The first flow charts were made in order to show the flow or process of systems used by mechanical engineers in the 1920′s. Soon after, flow charts and flow chart symbols began to be used by industrial engineers. This was because some industrial engineers had been made aware of this process being used by mechanical engineers. The industrial engineers saw how effective the flow chart system was and knew that they could replicate the process in order to simplify the explanations of their own systems to others. After they entered into the flow chart arena, they quickly began to expand upon the symbols most commonly used in these charts.
After the 1930′s, when industrial engineers began to successfully begin to incorporate flow charts and flow chart symbols into their industry, other industries also began to adopt this idea. Those working in the fields of computer science and in various office environments also took on the use of these charts and further expanded the use of their symbols. All industries using flow charts found that it created a shortcut into getting people to visualize complex methods. They also found that these charts are excellent when used to train both new employees and existing employees in various systems of operation.
Various Flow Chart Styles
There are four major types of flow charts which use symbols for flow charts to convey information to groups of people. The first are system flow charts which show a physical entity or intellectual resource move from one level to the next to achieve a particular end goal. The set of flow charts are data flow charts which show how information is delivered through a system. The third is a program flow chart which shows a set order of instructions and how they are to be carried out. The last set is documentation flow charts which show how documents are to be moved from one place to another in a set system.
Symbols for Charts
The most commonly used types of flow chart symbols include start and end symbols. These symbols are generally represented by simple shapes such as circles and rectangles. The next common symbols in these charts are arrows. Arrows show what is known as a flow of control. This means that the arrow points directly to the next step which is to be taken after the proceeding one has been completed. Many other shapes can be used to convey various pieces of information contained within a flow chart. Some of these symbols can include rectangles, double-struck edges and ovals.
Software for Flow Charts
When flow charts were first developed and for many years thereafter, it was necessary for most people to hand draw flow chart symbols. Since, symbols for flow charts have become so common and technology has become so advanced, it is no longer necessary for these symbols to be hand drawn. These days, one can find several types of software which allow them to simply point and click to create their own flow chart. Some people even use drawing programs which they may already own to create their flow chart. The difference between the software for flow charts and simple drawing software is that the flow chart software can explain and recommend the proper symbols which are to be used on a particular chart.