The 'Best of the Best' Process Map Format

[Marc]

Thanks! BTW - I'm not opposed to Excel per se. I use it for a lot of things, have for years. In fact, it was out for the Mac before it was for the PC and I was using it back then. I scoffed at Lotus 123. I realize every company is different and every situation has different requirments. In this case I'm looking at SmartDraw because the company still uses Winflow - a very basic program. And only a couple of people in the company will use it. SmartDraw is relatively cheap (about US$150 for a single license for the 'full blown' package), is fully Office compatable, and their IS people do 'special' software buys and installations without bickering. It even has an excellent mind mapping capability.

Actually I like Powerpoint's flow charting tools. I do draw the line at flow charts in Word... I frown on that. But - I've seen a lot of people use Word for flow charts and they're well done. My bias is due to my lack of skills with Word when it comes to doing drawings.

 

[Chris Willis]

Wow a Turtle diagram

Thanks a bunch Jane,

Our auditor was singing the praises of turtle diagrams at the last audit, and I have never seen one before.

I just love this place as an information exchange.

This is my own attempt at a flow diagram, but having seen some of the attached I think they may be changing.

Note: to view correctly you need to expand it to full size

 

[Joe Cruse]

Marc,

here is an example of a flow chart I set up using SmartDraw for one of our lab instruments. I'm not sure if this is what you were thinking of or not. I got the idea for the format from a software flyer I saw, and decided to use the format to do flow charts for some of our lab equipment process flows.
.

 

[Marc]

Thanks for the post. Nice format. Digital cameras are all over this company so that's a thought. They do already use pictures in all of their floor level work instructions.

One of the key things I plan on is columns for 'owner', input(s) and output(s) because for the level 2's those will be a focus.

 

[qualitygoddess - 2010]

I vote for MS Visio for any flowcharting/process maps. It is more complicated to use than SmartDraw. I like to include digital pics whenever possible. I'm still one of those people that likes to write every word down, and then provide a flowchart at the beginning, to outline the basic steps in the process.

I'm just starting to switch this new client over to flowcharts. They had flow diagrams in place about 4 years ago, changed their processes, but not the diagrams.

Marc, your attached diagram was interesting. I hope you will share the final version!

 

[ASQ_Web_Offerings_CN]

I vote for MS Visio for any flowcharting/process maps.

I second the MS Visio, it is essential for our workgroup process map, and the site maps that I do on the web development side here at ASQ. Our IT also uses visio to map out our network, and data transfer process. It is a very flexible platform, and widely used for charts, diagrams, and process flow.

 

[Marc]

I second the MS Visio, it is essential for our workgroup process map, and the site maps that I do on the web development side here at ASQ. Our IT also uses visio to map out our network, and data transfer process. It is a very flexible platform, and widely used for charts, diagrams, and process flow.

Have you tried SmartDraw? It does all this and more at a cheaper cost.
http://www.smartdraw.com/resources/collections/smartdraw.htm

 

[Marc]

I hope you will share the final version!

I will but it will be a few weeks. I'm in the middle of some APQP training and will be getting back to the corporate documentation soon.

 

[ASQ_Web_Offerings_CN]

Have you tried SmartDraw? It does all this and more at a cheaper cost.

I've heard of it, but I haven't used it. Have to look into it.

Visio has been the industry standard I've used for the past five years. One of those things that sticks with you through a career. However, when cost is an issue, I'll make MS paint, or a similiar program work in my favor. I like to look at computers and software as a game I just have to conquer. Part of my Gen-X upbringing at age 30.

 

[jewels]

Don't be so cynical about WORD, it has it's advantages

For our purposes, we do not currently have elaborate flow charts of processes. I tried the Smart Draw free trial and it works great, but for what I need, WORD works fine. And everyone in our company has WORD. This way--the files I forward to others for review can be worked on in their hands using WORD instead of each of us getting another program that will not be used enough to pay it's price. At least not yet.