Process flow diagrams

Process flow diagrams

A process model is a formal way of representing how a business operates. A process flow diagram is one method of representing a process model.  The flow diagram/chart includes the following elements:

  • Activity: a step in the process
  • Decision: where there are 2 or more options
  • Flow: direction of the steps
  • Terminator: beginning and end of process

There are a number of symbols that can be used in the diagram to represent output, documents, processes, connectors, decisions, etc.  These can easily be found on the web or within Visio.

Example process flow diagram (PDF)

Example process flow diagram (PDF) see long description


A cross-functional process flow diagram emphasizes hand-offs and links between steps in the process (click for alternate version):

Example cross functional process flow diagram (PDF)

Example cross-functional process flow diagram (PDF) see long description