A process flow chart is a symbolic or graphical representation of the steps or elements included in a process so that the participants can understand the process in a better way. Each step in process flow chart is represented with a different kind of symbol and it also includes a short description of each of the step. This allows the project managers and team members to understand the steps and milestones included in a process so that they can execute the process in a better and timely manner.
Types of process flow charts:
- High level process flow chart:
This is also called the first class process flow chart. It’s actually a pretty basic flow chart that only shows the important parts or steps of a process allowing the top level management to understand the process in less time without going in irrelevant details and explanation. - Detailed process flow chart:
This is a detailed flow chart of the process that includes all the minor and major steps and points of a process. Most of the time, detailed flow chart is made for the projects and plans in companies and organizations and this chart serves all the purposes for top level management and team members in a project. - Deployment process flow chart:
This is again a detailed flow chart of a process but instead of explaining each step in the process, the name of the person or member is mentioned who is working on that step or the in charge of a particular part of the process. This allows the team leader or project manager to analyze which team member is doing what and what’s his progress in the process.
Importance of process flow chart:
- Explanation of the project:
A flow chart explains a process in a better way. This includes individual or separate steps and milestones in the flow chart. When the entire process is defined in diagrams and separate steps, this is easy to understand even for those who don’t even know the basics of the business or project management. - Keeping track of the history:
It is a key benefit of flow charts that they keep track of each step taken in the process. Thus, it makes easier for the project manager to oversee the whole project in a better way and even at any point, if anyone needs to look back; flow chart keeps details of the past too. - Better scheduling and performance review:
When the flow chart is defined with each participant on each step, it helps the project supervisor to see which employee is working on what step and what’s his performance. This way it is easy for the managers to locate the problems or delays in the process without disturbing the whole process.
Application of process flow charts in business:
It is quite obvious that a process flow chart is used for projects and processes in businesses and companies. It doesn’t matter what kind of company you run and what type of products or services you offer, with the help of a process flow chart, you can easily achieve all of your goals and objectives with few resources and in time.
Here is preview of a Free Sample Process Flow Chart Template created using MS Word,
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