Flowchart Design Best Practices: Avoiding Confusion and Frustration
Flowcharts are an excellent way to visualize processes and workflows, making them easy to understand and follow. However, a poorly designed flowchart can be confusing and frustrating to work with. In Nigerian Pidgin English, we have a saying that goes, "Flowchart don show me shege," which translates to "the flowchart has confused me." In this blog post, we'll explore some of the common issues that can make flowcharts confusing and how to avoid them.
Too much information
One of the most common problems with flowcharts is that they contain too much information. When a flowchart has too many steps or too many branches, it can be overwhelming and difficult to follow. To avoid this, it's important to keep your flowchart simple and focused on the most critical steps. You can also use color-coding or other visual cues to make it easier to distinguish between different types of information.
Poor organization
Another issue that can make flowcharts confusing is poor organization. If the flowchart is not well-structured, it can be challenging to follow the flow of the process. To avoid this, it's essential to organize your flowchart in a logical and intuitive manner. You can use arrows and connectors to indicate the flow of the process, and you can group related steps together using boxes or other shapes.
Lack of clarity
Flowcharts that are unclear or difficult to understand can also be confusing. If the symbols and labels used in the flowchart are not easy to read or understand, it can be challenging to follow the process. To avoid this, it's essential to use clear and concise language in your flowchart. You should also use symbols that are commonly understood and avoid using symbols that may be confusing or ambiguous.
Inconsistency
Inconsistencies in the flowchart can also be a source of confusion. If the symbols or terminology used in the flowchart are not consistent throughout, it can be challenging to understand the process. To avoid this, it's essential to use a standardized set of symbols and terminology. This will make it easier for people to follow the process and understand the flowchart.
Lack of context
Finally, flowcharts that lack context can also be confusing. If the flowchart doesn't provide enough information about the process or the purpose of the process, it can be challenging to understand what is happening. To avoid this, it's essential to provide context for the flowchart. This can include a brief description of the process or an explanation of the purpose of the process.
In conclusion, flowcharts can be an effective tool for visualizing processes and workflows. However, a poorly designed flowchart can be confusing and frustrating to work with. To avoid this, it’s essential to keep your flowchart simple, well-organized, clear, consistent, and contextualized. By following these best practices, you can ensure that your flowchart is easy to understand and use, and you won’t have to say, "Flowchart don show me shege!!!"
