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You can use Apple's Preview to create simple flow charts on a MacBook Pro. You'll have to open an image first because you can't create a new blank file using Preview. Once the image has been deleted however, you have a blank canvas to create a flow chart using circles, squares, arrows and text for a simple flow chart. You can save the file as an image or a PDF as desired. You can also keep the original image, if appropriate, to use as a background picture for your flow chart.
For thousands of years people have been harnessing hydroelectric power using water wheels. This type of energy generation led to the industrialization of many processes across the globe. In the 18th Century, Jan Andrej Segner invented the reactive water turbine, which laid the groundwork for modern turbines. This simple design is still in use worldwide, especially for small-scale power generation. Since then, people have improved the technology, developing different types for various water flow regimes.
Businesses report their cash flow on their financial statements every quarter. Cash flow is the flow of cash into and out of the company. Investors can determine a company's financial health and whether the company makes appropriate financial decisions by examining cash flow statements. In accounting terms, expenses are considered outward flow while revenues are considered inward flow.
A waterfall chart visually displays the increases and/or decreases of a given value through a bar graph that is adjusted to display floating values in columns. This chart type was popularized by the management consulting company McKinsey & Company in client presentations as a useful tool to visualize the correlation between profits, losses and variables. Waterfall charts show the changes between initial and final values of items denoted in initial and final columns while the changes are indicated by floating values in the middle columns. Use a spreadsheet program such as Excel to create a waterfall chart to present information…
You can break down a project into chart format in almost any way possible. One way, called a work breakdown structure (WBS), categorizes the breakdown of the chart into a hierarchical format. It begins with the name of the project at the top and then breaks the project into small and smaller tasks. While many companies offer software to aid you in creating a WBS, these are not necessary. Create a simple WBS chart from your computer with Microsoft's build in program "Paint."
Information that is presented in the form of complex sentences and lengthy paragraphs can be difficult to get meaning from at a glance. Things like bullet points and numbering can help separate the information, but it can still be tough to follow. Instead, you can chart your information so that it's easy for you and your audience to see the significance of the data and figures after just a few seconds of studying the chart.
A tree diagram, also more commonly known as a flowchart or flow diagram, is a visual representation that shows users the steps involved with performing an activity or making decisions. Businesses frequently use tree diagrams to illustrate written procedures, like operations procedures and administration procedures. Tree diagrams of high quality are well-written and presented in a clear manner. Word processing programs, such as Microsoft Word and OpenOffice.org, allow you to create a tree diagram of high quality.
A WBS (work breakdown structure) chart explains the steps of a project in a hierarchical format. Whereas a work hierarchy chart lists the most important person at the top and extends downward through everyone in the organization, a WBS chart displays the steps necessary to complete a project from least to most detailed. Draw your own WBS chart on a simple piece of paper to organize and gain perspective on your next big project.
Statistical process control techniques are simply the means by which statistical methods are employed to ensure that a manufacturing or engineering process runs in an optimal way, with an end product (usually a product for sale) that meets quality requirements. SPC is associated in the U.S. and Japan with the work of author and consultant W. Edwards Deming,
SPC, statistical process control, is a technique or method used to monitor, analyze and control processes in manufacturing and financial or service processes. SPC is vital to continuously improving business processes. SPC uses several different tools to accomplish this constant activity. The main purpose of SPC is to track the performance of processes and then find ways to identify and improve each different process. To do this, companies use several different methods.
Flowcharts help you document and streamline procedures. The appropriate software allows you to easily establish and maintain a detailed flowchart for all aspects of a business. Each shape on a chart represents a unique action in a process. The control transfer shape is a line with a triangle at its midway point and represents a deviation from normal procedure.
Statistical Process Control (SPC) is a method using data to control and monitor a process. Companies use SPC to control the quality of product and monitor the manufacturing process. The data collection alerts an operator or machine operator when product varies from a specification or tolerance in the production process. Quality improvement processes such as Six Sigma and Total Quality Management use SPC as a tool to regulate the quality of production methods.
The aim of any organization is to produce quality products and services. In today's competitive environment, quality is a requirement that customers expect. Quality function deployment (QFD) is a critical aspect of the quality control policy of an organization. It is a process for translating customer requirements into manufacturing standards. QFD is used for new product development. It is very powerful as it incorporates customer needs into the design parameters so the final product will be better designed to meet customer expectations.
Presenting a company product list, especially in business-to-business industries, can be the first step in closing a sale with a new customer. Make sure the list is easy to read, highlights information important to your customers and is well organized. Organize the list by types of products, then alphabetically. You can create your list in a word program if you do not have a spreadsheet program. However, a spreadsheet offers many helpful tools that make it a better choice for a list. You can use spreadsheet tools to find duplicates and sort the list to make it ideal for customer…
Visual aids can be very effective in analyzing and presenting key information, especially when it comes to company finances. As a company may have multiple streams of revenue, the ability to study and compare these various revenue streams can help a company to proliferate effective practices and identify problems in various aspects of its business. As such a comparison presents multiple revenue streams as proportions of a whole, a three dimensional pie chart can be a very effective way of illustrating revenue ratios.
A timeline can serve as a useful guideline for getting an employee training plan accomplished. While you need not follow the timeline with perfect adherence, it still serves a valuable purpose in the form of a goal. You can follow a few simple steps to create a timeline for your employee training plan. Down the road, you can feel free to make changes to this timeline to keep it current and relevant.
A document can be of vital importance to a company's operations. This includes such items as employee handbooks, operational policies and procedures, correspondence, memorandum and business forms. Depending on the industry, a firm may have a legal duty to retain certain documents for a certain amount of time before it can even be discarded. The critical information that may be contained in business documents makes it critical to develop document management and control procedures. This provides a systematic guide for the production, tracking and updating information contained in documents of importance to business operations.
For some, working at home seems like the ideal arrangement. You can set your own hours and work from the comfort of your dining or living room. However, you can become distracted, sometimes even more than you would in a standard office. Poor organization and planning can cause you to lose your focus when working at home. Take the time to plan your day, so you can maximize your productivity.
Primary productivity is a type of economic production based on agriculture or the extraction of natural resources sold without any modification. It implies that there's no further work on the resources after they're extracted. You can sell coal but you can also make coal fiber, which would be a product with an added value while the coal is an example of primary productivity. This type of productivity is often characteristic of developing countries. Certain factors affect primary productivity.
A statistical process control (SPC) chart is a very useful tool for maintaining the quality of an ongoing, repetitive process. There are several different types of SPC charts, but the most common is normally referred to simply as a control chart. A control chart plots the ongoing performance of a process against expected outcomes based on statistics; these being the process average and multiples of the process standard deviation. The control chart allows a quick visual analysis of trends in the process and can readily show when results are outside expected limits.
Flowcharts are a way to represent processes in a pictorial, easy to understand way. They were popularized by computer programmers in the 60's and 70's, who used them to outline computer programs before writing the programs themselves. Flowcharts are still popular with businesses and people who lay out industrial and factory processes. By tracing a path between the blocks of a flowchart with your finger you can clearly see how some process proceeds.
With advances in technology, software development has become an issue increasingly likely to surface over the course of running a business. This area of expertise is highly specialized, but familiarity with some of its basic concepts can be helpful in understanding factors related to important software development decisions. The Input-Process-Output Model is a model used for developing software by writing pseudo-code, an expression of computer code in English used to design computer software before actually writing the code in a computer programming language. The method involves creating an IPO chart to graphically organize interchangeable components, or modules, of a software…
Technology, communication, manufacturing, service and other industries use quality function deployment (QFD) charts to focus on the demands of customers. QFD examines how products/services can meet customer needs and captures this information for use in the planning process. The QFD method employs a series of matrixes that fit together to form a house-like structure called the House of Quality (HOQ). The typical HOQ looks like a tall, wide rectangular house on a foundation and capped off with a pyramid-shaped roof. The house has a wing or narrower rectangular structure of equal height on each side of the primary structure.
Management of white space in an organization can often lead to increased efficiency and production. White space is a term used to describe the interdepartmental gaps and interactions in an organization. A white space manager is charged with eliminating waste and redundancy throughout all departments. Member communication and effective information flow augments cohesion between all the members of the organization. You can save both time and money through the careful management of organizational white space.
A control chart is a tool used in statistical process control to determine if a process, such as the time an operator spends handling a complaint or soliciting a donation, is under control. A process is under control if the measured process variable stays within a specified range of values. A control chart might be used in a call center to ensure that the average time that operators spend with a single individual is neither too long nor too short.
Flip charts are often used in presentations to help accentuate main points and get across visual topics. They're best used with groups of 25 people or less, as flip charts tend to work better when people are close to the chart. There tend to be two main styles of using flip charts: preparing flip charts ahead of time and writing flip charts on the fly. You can create great flip charts that help direct the flow of attention with either method.
A dashboard is a software tool that presents data in easy-to-read, updateable charts. A dashboard can track any kind of data for any purpose, but business professionals are the most frequent users. The main function of a dashboard is to draw raw data from a spreadsheet or database then present it in chart or graph form. Because a dashboard is updated, the data remains current and tracks any change or progress. Microsoft Excel is a simple program that can create dashboards, but an experienced programmer can create dashboards, using other tools such as Visual Basic, HTML, CSS and Javascript. You…
A flow chart is a useful way of organizing your thoughts and examining a complex situation. A process flow chart is used to determine what the bottlenecks are in a process as well as any significant vulnerable points of failure. It is a graphic description of your business's way of producing a product or service. It can be a simple or complex exercise to make a process flow chart depending upon what your company does and how much data you have to gather.
Quality management is one of the most common ways to manage work processes. However, before you can manage quality, you have to be able to measure it. Key performance indicators (KPIs) are used to measure improvements in processes over time. The type of indicator used depends on the process being measured. Over time, as process improvements are implemented, KPIs will begin to improve. If KPI achievement is attached to compensation, it will help to generate interest in meeting KPI goals for future quarters.
For manufacturers, production is everything. The rate of production establishes a baseline for future sales. As such, managers like to measure production levels in order to better manage it in the future. Every manager tries to put out fires and anticipate ways of never allowing them to happen again. Measuring production can help to mitigate the risk of working with suppliers or lack of inventory. The challenge is determining the right production measurement for your organization.
Chronological charts are used for a variety of purposes that involve the arrangement of events in the form of a time-line. They are used to display historical events and map dates of a time period in the order of their occurrence. They are also useful for designing a project schedule with task start and task completion dates. Chronological charts can be created using Excel to draw up a time-line of events.
Frequency charts show the number of times a value or action occurs in a specific set of data. They are used by employers to exemplify productivity, by teachers to show participation, and by merchants to mark sales and growth. Frequency charts provide evidence regarding a selected topic in relation to the overall results, supplying factual information in an easy-to-read chart.
Flow diagrams can serve vital functions in planning and understanding organizational structures. Create a flow diagram to aid others in understanding a process you wish to convey.
"Tribal Knowledge" is defined as any unwritten information that your business, team, group or tribe uses to achieve its goals. The problem with tribal knowledge is when you lose key members of the tribe, the knowledge goes away with them. When you document your company's procedures or process, you can protect this knowledge and quickly bring new members up to speed. Understanding the need for documenting "Tribal Knowledge" is an important element of creating these documents.
The phrase "separation of duties" in business means that each individual employee of a company is solely responsible for a specific job function. Usually, this person is responsible for that one function and no others. However, if a manager feels that an employee's position can be eliminated, he or she may decide to take that position's job duties and delegate them to the remaining employees. Separation of duties is also sometimes referred to as "segregation of duties."
A burn down chart shows the amount of work that remains over a period of time, according to Scrum Alliance. A useful sales and project management tool, especially in the software development field, burn down charts allow you to compare your actual project completion to your target project completion. You can later use this information to determine changes in target project completion and for planning and motivation on your next project.
A control chart is a tool used for statistical process control (SPC) in manufacturing operations. The chart graphically displays process stability by plotting the occurrence of defined events or specific values or measurements. Upper and lower control limits are made visible to show when plotted data for an event or value falls outside the predicted norm. Control charts are used to monitor process effectiveness, to assess the impact of any changes made to how the process operates and to identify opportunities for improvement or events requiring corrective action.
A program flow diagram is a visual representation of how processes and procedures are carried out in an organization. The diagram maps the steps from start to finish, outlining all of the tasks to be completed and the data that results from the tasks. Flow diagrams are extremely useful for software development and program management. Understanding each event and its potential outcomes helps to develop proper risk assessments and testing scenarios. A program flow diagram can also help to identify missing steps in any process.
The estimates of the costs of wasted time and labor effort that we read about from time to time are staggering. The cost of any product or achievement is directly reflected in the amount of time and effort required to create or produce it. Creating a work flow timeline chart is certainly a worthwhile endeavor for any person or company needing to get tasks completed in a timely and effective manner. To streamline a production effort, and get the absolute most progress toward completion of the product at each phase of the production, work flow timeline charts are very effective.
Creating an organization chart for a credit union is not much different from putting together an organizational chart for any other type of business entity. The objective is to show the reporting structure of the organizational, both direct and indirect, while giving the public some reasonable transparency into your organization. You can create the chart using the traditional method of pencil and paper. However, using charting software gives you the ability to change the chart as the structure and people within the credit union changes while make the chart easier for distribution.
An org chart, or organization chart, is similar to a family tree except that it shows the structure of an organization instead of a family. It usually includes the departments in the organization, the employees that work in them and their reporting responsibilities with the management of the organization. Org charts can be created by hand, but this can be hard work and very time consuming, or by using computer software.
An organization chart is an effective tool to eliminate chain-of-command confusion in a business. Organization charts, or organizational charts as they are more commonly known, are usually designed by the Human Resources department. By organizing the different divisions, departments, teams and staff into an "organizational chart," a chain of command is clearly defined. Staff roles and responsibilities are outlined and reporting procedures are established. As new employees or team members are added, the organization chart can be adapted to show the changes. Several software templates are available to aid in designing an organization chart. For instance, Microsoft PowerPoint has an…
First used for ship building and on 1920s construction projects like the Hoover Dam, a Gantt chart is a project management tool. It was created by mechanical engineer and management consultant, Henry Laurence Gantt, a leader in the early application of scientific methods to business management. A Gantt chart is a specialized bar graph that provides a visual depiction of the planned vs. actual progress of a project against a timeline. Today, there is a variety of computer programs for creating and using Gantt charts, from general business apps like Microsoft Excel to specialized software programs.
One of the most important considerations for companies is primary worker productivity. Direct labor is one of the largest costs of production and is usually a company's most valuable asset. Productivity is a measure of work product or output from a work process. Labor productivity is usually measured in terms of work product per hour of labor. Another way to look at total productivity is with this formula: Total productivity = Output quality and quantity/Input quality and quantity. The challenge is determining how to translate this into terms which make the most sense for your firm. The following refers to…
Rather than tweaking the edges of your business to eke out year-over-year growth, redesign the way you operate. Gain a commanding view of the operating environment with a process map. A value stream map in particular emphasizes where you can change the operating environment for the greatest benefit by pointing out both where your operations add the most value to the product and where operations hold up the process or cause bottlenecks that sap resources and drain profit from the bottom line. There are fundamental maps and processes you can plot to accomplish this redesign.
A workflow chart is a diagram that demonstrates all of the major steps of a process or business unit. Workflow charts can help you understand the big picture and relationships between different steps and work functions, locate critical stages of the process or business unit and identify problem areas. Special programming knowledge is not necessary to create a workflow chart. Most business professionals can follow basic instructions provided in specialized software or templates downloaded from the Internet.
To create a process chart, identify a sequence of events and develop a diagram or chart that graphically explains the event sequence. A process chart uses a standard set of graphic symbols to represent each event in the sequence. The basic symbols are the start/end elongated circle; the rectangle for a subordinate process, instruction or action; and a diamond symbol to show options or decisions based on a particular result. The basic graphic tools needed to create process charts are available in Microsoft Paint, Visio and other software packages with flow charting shapes.
Sales, revenues, work distribution and performance can be all-telling at a glance when viewing a correctly constructed pie chart. This type of chart shows different colored "slices" that compare data sizes to the whole "pie" by using percentages to create the particular sizes of each slice. Adding a pie chart to a presentation grabs an audience's attention and simplifies the analysis process. Microsoft allows us to easily create pie charts in its Excel program and export them to its other Microsoft Office applications, such as Word and PowerPoint.
A control chart is a statistical process control tool used to visualize a complex set of data. The purpose of a control chart is to view a set of recurring numerical data compared with its average and upper/lower control limits to test the reliability of process outputs. Examples of effective uses of control charts include measuring how much of a certain component is found in daily batches of a mixture, and measuring the amount of time it takes to perform a daily task.
Detailed procedures are commonplace in business. The details of a procedures are necessary. A well-prepared flowchart provides a visual overview that will aid in a procedure to be easily remembered and followed. A diagram of a procedure will also facilitate identification of unnecessary steps or process improvements. Thoughtful and succinct preparation is key to a good flowchart, whether the chart is prepared by hand or on the computer.
A circle chart, sometimes referred to as a circle graph, can be a very useful tool. It is a visual aid, designed to divide something whole up into different values or percentages. For example, if you are creating a circle graph that shows the five kinds of flowers in your garden, then you would divide the graph into five different sections. Each section of the circle would symbolize the number of flowers for that particular flower category. Circle graphs are very easy to read because they only require a quick glance. You can take in a lot of information quickly…
A chart or table augments your report or document. These simple, space-efficient objects represent a great deal of data. A chart table quickly displays data that your readers want to know but would be tedious and wordy if worked into your text. Make charts easily for reports, office memos or a personal document with a simple program you probably already have on your computer.
Communication flow charts are useful tools for businesses, work groups, study groups, church Bible studies, families and any other group of people who need to communicate regularly. Creating them are easy - as long as the person who creates the chart is clear about the authority ranking of the members of the group and the proper course that communication should flow. This article will explore using a template in Microsoft Word.
Creating a graph chart for a presentation or performance can be intimidating. However, once you get over the admittedly steep learning curve it can be a great way to give a performance more verisimilitude or a presentation more professionalism. The steps below are for Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, but most spreadsheet programs use similar steps to create graphs.
With the passage of the Sarbanes Oxley Act, public companies are now required to document their processes. Process maps are used for this purpose. A process map is a type of flow chart. A process flow chart can be used to build a step by step picture of the process to include specific duties. Also if the process flow chart becomes too complex you can create process flow charts for steps within the process. In this way you can be as detailed as you need to be to capture all the specific duties that must be accomplished.
Let's say you are a manager at a company and you supervise several employees. You want the employees to understand their job duties because you must evaluate their job performance annually. You decide that it would help them if they could see the job responsibilities in a flow chart. Often it is easier to understanding a process if it can be seen in a picture or a diagram as well as a narrative.
Charts are an easy way to show a lot of data in an easy-to-see format. Desktop publishing has made it easy to produce vibrantly colorful charts but does not often consider the possibility of making a black and white chart. When you cannot or do not want to use color in your chart, patterns will help you keep all the lines straight so that your data can clearly provide the information needed. Excel is a an easy-to-use spreadsheet program that helps you create professional graphs.
Comparing data is an important part of maintaining good records and presenting business or budget plans and statistical information. When you need to show the individual parts of a whole, whether it is a budget or a group of statistics, a pie chart may be the best visual representation. Pie charts show segments of data that create a whole circle (or pie). Each section of the data in a pie chart is easily compared to both the other sections and to the whole by percentages and ratios.
Document control procedures do not have to be complex. In fact, complexity adds to the probability that the document will not be adequately referenced. That said, managing information is one of the most important processes in any organization. The reliance on electronic data correspondence increases the need to continuously update data control and storage procedures. Failure to maintain adequate document control procedures can result in huge financial risks. Thankfully, improvements in document control technology and software applications have created a new world of best practices.
A Ghant chart, also known as a Gantt chart, is a chart used in project management. Its has time on its horizontal axis and project tasks on the vertical axis. Each task receives its own row and is graphed based on the starting and finishing date for the task. This gives a visual representation of the project progress and what tasks are delaying progress.
Differential pressure is fundamentally the difference between two pressures. Creating a condition of differential pressure on two sides of a process can be used as a driving force to effect certain process operations, or as a primary parameter used to infer information about the state of a process. Differential pressure is a partner parameter to the flow of a gas or liquid through a fixed system, meaning that as flow increases through a system, differential pressure directly increases around it, and conversely, as differential pressure may increase around a system, flow through it is induced to increase.
One way to create a process flow diagram involves using the swim lane or deployment chart. This type of chart is good when you need to emphasize the "who" in the process and is also good when you want to spot the handoffs between job functions or departments.
Charts are used in various ways to review the progress and financial condition of an organization. Whether you are creating a business plan or reviewing the success of a recent product rollout, a concise and easy-to-read chart will add an extra touch of professionalism. Charts can convey data at a single glance, while the same information can take paragraphs to explain in writing. The best part is that charts are easy to create and manipulate in Microsoft Excel.
A burndown chart is a sophisticated to-do list that represents remaining work on a vertical access with deadlines or time frames on the horizontal axis. It helps project managers see who has accomplished which tasks and where the next levels of attention need to be directed to complete the project on time. From left to right, the chart should start with many components and work its way down to zero on the time axis.
Waterfall charts are a specialized floating chart that show how values increase and decrease. They start with initial values that mark the increase or decrease in a period with a floating column. The next period starts with the ending value and creates a floating chart with that period's increase or decrease. The charts are useful for understanding growth trends and are easy to create in Microsoft Excel.
The purpose of a flow chart is to accomplish a goal or document a process of any kind from start point to end point, from mathematical equations to workplace tasks. To get started, you need to decide what the problem is, or where you are now, and label that as your starting point. Elongated circles are generally used in flow charts to symbolize the start and end point. It is best to define these terms as clearly as possible so that you can fill in cohesive steps to get from "point A to B."
OpenOffice is an open source suite of office productivity software similar to Microsoft Office. Largely underwritten by Sun Microsystems and free to download and use, OpenOffice has a Macintosh version that includes presentation and drawing programs with built-in flowchart capabilities. Download and install OpenOffice by visiting openoffice.org.
A major part of any business writing will involve creating professional looking graphs. Many people think that you can only create graphs in Microsoft Excel, but using the exact same process, you can also create them in Microsoft Word or WordPerfect. Anyone who has an office job or plans on getting a job in the business field, needs to be able to create professional looking pie charts.
The assembly line is an optimal choice for large-scale manufacturing process for the creation of vehicles or other heavy industrial equipment. However, it isn't optimal for smaller firms that don't need to keep up with large orders. For these companies, a one piece flow production line, where workers accompany a product through the entire manufacturing process, may be more appropriate. Setting up a one piece flow line is easier with less manufacturing equipment.
I'll use eHow data as an example of how to create charts and graphs from a spreadsheet. It's relatively easy and the Excel Chart Wizard will walk you through most of it.
Creating a quick, cross functional flow chart will help you as you are figuring out a process. It helps keep things in order as you start looking at how something is done.
