Flowchart: Basic Tools For Process Improvement

Basic Tools for Process Improvement
Module 6

FLOWCHART

FLOWCHART

1


What is a Flowchart?
A Flowchart is a diagram that uses graphic symbols to depict the nature and flow of
the steps in a process (Viewgraph 1). Another name for this tool is "flow diagram."

When should teams use Flowcharts?
At the beginning of your process improvement efforts, an as-is Flowchart helps your
team and others involved in the process to understand how it currently works. The
team may find it helpful to compare this as-is Flowchart with a diagram of the way the
process is supposed to work. Later, the team will develop a Flowchart of the
modified processagain, to record how it actually functions. At some point, your
team may want to create an ideal Flowchart to show how you would ultimately like
the process to be performed. Among the benefits of using Flowcharts (Viewgraph 2)
are that they

Promote understanding of a process by explaining the steps pictorially.
People may have differing ideas about how a process works. A Flowchart can
help you gain agreement about the sequence of steps. Flowcharts promote
understanding in a way that written procedures cannot do. One good
Flowchart can replace pages of words.

Provide a tool for training employees. Because of the way they visually
lay out the sequence of process steps, Flowcharts can be very helpful in
training employees to perform the process according to standardized
procedures.

Identify problem areas and opportunities for process improvement.
Once you break down the process steps and diagram them, problem areas
become more visible. It is easy to spot opportunities for simplifying and
refining your process by analyzing decision points, redundant steps, and
rework loops.

Depict customer-supplier relationships, helping the process workers to
understand who their customers are, and how they may sometimes act as
suppliers and sometimes as customers in relation to other people.

Some practical applications for flowcharting are:

The steps in troubleshooting a broken turbine
The process used to fight a class BRAVO fire
How to clean a berthing compartment
The process used for getting the ship underway

2

FLOWCHART


What Is a Flowchart?

A diagram that uses graphic

symbols to depict the nature

and flow of the steps in a

process.

FLOWCHART

VIEWGRAPH 1

Benefits of Using Flowcharts

Promote process understanding

Provide tool for training

Identify problem areas and improvement
opportunities

Depict customer-supplier relationships

FLOWCHART

FLOWCHART

VIEWGRAPH 2

3


What symbols are used in Flowcharts?

The symbols that are commonly used in Flowcharts (Viewgraph 3) have specific
meanings and are connected by arrows indicating the flow from one step to
another:

Oval. Ovals indicate both the starting point and the ending point of the
process steps.

Box. A box represents an individual step or activity in the process.

Diamond. A diamond shows a decision point, such as yes/no or go/no-go.
Each path emerging from the diamond must be labeled with one of the
possible answers.

Circle. A circle indicates that a particular step is connected to another page
or part of the Flowchart. A letter placed in the circle clarifies the continuation.

Triangle. A triangle shows where an in-process measurement occurs.

What are the levels of Flowchart detail?
When you are developing a Flowchart, consider how it will be used and the amount
and kind of information needed by the people who will use it. This will help you
determine the level of detail to include. Viewgraph 4 compares the levels described
below using the process for producing the Plan of the Day (POD).

Macro level. The top leadership may not need the amount of detail required by the
workers in a process. A "big picture," or macro-level, view of the process may be
enough for their purposes. Generally, a macro-level Flowchart has fewer than six
steps. Think of it as a view of the ground from an airplane flying at 30,000 feet.

Mini level. The term "mini" or "midi" is used for a Flowchart that falls between the
big picture of the macro level and the fine detail of the micro level. Typically, it
focuses on only a part of the macro-level Flowchart. Using the airplane analogy,
you see the level of detail as if looking at the ground from 10,000 feet.

Micro level. People trying to improve the way a job is done need a detailed
depiction of process steps. The micro-level, or ground-level, view provides a very
detailed picture of a specific portion of the process by documenting every action
and decision. It is commonly used to chart how a particular task is performed.

4

FLOWCHART


Symbols Used in Flowcharts

Start / End

Process Step

Decision

No
Yes

Connector

FLOWCHART

Measurement

M

VIEWGRAPH 3

Levels of Flowcharts
MACRO

Start

Draft
POD
MINI

Start

Get rough
draft of POD

Turn on
computer

Start word
proc. applic.
MICRO

Type
POD

Is it
approved
?

No

Get
approval
Is
rough in
word proc.
applic.
?
Yes

No

Type
rough POD

Distribute
POD

Yes
Edit POD

End
Type
smooth
Are
there any
corrections
?

Yes

Make
corrections
No
End
Print POD

FLOWCHART

FLOWCHART

VIEWGRAPH 4

5


The label used is not important. What matters is that the people constructing a
Flowchart understand how the information is going to be used and the people
interpreting the chart understand the level of detail it presents.

How do we get started?
Many methods for constructing Flowcharts have been described and you can safely
use any one of them, as long as you start out by doing these things:

Identify the right people to develop the chart.
Determine what you expect to get from the Flowchart.
Identify who will use it and how.
Define the level of detail you need.
Establish the boundaries of the process to be improved.

A word about boundaries. These are the starting and ending points for your
Flowchart. For example, process boundaries for a repair shop overhauling a pump
might be when the pump enters the shop and when it passes final testing. The
boundaries determine the number of activities to be studied and the number of
people involved in the process, functionally and cross-functionally.

At first, many teams struggle with the Flowchart tool. Team members may be unsure
about process boundaries or disagree on the level of detail needed. The first few
drawings quickly become a tangled mess of lines as steps are added, moved, and
reconnected. And most discouraging of all, workers may question the value of the
Flowchart and fail to use it in their daily work.

What are the keys to successful flowcharting?
Many of these difficulties can be avoided or overcome by applying the keys to
success outlined in Viewgraph 5. It is vital that you start by depicting the process
the way it really works, not the way you think it should work. You need to
chart the process as it is. Later you can chart it as it is supposed to work (by
regulation), or as you would like it to work (your ideal picture of the process). Here
are the keys:

Start with the big picture. It is best to draw a macro-level Flowchart first.
After youve depicted this big picture of the process, you can develop other
diagrams with increased levels of detail.

Observe the current process. A good way to start Flowcharting a process
is to walk through the current process, observing it in actual operation.

6

FLOWCHART


Keys to Success

Start with the big picture

Observe the current process

Record process steps

Arrange the sequence of steps

Draw the Flowchart

FLOWCHART

FLOWCHART

VIEWGRAPH 5

7


Record the process steps you observed. Record the steps as they
actually occur in the process as it is. Write the steps on index cards or post-
itTM notes. You can use a different color to represent each individual or group
involved if that will help you to understand and depict the flow more accurately.

Arrange the sequence of steps. Now arrange the cards or post-itTM notes
exactly as you observed the steps. Using cards lets you rearrange the steps
without erasing and redrawing and prevents ideas from being discarded simply
because its too much work to redraw the diagram.

Draw the Flowchart. Depict the process exactly as you observed, recorded,
and arranged the sequence of steps.

What are the types of Flowcharts?
Besides the three levels of detail used to categorize Flowcharts, there are three main
types of FlowchartsLinear, Deployment, and Opportunity. The level of detail
can be depicted as macro, mini, or micro for each of these types.

The viewgraphs that accompany the explanation below show how one process,
Producing the Plan of the Day (POD), might be depicted using each of the three
Flowchart types.

Linear Flowchart. A Linear Flowchart (Viewgraph 6) is a diagram that
displays the sequence of work steps that make up a process.

This tool can help identify rework and redundant or unnecessary steps within a
process.

Deployment Flowchart. A Deployment Flowchart [Ref. 5] shows the actual
process flow and identifies the people or groups involved at each step
(Viewgraph 7). Horizontal lines define customer-supplier relationships.

This type of chart shows where the people or groups fit into the process
sequence, and how they relate to one another throughout the process.

8

FLOWCHART
CMC YN XO
Collect
input
Draft POD
Type rough
Submit to XO
Retype POD
Type smooth
Make copies
Distribute
No Accept
rough
?
Yes
Sign POD


Linear Flowchart Example
Producing the POD

Retype POD

Start

Collect
inputs

Draft POD

Type rough

A

Type
smooth

Sign POD

Make copies
Submit to XO
Distribute
No

OK ?

FLOWCHART

A
Yes End

VIEWGRAPH 6

Deployment Flowchart Example
Producing the POD

FLOWCHART

FLOWCHART

VIEWGRAPH 7

9


Opportunity Flowchart. An Opportunity Flowchart [Ref. 4]a variation of
the basic linear typedifferentiates process activities that add value from
those that add cost only (Viewgraph 8).

> Value-added steps (VA) are essential for producing the required product
or service. In other words, the output cannot be produced without them.

> Cost-added-only steps (CAO) are not essential for producing the required
product or service. They may be added to a process in anticipation of
something that might go wrong, or because of something that has gone
wrong. For example, end-of-process inspection might be instituted
because of defects, errors, or omissions that occurred in the past. Other
CAO steps may depend on actions in supplier processeswaiting for
approvals or the availability of equipment, for example.

Now let's look at the steps for constructing the three different kinds of Flowcharts.

How do we construct a Linear Flowchart?
Following are the seven steps for developing a Linear Flowchart (Viewgraph 9).

Define the process to be flowcharted, and the purpose for flowcharting it.

Assemble the right people to develop the Flowchartthose operators,
technicians, or office workers who are actually involved in the process.

Establish process boundariesthe starting and ending points.

> Identify the major activities or subprocesses that are included in the
process.

> Determine what is not included in the scope of the process to remove any
doubt or confusion about the boundaries. This may also help establish the
scope of related processes.

List the steps, activities, and decisions to be charted. If your team is not
sure about a step, mark it to be investigated later.

Put the steps in chronological sequence. Sometimes it's easier to start
with the last step and work back to the first step.

Assign Flowchart symbols such as boxes, diamonds, and triangles.

Review and title the Flowchart.

10

FLOWCHART


Opportunity Flowchart Example
Producing the POD
Value Added

CMC collect
input

A
Cost Added Only

CMC
draft input

YN
type rough

YN
submit rough
to XO

POD need
retyped ?

No
YN type
smooth

XO
sign POD

Yes

YN
retype

FLOWCHART

A
YN copy and
distribute POD

VIEWGRAPH 8

Constructing a Linear Flowchart
Define the process
and the purpose

Assemble the
right people

Establish
process boundaries

List steps, activities,
and decisions

Are
steps in
sequence
?

No

Put steps in sequence

Yes

Assign Flowchart symbols

Review and
label Flowchart

FLOWCHART

FLOWCHART

VIEWGRAPH 9

11


How do we construct a Deployment Flowchart?
To develop a Deployment Flowchart (Viewgraph 10), follow the basic steps for
constructing a Linear Flowchart, but modify them as follows:

List the major steps of the process vertically on the left side of a sheet
of paper.

List the responsible process workers across the top, each in a separate
column.

Place each step in the appropriate column under the responsible process
worker's name.

Connect the steps in the order in which they relate to each other.

NOTE: Every horizontal line in a Deployment Flowchart identifies a customer-
supplier relationship.

How do we construct an Opportunity Flowchart?
To construct an Opportunity Flowchart (Viewgraph 11), you need to distinguish
value-added from cost-added-only steps. You may want to review how to
differentiate these steps under the description of Opportunity Flowcharts that
precedes this discussion.

Starting with your Linear Flowchart, evaluate each step before placing it in the
Opportunity format.

Divide your paper into two columns headed Value Added (VA) and Cost
Added Only (CAO).

List the steps in the process in these columns vertically, all VA steps in
one column and all CAO steps in the other.

Connect the steps.

12

FLOWCHART


Constructing a Deployment Flowchart
Changing Oil

CHUCK

Decide to
change oil

NANCY

Warm up engine

BOB

Get rags & tools

Oil &

Buy oil & filter
Shut off engine

No
filter on hand
?
Yes
Change oil
& filter

Clean up &
put tools away

FLOWCHART

VIEWGRAPH 10

Constructing an Opportunity Flowchart
Changing Oil
VALUE ADDED
Decide to change oil

Warm up engine

Shut off engine

Get rags and tools
COST ADDED ONLY

FLOWCHART

FLOWCHART

Oil & filter
on hand?
Yes
Change oil & filter

Clean up
& put tools away

No

Buy oil & filter

VIEWGRAPH 11

13


How do we interpret our Flowcharts?
A Flowchart will help you understand your process and uncover ways to improve it
only if you use it to analyze what is happening. Interpreting your Flowchart will help
you to (Viewgraph 12)

Determine who is involved in the process.
Form theories about root causes.
Identify ways to streamline the process.
Determine how to implement changes to the process.
Locate cost-added-only steps.
Provide training on how the process works or should work.

Below is a sequence of steps that will help you through an orderly analysis of your
Flowchart (Viewgraph 13).

Step 1 - Examine each process step for the following conditions that indicate a
need to improve the process:

Bottlenecks. These points in the process where it slows down may be caused
by redundant or unnecessary steps, rework, lack of capacity, or other factors.
In the Fire Drill Preparation example depicted in Viewgraph 15, the "Monitors
go to Logroom to get red hats. . ." step indicates a potential bottleneck. The
rework loop identified as connector "B" is one of several in this diagram.

Weak links. These are steps where problems occur because of inadequate
training of process workers, equipment that needs to be repaired or replaced,
or insufficient technical documentation. "Inform the drill leader and improvise"
is one of the weak links depicted in Viewgraph 15.

Poorly defined steps. Steps which are not well-defined may be interpreted and
performed in a different way by each person involved, leading to process
variation. "Improvise" is a poorly defined step in the weak link cited above.

Cost-added-only steps. Such steps add no value to the output of the process
and should be earmarked for elimination. If the Fire Drill Preparation process
in Viewgraph 15 were depicted as an Opportunity Flowchart, "Search the boat
for red hats" would be one of many cost-added-only steps.

Step 2 - Examine each decision symbol. You may want to collect data on how
often there is a "yes" or "no" answer at decision points marked by a diamond-
shaped symbol. If most decisions go one way rather than the other, you may be
able to remove this decision point.

14

FLOWCHART


Interpreting Your Flowchart

Determine who is involved

Form theories about root causes

Identify ways to simplify and refine

Determine how to implement changes

Locate cost-added-only steps

Provide training

FLOWCHART

Step 1 -

Step 2 -

Step 3 -

Step 4 -

FLOWCHART

FLOWCHART

VIEWGRAPH 12

Interpretation Steps
Examine each process step
Bottlenecks? Weak links? Poorly defined
steps? Cost-added-only steps?

Examine each decision symbol
Can this step be eliminated?

Examine each rework loop
Can it be shortened or eliminated?

Examine each activity symbol
Does the step add value for the end-user?

VIEWGRAPH 13

15


Step 3 - Examine each rework loop. Processes with numerous checks generate
rework and waste. Examine the activities preceding the rework loop and identify
those that need to be improved. Look for ways to shorten or eliminate the loop.

Step 4 - Examine each activity symbol. Does the step help build a key quality
characteristic into the end product? If not, consider eliminating it. (See the Data
Collection module for a discussion of key quality characteristics.)

What pitfalls do we need to watch out for?
Throughout this discussion, we have assumed that the Flowchart you are analyzing
reflects the way the process actually functions in the work environment. This is often
not the case. There are a number of things that can go wrong when you create your
Flowchart that may interfere with interpretation and full understanding of the process.

> Those developing the Flowchart may have drawn it to represent the
process as they envision it, not as it is.

> People may be reluctant to depict the obviously illogical parts of the
process for fear they will be called upon to explain why they allowed it to be
that way.

> Rework loops are either not seen or not documented because people
assume rework is small and inevitable.

> People drawing the Flowchart truly do not know how the process works.

You need to avoid these pitfalls when developing your Flowchart and take measures
to correct them when they are revealed through Flowchart interpretation.

16

FLOWCHART


How can we practice what we've learned?
The following exercises will enable you to practice what youve learned, first by
flowcharting a prepared example, then by creating a Flowchart of a familiar process,
and finally, by analyzing a Flowchart provided as an example.

EXERCISE 1: Develop a Flowchart of the Cut Grass Process. The facilitator
should prepare this exercise by writing each step of the process shown in Viewgraph
14 on a separate post-itTM and then placing the post-itsTM randomly on a chartpack.
The team will use the post-itsTM to develop a Flowchart of the Cut Grass Process.
The facilitator should assist the team in determining and depicting the following:

Starting and ending points of the process

Sequence of the steps written on the post-itsTM

Decision points

Appropriate symbols and connectors to use

Viewgraph 14 is an example of a possible Flowchart for the Cut Grass Process.

FLOWCHART

17


EXERCISE 1
Flowchart for Cut Grass Process

Spouse says
Cut the grass.

Prepare to cut
the grass

Cut the grass

Put mower away

Spouse says
Cut grass
Start

Open garage
door
lawnmower

Mow the yard
Does
lawnmower
need to be
washed
?
Yes

Get hose

Wash
mower
Pull lawnmower
to driveway
No

Check gas
Turn lawnmower
off
Return mower
to garage
and oil

Close garage
Need
gas or
oil
?

Yes
Get gas & oil
from garage
Put in gas
and oil
as needed
door
No

18

FLOWCHART

VIEWGRAPH 14

FLOWCHART


EXERCISE 2: Construct a Macro-Level Linear Flowchart. In this exercise, the
team will first select a process to be flowcharted from suggestions made by team
members. Then, using a chartpack, the facilitator will help them work through the
process of constructing a macro-level Flowchart of the selected process. The
following questions will help the team through a logical Flowchart development
process:

Step 1 - What process will we flowchart? Select a process to flowchart from
participant suggestions.

Step 2 - What do we do first? Define the purpose of the Flowchart.

Step 3 - Who should be involved? Discuss who should be on the team that
develops the Flowchart.

Step 4 - What are the process boundaries? Establish the starting and ending
points of the process.

Step 5 - What are the process steps? List the steps.

Step 6 - What is the sequence of steps? Determine the order in which process
activities occur.

Step 7 - What symbols should we use and how do we connect them? Assign
the appropriate symbols for the steps and connect them with arrows.

FLOWCHART

19


EXERCISE 3: Analyze the Fire Drill Preparation Flowchart. The facilitator
should give the team members a few minutes to study Viewgraph 15, then guide
them through an interpretation of this Flowchart based on the following questions:

Is the process flow depicted so you can follow it?

What would you change?

What level of Flowchart is this?

What type of Flowchart is this?

Are the symbols properly used?

What bottlenecks, weak links, or poorly defined steps are shown?

Some examples of these potential trouble spots were given in Step 1
of the Flowchart interpretation process, but there are others.

What cost-added-only steps can you identify?

An example of a cost-added-only step was given in Step 1 of the
Flowchart interpretation process, but there are others.

Can you identify places where it would be useful to take data?

Are there any rework loops that could be shortened or eliminated?

What steps do you think could be eliminated?

20

FLOWCHART


EXERCISE 3
Fire Drill Preparation Flowchart
Complete the
Drill Brief

First drill
in set?
Yes
M
Time 1

No

A

Drill monitors
test the radios
Put simulation
on the
appropriate
gages

Verify initial
conditions set
Monitors go to Logroom to get red
hats, radios, and drill props
Drill leaders walk

Props
available?
Yes

No

Search
Torpedo Room

Props?
Yes

No
around to ensure
all monitors are
on station
Initial
conditions
set?
Yes
No
B
Find the CO
Inform the drill
leader and improvise
All
personnel
on station
?
No
Find them
and put them
on station

Obtain COs

Radios
available?
Yes
No

Check with
Radiomen
Radios
still not
available
?
Yes

No
Yes

Spot check safety
intervention points
permission

Permission
to
initiate?

No

Correct
discrepancies
for the CO

Enough
red hats?
Yes

No

Search the
boat for
red hats
Borrow from
Quartermasters

Discrepancy?
No
Yes
Correct it
Yes
Initiate
the drill
Drill monitors
take station

A
B Order initial
conditions set
M
Time 2

FLOWCHART

FLOWCHART

VIEWGRAPH 15

21


REFERENCES:

1. Brassard, M. (1988). The Memory Jogger, A Pocket Guide of Tools for
Continuous Improvement, pp. 9 - 13. Methuen, MA: GOAL/QPC.

2. Department of the Navy (November 1992). Fundamentals of Total Quality
Leadership (Instructor Guide), pp. 6-12 - 6-19. San Diego, CA: Navy Personnel
Research and Development Center.

3. Department of the Navy (September 1993). Systems Approach to Process
Improvement (Instructor Guide), pp. 1-60 - 1-63; 5-50 - 5-63. San Diego, CA:
OUSN Total Quality Leadership Office and Navy Personnel Research and
Development Center.

4. Hacquebord, H. (1990). A Strategy for Helping Managers to Change.

5. Tribus, M. (June 1989). Deployment Flowcharting (workbook and videotapes).
Los Angeles, CA: Quality and Productivity, Inc.

22

FLOWCHART
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1
5

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