What is a flowchart?
A flowchart is a diagram of a process. Boxes hold the steps, diamonds hold the decisions, and arrows show which step comes next, so anyone can follow the process from start to finish without reading a page of instructions.
Run a flowchart yourself
The fastest way to understand a flowchart is to follow one. The lamp won’t switch on: step through the chart, answer the questions, and watch how decisions branch and how a loop sends you back.
You are at: Start
Every flowchart has one entry point: the terminator (oval).
Path so far: Start
This is what a flowchart really does: it turns a judgement call into a path anyone can follow. If you like learning by clicking through ideas like this, ahaboo has narrated interactive explainers on how everyday things work.
The parts of a flowchart
Most flowcharts use four shapes and one kind of line. The oval terminator marks start and end. A rectangle is an action. A diamond is a question with labelled answers. A parallelogram is data going in or out. Arrows connect them in order.
Everything else, like documents, databases and delays, is optional detail. The full list with examples is on the flowchart symbols page.
Where flowcharts are used
- Programming and exams: planning an algorithm before writing code.
- Operations: standard operating procedures, onboarding, order handling.
- Support and IT: troubleshooting guides and escalation rules.
- Quality improvement: Lean and Six Sigma teams map a process to find delays and rework.
- Everyday decisions: yes/no charts that make a policy easy to apply.
How to make a flowchart in 6 steps
- Name the process and its boundaries. What triggers it, and what counts as finished?
- List the steps in order, one action per line, each starting with a verb.
- Find the decisions. Every “if”, “unless” or “depends” becomes a diamond.
- Follow each answer to its end: a next step, a loop back, or a finish.
- Draw it. Type the list into the flowchart maker and the shapes and arrows are placed for you.
- Test it with a real case, the way you did with the lamp above. If you get stuck, a branch is missing.
Short on time? Describe the process in a paragraph and let the AI flowchart generator draft it.
Types of flowchart
Process flow charts show the steps of a job. Swimlane diagrams add who does each step. Data flow diagrams follow information instead of actions. Decision trees chain questions to an answer. Program flowcharts, like those made with code to flowchart, describe an algorithm.
Questions people ask
What is a flowchart in simple words?
A flowchart is a drawing of a process: boxes for the steps, diamonds for the decisions and arrows for the order. You can follow it with your finger from Start to End.
What are the four main types of flowchart?
People usually name the process flowchart (steps of a job), the swimlane or cross-functional flowchart (who does each step), the data flow diagram (how information moves between processes and stores) and the decision flowchart or decision tree (questions that lead to an answer). Program flowcharts for algorithms are a fifth common type.
Who invented the flowchart?
Frank and Lillian Gilbreth presented the “flow process chart” to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 1921. Herman Goldstine and John von Neumann adapted flow diagrams for computer programs in 1947.
What is the difference between a flowchart and an algorithm?
An algorithm is the list of steps that solves a problem; a flowchart is one way to draw it. The same algorithm can be written as pseudocode, as code, or drawn as a flowchart.
How many steps should a flowchart have?
As many as it needs to be clear, but if it passes about 25–30 boxes it becomes hard to read. Split it and use a predefined-process box that points to the detailed chart.