Flowchart

What Does Flowchart Mean?

A flow chart is a type of diagram representing a process using different symbols containing information about steps or a sequence of events. Each of these symbols is linked with arrows to illustrate the flow direction of the process.

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Techopedia Explains Flowchart

Flowcharts are a methodology used to analyze, improve, document and manage a process or program. Flowcharts are helpful for:

  1. Aiding understanding of relationships among different process steps
  2. Collecting data about a particular process
  3. Helping with decision making
  4. Measuring the performance of a process
  5. Depicting the structure of a process
  6. Tracking the process flow
  7. Highlighting important steps and eliminating the unnecessary steps

A flowchart in computer science typically has the following types of symbols to represent a process or program:

  1. Oval/Rounded Rectangle/Circle: Represents any process having a start and an end activity.
  2. Rectangles: Represents a process activity or step.
  3. Diamonds: Used when there is a decision to be made or a question to be answered, such as Yes/No or True/False. The path to be taken is determined by the answer to the question.
  4. Arrow lines: Used to show the flow of control from one step to the other. They also indicate progress from one step to another.
  5. Parallelograms: Used to represent input/output.

Flowcharts are commonly used in developing business plans, designing algorithms and determining troubleshooting steps. Many software programs are available to design flowcharts. Some of the commonly used software programs are SmartDraw, Visio (designed for PCs) and OmniGraffle (designed for Macs).

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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…