Flowcharts provide a graphical representation of steps in a process or algorithm using standard symbols. They were developed in the 1920s-1930s to document business processes but are now widely used to depict computer programs and workflows. The key symbols include boxes, diamonds, arrows, and other shapes to represent tasks, decisions, data, and flow. Flowcharts clarify complex processes, help teams understand them, and can be used to improve or design new procedures.

1. Flowchart
Syed Zaid Irshad

2. Outline
– Flowchart
– Introduction
– History
– Symbols
– Benefit
– Examples

3. Introduction
– A flowchart is simply a graphical representation of steps.
– It shows steps in sequential order and is widely used in presenting the flow of
algorithms, workflow or processes.
– Typically, a flowchart shows the steps as boxes of various kinds, and their order by
connecting them with arrows.

4. History
– Flowcharts to document business processes came into use in the 1920s and ‘30s.
– In 1921, industrial engineers Frank and Lillian Gilbreth introduced the “Flow Process
Chart” to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
– In the early 1930s, industrial engineer Allan H. Morgensen used Gilbreth’s tools to
present conferences on making work more efficient to business people at his company.
– In the 1940s, two Morgensen students, Art Spinanger and Ben S. Graham spread the
methods more widely. Spinanger introduced the work simplification methods to Procter and
Gamble. Graham, a director at Standard Register Industrial, adapted flow process charts to
information processing.
– In 1947, ASME adopted a symbol system for Flow Process Charts, derived from the
Gilbreths’ original work.

5. History
– In Japan, Kaoru Ishikawa (1915-1989), a key figure in quality initiatives in
manufacturing, named flowcharts as one of the key tools of quality control, along with
complementary tools such as the Histogram, Check Sheet and Cause-and-Effect Diagram,
now often called the Ishikawa Diagram.
– In the late ‘40s, Herman Goldstine and John Van Neumann used flowcharts to develop
computer programs, and diagramming soon became increasingly popular for computer
programs and algorithms of all kinds.
– Flowcharts are still used for programming today, although pseudocode, a combination
of words and coding language meant for human reading, is often used to depict deeper
levels of detail and get closer to a final product.

6. Symbols
– Flowchart uses 9 symbols to represent different parts of a task.
– Terminator
– Process
– Document
– Decision
– Data
– On-Page Reference
– Off-Page Reference
– Delay or Bottleneck
– Flow

7. Symbols
– Terminator: The terminator symbol represents the starting or ending point of the system.
– Process: A box indicates some particular operation.
– Document: This represents a printout, such as a document or a report.

8. Symbols
– Decision: A diamond represents a decision or branching point. Lines coming out from the
diamond indicates different possible situations, leading to different sub-processes.
– Data: It represents information entering or leaving the system. An input might be an
order from a customer. Output can be a product to be delivered.

9. Symbols
– On-Page Reference: This symbol would contain a letter inside. It indicates that the flow
continues on a matching symbol containing the same letter somewhere else on the same
page.
– Off-Page Reference: This symbol would contain a letter inside. It indicates that the flow
continues on a matching symbol containing the same letter somewhere else on a
different page.

10. Symbols
– Delay or Bottleneck: Identifies a delay or a bottleneck.
– Flow: Lines represent the flow of the sequence and direction of a process.

11. Benefit
– It helps to clarify complex processes.
– It identifies steps that do not add value to the internal or external customer, including
delays; needless storage and transportation; unnecessary work, duplication, and added
expense; breakdowns in communication.
– It helps team members gain a shared understanding of the process and use this
knowledge to collect data, identify problems, focus discussions, and identify resources.
– It serves as a basis for designing new processes.

12. Examples
Start Start
Get Fahrenheit Get Fahrenheit
Subtract 32
Multiply by 5
Divided by 9
Output Celsius
End
C = 5/9 * (F-32)
Output Celsius
End