What is a process flowchart?

A process flowchart diagram (PFD) visualizes the steps of a process and the decisions that must be made in order for the process to function. Every step is represented by a shape in the chart/visual. Lines and arrows connect these shapes to indicate the movement and direction of the process.

A process flowchart can also highlight bottlenecks or task duplication if you're wondering whether or not a particular procedure is worth the time and effort. Elements can be added to your process flow diagram to represent the person or group in charge of a task, decision, or output. Your team can then evaluate what steps in the process are worth keeping, or trying to eliminate, or improving.

How to create a process flowchart

1. Define the process you want to visualize.
2. Determine the start and endpoints for your process. Start by identifying the first step in your action flow and then determining your endpoint. This allows you to establish the scope of your process.
3. Determine how the process works, and use shapes to identify key parts of the process. Now fill in all the steps it takes to complete the process. Excessive detail is not important at this stage as long as the flow of actions makes logical sense. Understand where potential hand-off points are between contributors and define them.
4. Connect the shapes to show the flow of work. Now connect the process to show which process is next in the sequence. This is where you’ll find if there are gaps in the process or if some of the processes don't logically connect to others.
5. Identify room for improvement and prioritize the next steps and action items. Use the process map to form actionable steps in improving and finely tuning the process.

Features included in this process flowchart template

Flow key - This shows a glossary of commonly used shapes and their purpose (decision, document, action, etc.).

Visual key - This is an added glossary of even more shapes with more dynamic illustrations.

Brainstorming area - This section is a dedicated open space for planning out the process and other notes relevant to the process map.

Define the process - Here, you can use a shape, icon, sticky note, or image from the Mural library to define the start and endpoint of your process.

Flowchart area - This is the section of the Mural where you and the team develop what processes are necessary and how they logically link to each other.

Review process - Review your processes with the team when sharing a Mural. For every action on the flowchart, ask your team, “Is this step necessary?” or “Can it be improved?”

Next steps - Once your process flowchart is finalized, you can share the Mural with stakeholders and invite them to leave feedback.

Actor - List out the stakeholders involved in this process and how they collaborate and interact throughout the process.