What Flowchart Software Do You Use for Procedures and other Documentation?

[Manix]

In Reply to Parent Post by Steve Andrews

I'm all in favour of going back to post-it notes on the wall. My experience is that you get far better interaction, leading to flowcharts that reflect what actually happen in the workplace. Get everyone involved in a room,give them a pad and a pen, let them write their own descriptions, switch the post-its around, find the weakness and suggest their own improvements.
When you've got the content right, the software you choose to use is just a case of what you consider to give the best presentation which enables everyone to read,understand and practice what you have established by consensus to be the best work practice. For what its worth, I'm in the Visio camp - the technical edition has lots of other applications that are useful, but that's just a personal opinion.

I find it hard to believe that post-it notes and flip charts could ever be as effective at communicating information as a well laid out flow chart using any software! I mean perhaps initial discussions, but not for the actual flow chart that will be used! But IMO post-it notes are evil parts of office life! Some companies have actually banned post-it notes from being used!

Not very 5S either to have post it notes scattered everywhere!

[fireonce]

As far as I'm concerned, the best choice is Excel of Office,which is not easier to draw a flowchart,but the flowchart,as attachments,can be integrated conveniently into documents,especially when documents are issued as electronics.

[artichoke]

In Reply to Parent Post by fireonce

As far as I'm concerned, the best choice is Excel of Office,which is not easier to draw a flowchart,but the flowchart,as attachments,can be integrated conveniently into documents,especially when documents are issued as electronics.

Fireonce,

The (free) Q-Skills flowcharter not only makes creating flowcharts very easy, it also enables them to be easily incorporated into documents, because it automatically creates a *.wmf version of the flowchart, for this purpose.

In addition, it generates an output as a text file, allowing the flowchart to be readily processed by Word or Excel macros or programs. An example of a Word macro is included, which automatically generates ISO documentation or an html document. Most important, is Q-Skills Flowcharter's unique automatic validity checker, which ensures that the flowchart is logically correct. ( I remember once having seen an old Visio ad that actually showed a logically impossible flowchart ! )

Mary,
Please try accessing the flowcharter on the web site.

Marc Edit Note: Web site is in artichoke's profile. Disclaimer: artichoke works for Q-Skills.

[shelec]

I've previously used AllClear and have gone back to Visio. From a functionality standpoint, I really liked AllClear and thought it was easier to use than Visio. Unfortunately, the software didn't play nice with other (standard) software I had installed (on 3 different machines), so I eventually had to go back to Visio.

[glenat]

I've used smart draw, word, powerpoint and visio previously, all good depending upon the companies requirements/resources, but at the moment I'm evaluating 4TQ from Axion (it was mentioned much earlier in this thread).
I'm currently implementing management systems in a local government council.

Early indications look good, the flow charts are easy to draw and a lot of detail can be included in the background at each point in the flow chart, which then converts to a word document at the click of a button to produce different formats of work instructions / SOP's, as well as internal audit check sheets for the process.
It also enables drill downs to sub-processes and links to other documents or even web pages!
There are a heap of other features, including review period, document control, process owner, process checksheets and this is just in the flow charting module!
There are also a heap of other modules that can be "added" on, including the ability to convert existing word document work instructions into flow charts, upload to internet/intranet, policy & compliance, action records and risk management.

The negatives - the obvious one is the cost, anywhere from A$5k to A$20k, depending upon the modules purchased, so it does really demand a big commitment from the organisation (which can't be a bad thing!). As I said before, I'm still evaluating, but have not yet come across any more points to add to the "negative" side of the equation.

If anyone else has used this software, I'd love to compare notes ...

[winchm]

The only other negative I can think of concerns the end user. Years ago many ot the Admins used Org Plus to create the various business units Org Charts - it was Greek to many others who didn't have the Org Plus license - including Quality when trying to prepare for Internal Audits. Make sure the customer and end user have read only rights without incurring expense. I'm still using Visio. My two cents

[keiko01]

I broke down and bought MS Visio 2007 for my LSS project. It works great and is simple to use. Tried sample download of SmartDraw and I didn't care for some of the functions. Unfortunately I bought Visio with my own money and the agency (US Army) I work for wanted me to save them millions of dollars but could not spare a couple hundred bucks for Visio.

[Wes Bucey]

In Reply to Parent Post by keiko01

I broke down and bought MS Visio 2007 for my LSS project. It works great and is simple to use. Tried sample download of SmartDraw and I didn't care for some of the functions. Unfortunately I bought Visio with my own money and the agency (US Army) I work for wanted me to save them millions of dollars but could not spare a couple hundred bucks for Visio.

I'm amazed a US government agency would allow any employee or contractor who hooked into their network to have ANY "rogue" software on laptop or desktop - very bad breach of security. (rogue meaning anything not checked and approved by the agency.)