Poster session for the Cross Timbers Library Collaborative 4th Annual Conference (2016). Focuses on benefits of creating diagrams for workflow processes.

1. Workflow Diagrams:
From Point A to Point B for Free
Amy Castillo
Periodicals & Electronic Resources Librarian
Tarleton State University Library
acastillo@tarleton.edu
Cross Timbers Library Collaborative (CTLC) 4th Annual Conference
July 22, 2016 | Tarrant County College - NW Campus | Fort Worth, Texas

2. • Better understand existing workflows
• Improve workflows
• Document workflows
• Flesh out a new workflow to see how the steps align
Define scope & decide on goals:
What’s the purpose?

3. Collect Information:
Utilize different methods
• Shadowing
• Interviews
• Personal Experience
Highly
recommended:
Outline workflows in
written out
document to capture
each step with a
short description.

4. Outlines help identify which areas need to be diagrammed most and
provide your source of steps to include in diagrams.

5. Create Maps:
Know what you want to include
• How granular do you want to get?
• Determine what you’d like things to mean (shapes
& colors)
• Does it address your scope & goals?

6. Review with stakeholders:
Ask “Does this process work well?”
Diagramming helped us:
• Clear up confusion
• Identify unclear responsibilities
• Address inefficiencies

7. Tools for Making Workflow Maps/Data
Diagrams
Draw.io https://www.draw.io/
- Completely free
- Support Manual:
https://support.draw.io/display/DO/Draw.io+Online+User+Manual
Microsoft Word
- Comes standard with MS Office Suite
- Can make simpler diagrams
Microsoft Visio
- May be additional fee if not available at your institution
- How-to video: https://youtu.be/Hjd1nRrdxMU

8. Resources We Used
Webinar - Workflow Maps: Tools for Insight & Enhancement
https://youtu.be/_4IGruWZOt8
Slideshare - The Project One Pager
http://www.slideshare.net/tsierra/the-projectonepager
YouTube - 10 Tips for Using Draw.io https://youtu.be/hxTTQJ5a-zI

9. Nice Features of Draw.io
● Drag and drop to add shapes
and arrows
● Can auto-connect to next
shape
● “Scratchpad” allows you to
save the shapes style and
easily reuse
● Can make diagrams to fit
various paper sizes and
orientations
● Ability to save & share on
Google Drive, Dropbox, &
OneDrive or save to local
hard drive
● Browser-based so no need to
download any software!
● Dozens of ready-made
templates available for free
● If using Google Drive can
work on diagrams
simultaneously with others at
different locations

10. Example from Draw.io Using Google Drive -
Blank Diagram

11. Example from Draw.io Using Google Drive

12. Lifecycle
diagram
created in
MS Word for
ERM
workflows at
TSU Library
Top level
diagram
example

13. Created
using
Draw.io
for ERM
workflows
- TSU
Library
Simple
diagram
example

14. Created
using
Draw.io
for ERM
workflows
-TSU
Library
Semi-
complex
diagram
example

15. Source Used
Terms & phrasing borrowed from “Workflow Maps: Tools for Insight &
Enhancement” https://youtu.be/_4IGruWZOt8

16. Thank you!
Questions? Contact Us:
• Amy Castillo
Periodicals & Electronic Resources Librarian
acastillo@tarleton.edu
• Lacey Cook
Electronic Resources Specialist
lcook@tarleton.edu