Process Flow Chart Symbols

There are many types of diagrams that can be used to show workflow. Commonly used examples include:

• ANSI (American National Standards Institute) Standard Flow Charts: traditional, well-established diagramming technique that can show all business processes
• Swim Lane/Functional Flow Charts: a more structured flow chart that focuses on interactions between organizational units
• UML Activity Diagram: based on Use Case diagrams
• BPD (Business Process Diagrams): process models that use BPMN (Business Process Modeling Notation) to detail business processes
• Value Stream Maps: shows all of the actions required to deliver a product or service
• SIPOC: a Six Sigma tool that maps a process at a high level
• Geographic Diagrams: maps, floor plans, office layouts that show where work is accomplished
• Spaghetti Diagrams: uses a continuous flow line tracing the path of an item or activity through a process

If you choose to use a particular type of diagram and are curious about the process flow chart symbols used in each type of flow chart, we created a cheat sheet that is available for download.