How to Make an Effective Flow Chart

Flow charts have a lot of practical uses, but they’re not frequently considered to be a design endeavor. A flow chart can be both attractive and useful as a design element.

The most common rationale for utilizing flow charts is to express complex information more visually. You can see how elements in a process or flow interact with one another.

The flow chart’s design ensures that this information is communicated clearly.

The first step in creating a flow chart is determining what you need to convey. What is the chart’s goal, and what is the takeaway for those who look at it?

The answers to those questions will almost certainly lead you along a functional and delivery path. Do you intend to create a static and flat flow chart, such as an infographic? Or are you working on a flow chart that has to be updated with additional dynamic content?

You’ll be able to tell whether you’re working with an online, interactive flowchart or something you can make and export as a JPG or PDF from here.

The following phase in the design process is to sketch out what you’re trying to say. You could compare it to an informational wireframe. Sketching is a fantastic method to work on this — use pencil because there will very certainly be adjustments — and to build the flow from one part to the next.

Every flow chart has a beginning point and an endpoint. Begin the design process by connecting the middle steps with these two pieces.

To depict movement from one stage to the next, most flowcharts employ lines and arrows. Using these basic visual elements in the design to express flow is a best practice.

Consider the microcopy within the flow chart as well as the labels. Each component should be simple to comprehend and written in clear, succinct language.

10 Flow Chart Design Tips — Many of the design techniques you use on other projects can also be used to create flow charts. Here are some design considerations and ideas to make your flow chart as simple as possible.

• Decide on a color and typographic scheme. If you’re creating a flow chart for a company that already has a style guide, attempt to stick to it.
• Create and employ design components that are consistent. Shapes, lines, arrows, spacing, and text styles are all part of this. To make a good flow chart, you don’t need a huge library of items. It’s fine to use simple design elements.
• From left to right and top to bottom, information should flow. Follow common F patterns and read in a logical manner.
• Make sure the beginning and endpoints are clearly marked. Visual starts and stops give useful information at a glance and assist users in breaking down and comprehending complicated aspects.
• Throughout the flow chart, use color to code steps and create clarity. In a monochrome color scheme, you can utilize more colors in your palette than usual, or enhance depth with tints.
• Make use of standard shapes. A fantastic guide to common flow chart shapes and what they mean can be found on Lucidchart (preview above). This may delve deeper into process-oriented design than you need, but it’s a nice place to start.
• In the flowchart, don’t use more than one typeface. Avoid using unusual or difficult-to-read typefaces. Keep the text as straightforward as possible.
• Create explicit connections between the chart’s elements. Curving or winding lines, as well as directionals, can be perplexing. Every element should have a direct line to the next element in the chart.
• Wherever possible, use labels and supporting text. Keep these components as close together as feasible (ideally, 6–10 words).
• Create a look that is fitting. Flowcharts do not have to be uninteresting. Make sure the design is appropriate for the information. Create a design that people want to interact with by including supporting images.

Conclusion

Now that you are thinking about flow chart design, it’s time to get started. All of the design templates featured here are available for download from Envato Elements. You can also use some of the digital tools noted above for online flow