Sure, I'd be happy to explain the concept of flowcharts in detail for someone new to the topic.
Definition:
A flowchart is a diagrammatic representation that illustrates a solution model to a given problem or process. It uses various symbols to represent operations, data, flow direction, and equipment to define, analyze, and document a process which can be complex in nature.History:
The first structured method for documenting process flow, the "flow process chart", was introduced by Frank and Lillian Gilbreth in the 1920s in their presentation "Process Charts: First Steps in Finding the One Best Way to do Work". They used their chart to present a process in a clear, graphical form to facilitate understanding and improvement.In the 1930s, an industrial engineer, Allan H. Mogensen began training business people in the use of some of the tools of industrial engineering. This included the use of flowcharts.
In 1947, ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) adopted a symbol set derived from Gilbreth's original work as the ASME Standard for Process Charts.
By the 1960s, flowcharts were used for computer programming, especially with the emergence of mainframe computers. Programmers used flowcharts to plan each step of a program before coding it into a specific programming language.
Core Principles:
- Flowcharts represent algorithms, workflows or processes.
- A flowchart is made up of boxes (often rectangular) representing steps in the process, and arrows connecting the boxes showing the flow/direction/sequence of steps.
- Different types of boxes or symbols can represent different types of steps:
- Oval represents start or end
- Parallelograms represent input or output
- Rectangles represent process steps
- Diamonds represent decision points
- Flowlines (arrows) represent the sequence and direction of process steps.
- Flowcharts proceed from top to bottom and left to right.
How it Works:
- Identify the tasks and sequence. Break down the process into its component tasks and understand their dependencies and decision points.
- Create the flowchart. Start with an initial step and end with a terminal step. Each step in between is represented by the appropriate symbol and brief text description.
- Connect the symbols. Use arrows to connect the symbols in the sequence they occur.
- Indicate decision points. Use a diamond symbol to represent a decision point, with different paths branching out based on the decision outcome.
- Review and refine. Review your flowchart for completeness and clarity. Iterate to improve.
Flowcharts are used at a high level for a quick overview of a process. They are useful for communicating how a process works or should work quickly and easily. They are most useful when a quick high-level overview is needed.
For complex or detailed processes, capturing the level of detail required in the constrained visual format of a flowchart can be challenging. But for simple processes or high-level overviews, flowcharts are an invaluable visual communication and planning tool.
I hope this explanation gives a comprehensive overview of what flowcharts are, where they came from, their key principles, and how they work in practice. Let me know if you have any other questions!