05/04/2011
Standard Flowchart Symbols and Their …
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Standard Flowchart Symbols and Their Usage
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Basic Flowchart Symbols
Flowcharts are the ideal diagrams for visually representing business processes. For example, if you need to
show the flow of a custom-order process through various departments within your organization, you can use
a flowchart. This paper provides a visual representation of basic flowchart symbols and their proposed use in
communicating the structure of a well-developed web site, as w ell as their correlation in developing on-line
instructional projects. A typical flowchart from older Computer Science textbooks may have the following kinds
of symbols:
Start and end symbols, represented as lozenges, ovals or rounded rectangles, usually containing the word
"Start" or "End", or another phrase signaling the start or end of a process, such as "submit enquiry" or
"receive product".
Arrows, show ing what's called "flow of control" in computer science. An arrow coming from one symbol and
ending at another symbol signifies flow passes to the symbol the arrow points to.
Processing steps, represented as rectangles. Examples: "Add 1 to X"; "replace identified part"; "save
changes" or similar.
Input/Output, represented as a parallelogram. Examples: Get X from the user; display X.
Conditional (or decision), represented as a diamond (rhombus). These typically contain a Yes/No question or
True/False test. This symbol is unique in that it has tw o arrows coming out of it, usually from the bottom point
and right point, one corresponding to Yes or True, and one corresponding to No or False. The arrows should
always be labeled. More than tw o arrows can be used, but this is normally a clear indicator that a complex
decision is being taken, in which case it may need to be broken-down further, or replaced w ith the "predefined process" symbol.
A number of other symbols that have less universal currency, such as:
A Document represented as a rectangle w ith a wavy base;
A Manual input represented by a rectangle, with the top irregularly sloping up from left to right. An example
would be to signify data-entry from a form;
A Manual operation represented by a trapezoid with the longest parallel side upmost, to represent an
operation or adjustment to process that can only be made manually.
A Data File represented by a cylinder
Flowcharts may contain other symbols, such as connectors, usually represented as circles, to represent
converging paths in the flow chart. Circles will have more than one arrow coming into them but only one
going out. Some flow charts may just have an arrow point to another arrow instead. These are useful to
represent an iterative process (in Computer Science this is called a loop). A loop may, for example, consist of
a connector where control first enters, processing steps, a conditional with one arrow exiting the loop, and
one going back to the connector. Off-page connectors are often used to signify a connection to a (part of a)
process held on another sheet or screen.
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Basic Flow chart
Highlight Flowchart
Audit Flow chart
Process Flowchart
Cross Functional Flowchart
Value-Added Flow Chart
SDL Diagram
Data Flow Diagram
W ork Flow Diagram
IDEF0 Flowcharts
Organizational Chart
Mind Map
Business Diagram
Business Process
Cycle Diagram
Hierarchy Diagram
Marketing Chart and Diagram
Matrix Diagram
Relationship Diagram
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How to design flowchart
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How to draw flowchart
A flowchart is described as "cross-functional" when the page is divided into different "lanes" describing the
control of different organizational chart units. A symbol appearing in a particular "lane" is within the control of
that organizational unit. This technique allow s the analyst to locate the responsibility for performing an action
or making a decision correctly, allow ing the relationship between different organizational units w ith
responsibility over a single process.
Flow chart Solutions
Standard Flowchart Symbols
Flow chart symbols
Flowcharts use special shapes to represent different types of actions or steps in a process. Lines and arrows
show the sequence of these steps, and the relationships between them.
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Standard Flowchart Symbols and Their …
Workflow shapes
Workflow relationships are where work is done by different departments in a fixed sequence. This means that
one department needs to finish its job before w ork can continue in another department. The development
and maintenance of these work flow relationships is very important for managers because they are
dependant on the preceding areas for his or her own work, and responsible to managers and w orkers at
different stages further down the chain.
Audit Flow Diagram Shapes
Flowcharts use special shapes to represent different types of actions or steps in a process. Lines and arrows
show the sequence of the steps, and the relationships betw een them.
The Flowchart Symbols and Their Usage
Terminal points indicate the starting [sometimes known as a 'trigger'] and ending points of a process.
Step represents a single step within a process, and usually contains the name of a specific action.
Page symbols refer to individual web pages, which may or may not contain multiple elements.
File symbols represent those data elements that exist independently of navigational properties outside of
that page, e.g., audio sounds, movie clips, or a portable document file (PDF).
A decision point indicates a sequence in the process at which the end user chooses an option, i.e., a "yesno", or "true-false" response, and then branches to different parts of the flowchart.
Arrows and connecting lines diagram the logical progression through the course, subject to the choices made
at decision or action points w ithin the process.
The input/action symbol represents a user response that directs the course flow from that point onwards,
i.e., an online test, or questionnaire form.
Represents the choice made by the user from mutually exclusive options, e.g., a student choosing among
different lesson plans.
Conditional selector is similar to the conditional branch except that the user has the option to choose from a
number of paths that w ill fulfill the requested conditions, e.g., the results of a search engine request.
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Pages that share one or more common aspects, and are functionally identical may be simplified as a rounded
corner rectangle, such as an on-line test or feedback form.
Reference is used as a connecting point w hen the flowchart necessitates using more than one page, or refers
to a complicated subroutine that would be impossible to contain on the main flowchart page.
Annotations provide helpful comments or explanations, e.g. denoting the location where an undeveloped new
page/process will fit into the navigational flow structure, or notes for specific team members for further
development.
Flow references and flow areas are symbols for reusable sequences, such as logging in with a specific user id
and passw ord to enter the course or to initiate an on-line quiz. The flow reference symbol acts as a
placeholder for the flow area sequence in the chart in every situation in w hich it is repeated.
Flow area is used as a flow area, it documents sections that share similar components/repeated steps within
that flow, and requires the use of the follow ing tw o symbols: entry and exit points.
Exit point concludes the subroutine, such as w hen the proper user id and passw ord are verified, and
documents w here the user re-enters the master flowchart.
Entry point documents the place within the master flowchart where the process deviates into a subroutine.
Process Flowchart Drawing Guide-lines
There is no one right way to develop a flowchart, but the following guide-lines provide a general structure to
follow, whether it's of the overall course navigational process, or at the hand-off phase to the various team
members to develop more detailed treatment.
Start with a simple one-line description or title of the process being flow charted , e.g., "How to..."
Using a top-down hierarchy, start w ith a terminal symbol, naming this trigger event, e.g., "User accesses
course database..."
Connect each successive action step in the logical sequence of events.
Reference detailed information through annotations or connectors.
Follow the process through to completion, denoted by a labeled end terminal symbol, e.g., "exit course."
A well-developed functional flow chart created in the design phase can save hours of w asted manpower time
by ensuring the structure, sequencing and branching decision points in a computer based instructional
program, support the course goals and objectives before development.
Whether you are the sole creator wearing many hats, or one of many on the development team, sharing a
common visual language w ill guide the project through its many iterations and development phases
throughout the instructional design process.
More Flowchart Shapes
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