The flowchart should be used:
- To communicate to others how a process is done.
- A flowchart is generally used when a new project begins in order to plan for the project.
- A flowchart helps to clarify how things are currently working and how they could be improved. It also assists in finding the key elements of a process, while drawing clear lines between where one process ends and the next one starts.
- Developing a flowchart stimulates communication among participants and establishes a common understanding about the process. Flowcharts also uncover steps that are redundant or misplaced.
- Flowcharts are used to help team members, to identify who provides inputs or resources to whom, to establish important areas for monitoring or data collection, to identify areas for improvement or increased efficiency, and to generate hypotheses about causes.
- It is recommended that flowcharts be created through group discussion, as individuals rarely know the entire process and the communication contributes to improvement.
- Flowcharts are very useful for documenting a process (simple or complex) as it eases the understanding of the process.
- Flowcharts are also very useful to communicate to others how a process is performed and enables understanding of the logic of a process.