible.
• Allows a team to agree on the actual steps of a process, and to examine which activities may affect process performance.
• Enables the identification of other locations where additional data can be collected and investigated.
• Serves as a training aid in developing an understanding of the complete process.

Types and Methods:

Top- down Flowcharts

A top down flow chart is an outline picture of the major steps of a process or project. The format will limit the amount of information which can be placed on the chart, which causes the people generating the chart to concentrate on only the steps which are absolutely necessary to the relevant process.

The resulting picture will only represent 'useful' work, omitting steps such as rework and inspection which have evolved due to problems occurring in the process.

How does this help ?

All processes tend to change over time, usually by the addition of steps which cover problems that shouldn't have occured in the first place. Top down flowcharts minimise the detail, to focus only on those steps essential to the process. In other words, only the steps that should happen are charted, rather than what actually happens.

Once the major steps, and required sub-steps, are charted, the team can ask "where did we go off course ?" -- "what caused that ?" These activities help to determine which steps are necessary, and which steps merely add complexity.

The answers will point the team towards the potential causes of problems, not just the problems themselves.

This approach is generally faster, and in most cases, as efficient, as possibly spending weeks developing a detailed flow chart of every step which takes place.

Method

1) List the most basic steps in the process.
( Preferably resulting in a maximum of seven.)

2) List these steps across the top of a flip-chart.

3) Below each step, list the 'major' sub-steps.
( Preferably no more than six or seven.)

Detailed Flowchart

A detailed flowchart includes a lot of information about what happens at every stage of the process. The chart will show all, or most, of the steps of a process, including loops caused by the effects of decisions. This can result in detailed flowcharts being over complex and requiring considerable time to research and gain agreement. For this reason it is important that the level of detail to be shown on the chart is decided at the outset.

The flowchart may only show sufficient information to understand the general process flow, or it could have enough detail to show every finite action and decision point.

Method

1) Identify the frame or boundaries of the process. Clearly define where the process being studied starts and finishes.
( Team members should agree on the level of detail they must show to ensure the process is clearly understood.)

2) Determine the steps in the process.
This can be achieved by brainstorming a list of the major activities, inputs, results and decision points from the beginning of the process to the end. Any supporting documentation can also be used.

3) Arrange the steps in the order they are carried out.
( Unless the process being charted is new, sequence the steps as they actually occur, not as they should be. This will assist in identifying the probable causes of problems within the process.)

4) Draw the flowchart using the appropriate symbol for each element.
The main elements of a flowchart are:

	A box is used to show an activity. It is possible for multiple arrows to go into a box, but usually only one arrow, or output, leaves.
	A diamond represents a point in the process where a decision needs to be made, or a yes / no question is being asked.
	Arrows show the direction of flow from one activity to the next.
	A circle with a letter in it denotes a break in the flowchart. This will be used when the length of a chart requires two pages.

5) Be consistent in the level of detail shown. Varying the level of detail shown at each step can cause problems with understanding the process being charted.

• Label each process with words that are understandable by everyone.

6) Check the flowchart is complete.

• Correct use of symbols ?
• There is, usually only one arrow out of an activity box. If two are needed, a decision diamond may be required.
• Have all the process steps been identified clearly ?

Points

• Do people follow the process as charted ?
• Flowcharts only make sense when there is a standard flow to the process.