technicians problem solving flow chart

How to create a problem-solving flow chart

Problem-solving is one of those topics that we’ve often discussed on this site (check out our Problem Solving guide ). We think it’s one of  THE  vital skills of business. Why? Because you’ll come across problems every day, and you need to arm yourself with the right tools to solve them.

A problem-solving flowchart is one of those tools. It’ll help you take a problem statement, break the problem down into likely causes helping you get to the bottom of what’s gone wrong.

In this post, we’ll cover

• What is a Problem Solving Flow Chart
• How to create a Problem Solving flow chart
• Example 1 of Problem Solving flow chart
• Example 2 of Problem Solving Flow chart
• What flow chart shapes to use
• When should you use a flow chart
• 7 tips on creating your Problem Solving chart

Key Benefits & Likely issues with the tool

Let’s get started!

What is a Problem Solving Flowchart

A Problem Solving flow chart is a diagram that uses shapes, arrows, and text to show a moving sequence of actions and/or activities that help solve a problem.  

How to create a Problem Solving flowchart

• Describe your problem.
• Pose Yes/No Questions that can help identify the cause of the problem
• Question each stage of the process until it is fully examined
• Repeat steps 2 & 3 until you have identified a solution
• Try the solution; if it is successful in addressing the root cause, then you’ve fixed your problem. If not, repeat the process until you have a solution that works.

A problem-solving flowchart attempts to identify a root cause/solution to the trigger that is causing the problem allowing you to change the process and prevent the problem from occurring. 

Let’s now demonstrate the effectiveness of a problem solving flowchart by showing some examples.

Example 1 Problem solving flow chart

In our first example, we’re going to start with something simple to show you the principle of the tool.

We have been given a cup of tea and we don’t like it!  

Let’s use a problem-solving flow chart to find out what’s gone wrong.

We’ve used Excel to capture this flow chart using flowchart shapes (insert –> shapes), you can, of course, use other applications to do this, you don’t’ have to have specialized flow chart software to do this. ( there’s a great flowchart in Excel video here ). Or you can simply use a pen and paper.

Use a rectangle and add your problem statement.

Remember to keep your problem statement unambiguous and straightforward. Here we’ve used “I don’t like my cup of tea.”

Now that we’ve got our problem statement, we’re going to start asking questions.

We’re going to examine the variables that go into a cup of tea in an attempt to find out what’s gone wrong.

** TIP** – Work through your process – rather than start from scratch, if you have a documented process, work through that examining each step to ascertain if there are issues. If not, you might find it useful to research and sketch out the process before starting with your flowchart.

We have a process for the cup of tea, which is:

1/ Boil Water

2/ Place Breakfast Tea teabag in the cup

3/ Add Water

4/ Leave to sit for 2 mins

4/ Remove teabag

5/ Add milk

6/ Add sugar

So our problem solving flow chart needs to examine each of those steps to determine where the failure has occurred. 

We’ll add a question shape (diamond), connect out problem statement to it using an arrow to check if we boiled the kettle. Our Diagram will now look like:

As a question, we want two possible routes – Yes and No.

Our process asks us to boil the kettle if we did, and the answer is Yes, then we can go to the next process step.

If the answer is No, then we have a problem. Our tea will be cold. 

Here we can do one of two things. We can terminate the flow chart, or we can add an activity to rectify the problem (this might be to remake the drink or to perhaps heat the drink up in the microwave).

Our flow chart now looks like this:

Step 2 in our Tea making process was to add a Breakfast-tea tea bag.

So, once again, we’ll ask a question about that step.

“Did we add an English Breakfast teabag.”

As before, we’ll use a question shape, using Yes or No answers. If we performed the process step correctly, we’d move on. If we didn’t, we’ll either end the problem solving (we’ve found the root cause), or we’ll add a corrective action.

Now we’ll repeat this process until we’ve reviewed the whole process.

Our finished flowchart looks like this.

However, we’re not finished.

What happens if we follow the flow chart, and we find we didn’t use boiled water. We remake the tea using boiled water, and we still don’t like it?  

We need to ask some further questions.

We need to update our flow chart to validate that we solved the problem and what to do if we didn’t.

So for each step of the process, our problem solving flowchart now looks like this.

Here’s our completed flow chart.

As you can see, we’ve identified the problem, and we’ve described a corrective action.

But there’s a problem here. With this flowchart, you can still follow it, validating the process, and still end up with a cup of tea that’s unsatisfactory. 

Why is that?

Well, it’s perfectly possible that we started out with a process that’s incorrect. What happens if the process called for using an incorrect tea bag from the start?

So we’ll simplify things by adding a block at the end that if you’re still not happy at the end of reviewing the steps, a full review of the process will be undertaken. This is a simple answer to this problem, and I would expect that you would expand this section in more detail if you were creating a flowchart yourself.

So what does a more complex process look like, how about we look at a business problem?

Example 2 Problem Solving flow chart

OK, so example 1 may have been a bit simple, and you are maybe looking for something in a business context.

So in Example 2, let’s look at a scenario that’s a little more complex.

Let’s assume that your organization has received a non-conforming part. You have been assigned to work with the Vendor to:

• Find out what went wrong
• Prevent recurrence

We’re going to use a problem solving flow chart to help us do that.

As with the first example, we’re going to state the problem.

“The part is non conforming.”

Using the production process from the Vendor, we’ll work through the stages to see if we can spot what’s gone wrong.

The diagram below shows an analysis of the first two steps of the production process using a problem-solving flow chart.

The first thing you’ll notice is that on one process step, there may be many questions to ascertain the potential issue.  

Some of these may be complex and require careful thought.

There may be multiple variables (systems, processes, tools, inputs, etc.) that may require attention.

You will need to analyze each process step, in full, to be sure you have caught all the possible causes of the fault.

Which Flow chart shapes should you use.

A problem solving flow chart usually utilizes only a small number of shapes. We show these in the table below.

When should you use a Problem Solving flow chart

There are many many problem tools available.

A flow chart lends itself to be used when:

• You are looking for a tool that is simple to use
• You are looking to use a tool that does not require complex software
• You want to validate a  process.
• You want something that facilitates collaboration
• You want something that you can use to communicate with others

7 Tips on creating great problem solving flow charts

1/ Use standard shapes!

2/ Make it easy to follow!

3/ Keep things on one page

4/ Don’t overload your boxes with text

5/ Go into enough detail. Don’t try and simplify activities as it might hide problems from being seen.

6/ Collaborate. Where you can utilize a team to help document the problem and the activities do so. The more knowledge of the process, the better chance you’ll have of locating the issue.

7/ Use a consistent direction to flow your process, moving things around the page can confuse people who might look at it.

A flow chart can provide you with a great advantage when looking to solve problems. Some of the key benefits include

• A visual aide that’s easy to understand
• Simple to use, does not require hours and hours of training
• A tool that facilitates collaboration
• Effective for aiding communication
• Provides an effective method of analysing a process

However, as with everything, there are some issues to look out for

• Flowchart fails to capture all process steps and therefore root cause analysis is hit and miss
• Lack of knowledge of the process by the individual compiling the flowchart results in inaccurate problem solving
• Inconsistent flow of process makes maps confusing
• Complex processes may be better suited to other tools (fishbone etc)
• Inconsistent formatting and/or use of shapes result in flowchart that is difficult to utilise.

There are a great many tools out there for problem-solving, and flow charts can be used either as a stand-alone tool or conjunction with one of these other tools.

Flowcharts can make for a great problem-solving tool.  

They’re simple to use, effective, and facilitate collaboration.

We hope you’ve found our article useful, in particular the example walkthroughs.

If you’re looking to use the tool, we’d love some feedback from you and hearing how you’ve got on. Why not fire us a message on twitter or use the comments section below.

This article is part of our Problem Solving Guide.   

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Problem-solving flowchart: A visual method to find perfect solutions

Reading time: about 7 min

“People ask me questions Lost in confusion Well, I tell them there's no problem Only solutions” —John Lennon, “Watching the Wheels”

Despite John Lennon’s lyrics, nobody is free from problems, and that’s especially true in business. Chances are that you encounter some kind of problem at work nearly every day, and maybe you’ve had to “put out a fire” before lunchtime once or twice in your career.

But perhaps what Lennon’s saying is that, no matter what comes our way, we can find solutions. How do you approach problems? Do you have a process in place to ensure that you and your co-workers come to the right solution?

In this article, we will give you some tips on how to find solutions visually through a problem-solving flowchart and other methods.

What is visual problem-solving?

If you are a literal thinker, you may think that visual problem-solving is something that your ophthalmologist does when your vision is blurry. For the rest of us, visual problem-solving involves executing the following steps in a visual way:

• Define the problem.
• Brainstorm solutions.
• Pick a solution.
• Implement solutions.
• Review the results.

How to make your problem-solving process more visual

Words pack a lot of power and are very important to how we communicate on a daily basis. Using words alone, you can brainstorm, organize data, identify problems, and come up with possible solutions. The way you write your ideas may make sense to you, but it may not be as easy for other team members to follow.

When you use flowcharts, diagrams, mind maps, and other visuals, the information is easier to digest. Your eyes dart around the page quickly gathering information, more fully engaging your brain to find patterns and make sense of the data.

Identify the problem with mind maps

So you know there is a problem that needs to be solved. Do you know what that problem is? Is there only one problem? Is the problem sum total of a bunch of smaller problems?

You need to ask these kinds of questions to be sure that you are working on the root of the issue. You don’t want to spend too much time and energy solving the wrong problem.

To help you identify the problem, use a mind map. Mind maps can help you visually brainstorm and collect ideas without a strict organization or structure. A mind map more closely aligns with the way a lot of our brains work—participants can bounce from one thought to the next defining the relationships as they go.

Mind mapping to solve a problem includes, but is not limited to, these relatively easy steps:

• In the center of the page, add your main idea or concept (in this case, the problem).
• Branch out from the center with possible root causes of the issue. Connect each cause to the central idea.
• Branch out from each of the subtopics with examples or additional details about the possible cause. As you add more information, make sure you are keeping the most important ideas closer to the main idea in the center.
• Use Collaborative AI to generate or expand on your ideas, so your mind map is as complete as possible.

Alternatively, you could use mind maps to brainstorm solutions once you discover the root cause. Try our free mind map template  or add the mind map shape library to quickly start your own mind map.

Create a problem-solving flowchart

A mind map is generally a good tool for non-linear thinkers. However, if you are a linear thinker—a person who thinks in terms of step-by-step progression making a flowchart may work better for your problem-solving strategy. A flowchart is a graphical representation of a workflow or process with various shapes connected by arrows representing each step.

Whether you are trying to solve a simple or complex problem, the steps you take to solve that problem with a flowchart are easy and straightforward. Using boxes and other shapes to represent steps, you connect the shapes with arrows that will take you down different paths until you find the logical solution at the end.

Flowcharts or decision trees are best used to solve problems or answer questions that are likely to come up multiple times. For example, Yoder Lumber , a family-owned hardwood manufacturer, built decision trees in Lucidchart to demonstrate what employees should do in the case of an injury.

To start your problem-solving flowchart, follow these steps:

• Draw a starting shape to state your problem.
• Draw a decision shape where you can ask questions that will give you yes-or-no answers.
• Based on the yes-or-no answers, draw arrows connecting the possible paths you can take to work through the steps and individual processes.
• Continue following paths and asking questions until you reach a logical solution to the stated problem.
• Try the solution. If it works, you’re done. If it doesn’t work, review the flowchart to analyze what may have gone wrong and rework the flowchart until you find the solution that works.

If your problem involves a process or workflow , you can also use flowcharts to visualize the current state of your process to find the bottleneck or problem that’s costing your company time and money.

Lucidchart has a large library of flowchart templates to help you analyze, design, and document problem-solving processes or any other type of procedure you can think of.

Draw a cause-and-effect diagram

A cause-and-effect diagram is used to analyze the relationship between an event or problem and the reason it happened. There is not always just one underlying cause of a problem, so this visual method can help you think through different potential causes and pinpoint the actual cause of a stated problem.

Cause-and-effect diagrams, created by Kaoru Ishikawa, are also known as Ishikawa diagrams, fishbone diagrams , or herringbone diagrams (because they resemble a fishbone when completed). By organizing causes and effects into smaller categories, these diagrams can be used to examine why things went wrong or might go wrong.

To perform a cause-and-effect analysis, follow these steps.

1. Start with a problem statement.

The problem statement is usually placed in a box or another shape at the far right of your page. Draw a horizontal line, called a “spine” or “backbone,” along the center of the page pointing to your problem statement.

2. Add the categories that represent possible causes.

For example, the category “Materials” may contain causes such as “poor quality,” “too expensive,” and “low inventory.” Draw angled lines (or “bones”) that branch out from the spine to these categories.

3. Add causes to each category.

Draw as many branches as you need to brainstorm the causes that belong in each category.

Like all visuals and diagrams, a cause-and-effect diagram can be as simple or as complex as you need it to be to help you analyze operations and other factors to identify causes related to undesired effects.

Collaborate with Lucidchart

You may have superior problem-solving skills, but that does not mean that you have to solve problems alone. The visual strategies above can help you engage the rest of your team. The more involved the team is in the creation of your visual problem-solving narrative, the more willing they will be to take ownership of the process and the more invested they will be in its outcome.

In Lucidchart, you can simply share the documents with the team members you want to be involved in the problem-solving process. It doesn’t matter where these people are located because Lucidchart documents can be accessed at any time from anywhere in the world.

Whatever method you decide to use to solve problems, work with Lucidchart to create the documents you need. Sign up for a free account today and start diagramming in minutes.

About Lucidchart

Lucidchart, a cloud-based intelligent diagramming application, is a core component of Lucid Software's Visual Collaboration Suite. This intuitive, cloud-based solution empowers teams to collaborate in real-time to build flowcharts, mockups, UML diagrams, customer journey maps, and more. Lucidchart propels teams forward to build the future faster. Lucid is proud to serve top businesses around the world, including customers such as Google, GE, and NBC Universal, and 99% of the Fortune 500. Lucid partners with industry leaders, including Google, Atlassian, and Microsoft. Since its founding, Lucid has received numerous awards for its products, business, and workplace culture. For more information, visit lucidchart.com.

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How to Solve Technical Issues: A Simple Flowchart

Solving technical issues is generally simpler than most people think. In fact, by following the steps outlined in the upcoming flowchart, you will be able to solve nearly all of the issues that you encounter, whether they’re in your computer, in your phone, or in any of your other devices.

If you have a friend or a colleague whom you always thought of as a tech/computer expert, then know that this is most likely what they do each time you ask them for help. In fact, as long as you follow these steps, you can also become a local expert, even if you have no previous technical skills.

The chart itself is pretty self-explanatory, but there is a brief explanation afterward if you’re interested. Even if this looks complex at first, give it a shot; you’ll find that it’s surprisingly straightforward.

If you’d like to print this flowchart out, here’s the PDF version .

I also want to give credit to this great flowchart from xkcd for the original idea. The chart in the current article adds a few important steps, such as restarting your device.

Flowchart walkthrough

This section contains some brief explanations regarding the different steps in the chart. These explanations can help you better understand what to do and why to do it:

Find a relevant button/menu item and click it. In most cases, something relevant should be easy to find. Try to play around with the options and settings a bit if you’re not sure what to do. Often, you can find the solution easily yourself if you’re just willing to look for it and try things out.

If you’re trying to fix a problem, restart the device. Doing this solves a huge amount of technical issues. If you’re not sure how to restart your device, search online for instructions. Make sure that you’re restarting the device itself, and not just the screen, if the two are separate. Note that it’s generally preferable to turn the device off completely, wait 10 seconds, and then turn it back on; this is because it sometimes takes a while for all the components to power down, and for the capacitors to discharge .

Search online for a solution using a few relevant keywords. Odds are that someone has encountered this issue before. If they did, there will often be a digital record of the solution online. If you’re not sure which keywords to use, pretend that you’re asking a tech expert for help, and use the same keywords that you would use when explaining to the expert what you’re trying to do.

Consider whether this is worth the trouble. Often, trying to figure out how to use a certain feature can be much more work than trying to do the same thing using a different feature. Similarly, some issues are so minor that they’re not really worth the time and effort . The steps up to here require only a small amount of effort and have a high success rate, which is why this is a good cutoff point for deciding whether to continue searching for a solution.

Post the question on a relevant forum or contact tech support. This can help in cases where you can’t find the solution yourself. The benefit of asking for help in a relevant forum is that you can usually reach a high concentration of experts, who will sometimes be able to answer in a minute questions that you would have otherwise spent hours trying to find the answer to. Note that these forums tend to have strict posting rules, so make sure to dedicate two minutes to read them before posting.

Ask someone for help. If you decide to ask someone for help, make sure to tell them what you already tried. This can help them find a solution, and it shows that you put some effort into solving the issue before coming to them. Keep in mind that unless they themselves are experts on the topic, they will probably follow the same steps outlined here, though they might be able to find something that you missed. This is also often true for hired, professional help.

Avoid learned helplessness

A lot of people have a sort of learned helpless  when it comes to technological issues. This means that instead of trying to solve issues when they encounter them, they give up prematurely and simply assume that they won’t be able to find a solution. In reality, however, most issues are relatively easy to resolve, and once you recognize that technical experts and IT people generally follow the same steps you saw above, you will realize that you can often solve these issues yourself.

Summary and conclusions

• Even if you are not a tech expert, you can solve nearly all technical issues by using a simple, systematic approach.
• The two basic things that you should try first are to find a relevant button or a menu item and click it, and to search for a solution online using a few relevant keywords, that describe your issue or what you’re trying to do.
• If you’re trying to solve a technical problem, restarting the device or software can often help.
• You can also try posting in relevant technical forums, though you should make sure to read through the posting guidelines before doing this. If this fails, and contacting tech support directly doesn’t work or isn’t a viable option, then you should consider asking a friend who’s good with technology or hiring a professional.
• Always consider whether it’s worth it to keep searching for a solution; sometimes it’s easier to ignore the issue, or to try and solve it from a different angle (for example, by using a different feature).

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Troubleshooting Flowchart Template

Streamline complex processes, enhance team communication, and achieve efficient solutions with the troubleshooting flowchart template.

Trusted by 65M+ users and leading companies

About the Troubleshooting Flowchart Template

In technical fields, business operations, or daily problem-solving scenarios, troubleshooting is a crucial part of the process. A structured approach to identifying and resolving issues is vital to ensure efficiency and effectiveness. The troubleshooting flowchart template is an excellent tool that can help with this. It visually displays the steps involved in diagnosing and solving problems, making the troubleshooting process more streamlined and easier to understand.

A template is a pre-designed framework that helps guide you through the typical troubleshooting steps. It uses shapes, lines, and text to visually represent the process of identifying a problem, exploring potential causes, and finding solutions. This organized structure makes it easy to understand each step and its subsequent action, ensuring a comprehensive approach to problem-solving.

How to use the troubleshooting flowchart template

Select the template : Begin by selecting the troubleshooting flowchart template. This template provides a basic structure that can be customized per specific needs.

Customize with ease : Editing the template is simple and intuitive. With just a few clicks, change text, shape, and layouts to fit the unique troubleshooting process.

Expand with automated diagramming : Use automated diagramming features to add more shapes and connector lines. This feature allows for expanding the flowchart while maintaining neatness and organization.

Add context : Improve the flowchart by adding relevant documents, images, or links directly onto the Miro board. This integration provides more context and makes the troubleshooting guide more comprehensive.

Why should you use a troubleshooting flowchart template?

Clarity in process : The template visually breaks down the troubleshooting process, making it easier to understand and follow.

Efficient problem solving : It streamlines identifying and solving issues, saving time and resources.

Enhanced communication : The visual nature of the flowchart makes it an excellent tool for communicating the troubleshooting process to team members or stakeholders.

Customizable for various scenarios : The template is adaptable to fit a wide range of problems and industries.

Record-Keeping and Documentation : It is a valuable record for future reference, documenting the steps taken to fix issues.

Can the template be used for non-technical troubleshooting?

The template is flexible and can be adapted for various types of troubleshooting, including business processes, project management, and everyday problem-solving.

Is it necessary to have diagramming skills to use the template?

No, the template is designed to be user-friendly, and no special diagramming skills are required. Its intuitive design and automated features make it accessible to everyone.

Can the flowchart be exported for presentations or reports?

Yes, the flowchart created using the template can be exported in various formats, making it easy to include in presentations, reports, or other documents.

Get started with this template right now.

If then Flowchart Template

Works best for:.

The If-then Flowchart Template is a useful tool for decision-making. It visually maps out conditional steps and outcomes, allowing users to anticipate potential challenges and opportunities. This foresight is valuable for making informed decisions, especially for those with significant implications. Whether for business strategy, project management, or personal decision-making, the template helps navigate complex decision trees with confidence.

Data Flow Diagram Template

Flowcharts, Software Development, Diagrams

Any process can get pretty complex, especially when it has multiple components. Get a better grasp of your process through a data flow diagram (DFD). DFDs create a simple visual representation of all components in the flow of data and requirements in an entire system. They’re most often used by growth teams, data analysts, and product teams, and they’re created with one of three levels of complexity—0, 1, or 2. This template will help you easily build the best DFD for your process.

Production Flowchart Template

The Production Flowchart Template is a well-crafted tool that clearly represents a production process from start to finish. It breaks down complex procedures into easy-to-understand segments, making it easier for stakeholders to grasp the entire process. One of the key benefits of using this template is that it helps to clarify complex production pathways. By mapping out operations visually, teams can identify potential bottlenecks or inefficiencies, facilitating timely and well-informed decision-making.

Entity Relationship Diagram Template

Flowcharts, Strategic Planning, Diagrams

Sometimes the most important relationships in business are the internal ones—between the teams, entities, and actors within a system. An entity relationship diagram (ERD) is a structural diagram that will help you visualize and understand the many complex connections between different roles. When will an ERD come in handy? It’s a great tool to have for educating and onboarding new employees or members of a team, and our template makes it so easy to customize according to your unique needs.

Website Flowchart Template

Flowcharts, Mapping, User Experience

A website flowchart, also known as a sitemap, maps out the structure and complexity of any current or future website. The flowchart can also help your team identify knowledge gaps for future content. When you’re building a website, you want to ensure that each piece of content gives users accurate research results based on keywords associated with your web content. Product, UX, and content teams can use flowcharts or sitemaps to understand everything contained in a website, and plan to add or restructure content to improve a website’s user experience.

Production Workflow Template

Agile Workflows, Agile Methodology, Project Management

Whether you’re producing a podcast, a marketing campaign, a TV show, or a piece of content, establishing a production workflow is crucial. A production workflow creates a visual guide to the different steps in a process. It can be used to train new team members or give a high-level overview to stakeholders. Although production workflows vary by team and business, they generally contain information about who the stakeholders are, how you brainstorm ideas, what your timeline looks like, and what resources you need to succeed.

Contentful Studio is here! Discover what’s new

How to design technical flowcharts, explained by flowcharts

Andrew Conlon

Flowcharts are more exciting than you might think. Stay with me here.

At their best, flowcharts clarify complex processes — but they can also add confusion to intricacy. If you don’t get each arrow, text box and color right, you could send developers in circles or cause writers to delete an entire project. These five strategies will help you get your flowcharts right every time.

A flowchart is worth a thousand words

At Contentful, we use flowcharts a lot. A flowchart is a diagram that represents a workflow or process. They often provided step-by-step instructions to solve a specific task. We’re a digital-first company building a new technology with plenty of processes to explain, both within our own teams and with our customers. 

Flowcharts make these explanations easier, because they wrap everything up in a contained package and display it in a visual form. Following flowcharts ensures that no step is left out. And iterating on them helps us improve the very processes they represent. 

To be successful, flowcharts need to accomplish five things: Demonstrate user experience, visualize relationships, include every step without any extras, speak to their audience and employ tried and true design principles. 

Demonstrate user experience

Successful flowcharts indicate what the reader will do throughout the process and what they’ll need to consider. That means it’s important to pay attention to what tasks and questions are included in each step. 

For this example, the reader will gather some very important information about the process of petting a goldfish. The user experience of petting a goldfish involves the potential of getting wet, their level of satisfaction and possibly interacting with a dog named Goldfish.

Visualize relationships

Don’t leave your readers confused about what goes with what. Emphasize the relationships between sections of a flowchart. Plenty of strategies can help accomplish this goal. Color coding, arrows, typeface, and frame style are just a few possibilities. 

This example illustrates that the action items listed under “Yes” are related, and color coding differentiates between the “Yes” and “No” actions.

Include every step and eliminate any extras

Don’t leave anything out, and don’t add extras! The person using your flowchart will look to it for every answer, from beginning to end. Leaving out a step — as insignificant as it may seem — will cause problems. 

Simplify your icons and keep them to a minimum. Icons and symbols that communicate the intangible actions or process are endlessly helpful; however, too many pictorial components can disrupt the flow and confuse users.  

Remember your audience

You probably describe your projects differently depending on your conversation partners. You likely talk about details and jargon with an immediate team member — you already share a good deal of the same information so you can jump right into the nitty gritty. But, with someone unfamiliar with your project, you most likely use simple language and give context. 

Make sure you do the same when you’re designing and writing the copy for your flowchart. Think of the flowchart as conversation between it and its user; they need to speak the same language to communicate! 

Clarify with tried-and-true design principles

The appearance of flowcharts impact their clarity and ease of use. And while you might want to use the wingdings font from way back when — your users probably won’t appreciate as much as they should. Keep your typography and labels simple. Never use a symbol and a label if one or the other will suffice. 

Get your color palette to work for you. Remember that flowcharts concern themselves with a very particular, focused process or system. They deserve the same restraint and focus when assigning them a color palette. Stick with the basics of color psychology: red means bad, green means go, and confetti means it’s time to party! 

A flowchart that helps rather than hinders, explained

Sometimes technical flowcharts illustrate extremely complex systems. For example, this flowchart from our ebook Customizing Contentful: A Developer’s Guide explains how to implement blue-green deployment with Contentful. But I followed the five strategies illustrated in the simple flowcharts above, and managed to produce an accessible and impactful solution. 

Our ebook explains to developers (the audience) the implementation process (every step!), including directions (user experience), arrows (visualize relationships) and colored boxes (tried and true design principles).

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Blog Business What is a Problem-Solving Flowchart & How to Make One

What is a Problem-Solving Flowchart & How to Make One

Written by: Danesh Ramuthi Aug 10, 2023

Problem-Solving Flowcharts, contrary to what many believe aren’t just aesthetic wonders — they’re almost like magical blueprints for troubleshooting those pesky problems that many of us face.

Flowcharts take business challenges and turn them into a navigable pathway. In this post, I will guide you on key aspects of problem-solving flowcharts such as what it is, the advantages of problem-solving flowcharts, how to create one and more.

Besides, you’ll also discover how to create problem-solving flowcharts with the help of Venngage’s Flowchart Maker.

And for those of you thinking, “I’m no designer, how can I create one?” worry not! I’ve got you covered. Just hop on Venggage’s Flowchart Templates and you’ll be charting your way to problem-solving glory in no time.

Click to jump ahead:

What are problem-solving flowcharts?

When to use problem-solving flowcharts, what are the advantages of flowcharts in problem-solving, what are the 7 steps of problem-solving flowcharts.

• 5 different types of problem-solving flowcharts

Best practices for designing effective problem-solving flowcharts

How to make a flowchart using venngage , problem-solving flowcharts faqs.

• Final Thoughts

Problem-Solving Flowcharts is a graphical representation used to break down problem or process into smaller, manageable parts, identify the root causes and outline a step-by-step solution. 

It helps in visually organizing information and showing the relationships between various parts of the problem.

This type of flowcharts consists of different symbols and arrows, each representing different components or steps in the problem-solving process. 

By following the flow of the chart, individuals or teams can methodically approach problem, analyze different aspects of it and come to a well-informed solution.

Problem-Solving Flowcharts is a versatile tool that can be used in various scenarios. Here’s when to consider utilizing one:

• Complex Problems: When faced with a multifaceted issue that involves multiple steps or variables, flowcharts can help break down the complexity into digestible parts.
• Team Collaboration: If you’re working with a team and need a common understanding of problem and its potential solutions then a flowchart provides a visual that everyone can refer to.
• Analyzing Processes: In a situation where you need to understand a particular process, whether it’s within a project or a part of regular operations then mapping it out in a flowchart can offer clarity.
• Decision Making: When various paths or decisions might be taken, a flowchart can outline the potential outcomes of each aiding in making an informed choice.
• Training and Onboarding: Flowcharts can be used in training materials to help new employees understand complex processes or procedures which makes the learning curve smoother.
• Identifying Root Causes: If you’re looking to identify the underlying causes of problem then a flowchart can facilitate a systematic approach to reaching the root of the issue.

Related: How to Use Fishbone Diagrams to Solve Complex Problems

Problem-solving flowcharts can offer several benefits to the users who are looking to solve a particular problem. Few advantages of flowcharts in problem solving are: 

Visual Clarity

When you’re dealing with multifaceted problems or processes, words alone can make the situation seem even more tangled. Flowcharts distill these complexities into easily understandable visual elements. 

By mapping out each phase or component of problem, flowcharts offer a bird’s eye view enabling individuals to grasp the bigger picture and the finer details simultaneously.

Sequential Representation

Flowcharts excel in laying out the sequence of events or actions. By indicating a clear starting point and illustrating each subsequent step, they guide users through a process or solution path methodically. 

This linear representation ensures that no step is overlooked and each is executed in the right order.  

Collaboration

Problem-solving often requires team effort and flowcharts are instrumental in fostering collaborative environments. 

When a team is discussing potential solutions or trying to understand problem’s intricacies, a flowchart serves as a collective reference point. 

It aids in synchronizing everyone’s understanding, minimizing miscommunications and promoting constructive discussions. 

Read more about: Flowcharts Symbols and Meaning

1. Define the Problem  

Before anything else, it’s essential to articulate the problem or task you want to solve clearly and accurately. By understanding exactly what needs to be addressed you can ensure that subsequent steps align with the core issue.

2. Identify the Inputs and Outputs  

Determine what inputs (such as data, information or resources) will be required to solve the problem and what the desired outputs or outcomes are. Identifying these factors will guide you in structuring the steps needed to reach the end goal and ensure that all necessary resources are at hand.

3. Identify the Main Steps  

Break down the problem-solving process into its main steps or subtasks. This involves pinpointing the essential actions or stages necessary to reach the solution. Create a roadmap that helps in understanding how to approach the problem methodically.

4. Use Decision Symbols  

In problem-solving, decisions often lead to different paths or outcomes. Using standard symbols to represent these decision points in the flowcharts allows for a clear understanding of these critical junctures. It helps visually present various scenarios and their consequences.

5. Add Descriptions and Details  

A well-designed flowcharts is concise but clear in its labeling. Using arrows and short, descriptive phrases to explain what happens at each step or decision point ensures that the flowcharts communicates the process without unnecessary complexity. 

6. Revise and Refine  

Creating a flowcharts is not always a one-and-done process. It may require revisions to improve its clarity, accuracy or comprehensiveness. Necessary refinement ensures that the flowcharts precisely reflects the problem-solving process and is free from errors or ambiguities.

7. Use Flowchart Tool  

While it’s possible to draw a flowcharts manually, using a flowcharts tool like Venngage’s Flowchart Maker and Venngage’s Flowchart Templates can make the process more efficient and flexible. These tools come with pre-designed templates and intuitive interfaces that make it easy to create, modify and share flowcharts. 

5 different types of problem-solving flowcharts 

Let’s have a look at 5 most common types of flowcharts that individuals and organizations often use. 

1. Process Flowchart s

A process flowcharts is a visual representation of the sequence of steps and decisions involved in executing a particular process or procedure. 

It serves as a blueprint that showcases how different stages or functions are interconnected in a systematic flow and it highlights the direction of the process from its beginning to its end.

Process flowcharts are instrumental in training and onboarding, sales process , process optimization, documentation, recruitment and in any scenario where clear communication of a process is crucial.

2. Flowcharts Infographic 

A flowcharts infographic is a great way to showcase the process or a series of steps using a combination of graphics, icons, symbols and concise text. It aims to communicate complex information in a clear and easy-to-understand manner, making it a popular tool for conveying information, data and instructions in a visually engaging way.

For example, you can use this flowchart to illustrate a health insurance process that visually explains the steps involved from finding a provider to paying for your healthcare provider. 

3. Circular Flowcharts

A circular flowcharts is used to illustrate the flow of information, goods, services or money within a closed system or process. It gets its name from its circular shape, which emphasizes the continuous and cyclical nature of the flow. 

Circular flowcharts are widely used in various fields such as economics, business, engineering and process management to help visualize and understand complex systems.

In a circular flowcharts , elements are represented using various shapes and connected with arrows to indicate the direction of flow. The circular arrangement indicates that the process is ongoing and repeats itself over time.

4. Swimlane flowcharts

Swimlane flowcharts , also known as cross-functional flowcharts are a specific type of flowchart that organizes the process flow into lanes or “swimlanes.” 

Each lane represents a different participant or functional area involved in the process and the flowchart shows how activities or information move between these participants. 

Swimlane flowcharts are particularly useful for illustrating complex processes that involve multiple stakeholders or departments.

In a swimlane flowcharts, the process is divided horizontally into lanes and each lane is labeled with the name of the department, person or role responsible for that part of the process. Vertically, the flowchart displays the sequence of steps or actions taken in the process.

5. Decision Flowchart s

Decision flowcharts, also known as decision trees or flow diagrams are graphical representations that illustrate the process of making decisions or solving problems. 

They are widely used in various fields such as computer science, business mapping , engineering and problem-solving scenarios. 

Decision flowcharts help break down complex decision-making processes into simple, sequential steps, making it easier to understand and follow.

A decision tree is a specialized flowchart used to visually represent the process of decision-making. 

Businesses and other individuals can employ a decision tree analysis as a tool to aid in evaluating different options and the possible consequences associated with each choice.

Decision trees Infographics can be used to create a more nuanced type of flowchart that is more informative and visually appealing by combining a decision flowchart and the flowchart infographic. 

Decision flowcharts are valuable tools for visualizing decision-making processes, analyzing complex problems and communicating them effectively to others.

Designing effective problem-solving flowcharts involves careful consideration of various factors to ensure clarity, accuracy and usability. Here are some best practices to create efficient and useful problem-solving flowcharts:

• Understand the problem first & clearly define it
• Keep it simple
• Use standard & recognizable symbols
• Ensure that the flowchart follows a logical and sequential order
• Clearly label each decision point, action and outcome
• Verify the flowchart’s accuracy by testing it
• Clearly state the decision criteria that lead to different branches
• Provide context when the flowchart is part of a larger process or system
• Review and revise the flowchart

Creating problem-solving flowchart on Venngage is incredibly simple. All you have to do is:

• Start by Signing Up and Creating an Account with Venngage
• Choose a flowchart template that best suits your needs from our library.
• Start editing your flowchart by choosing the desired shapes, labels and colors.
• You can also enhance your flowchart by incorporating icons, illustrations or backgrounds all of which are readily available in our library.
• Once done, you will have 2 options to choose from, either sharing it online for free or downloading your flowchart to your desktop by subscribing to the Premium or Business Plan. 

Is flowchart the representation of problem solutions?

Flowcharts are not the representation of problem solutions per se; rather, they are a visual representation of processes, decision-making steps and actions taken to arrive at a solution to problem.

What are the 3 basic structures of flowcharts?

3 Basic Structures of Flowcharts are:

• Sequence: Simplify Complexity
• Selection (Decision): Embrace Choices
• Repetition (Loop): Emphasize Iteration

What are the elements of a good flowchart?

A good flowchart should exhibit clarity and simplicity, using consistent symbols and labels to depict a logical sequence of steps. It should be readable, with appropriate white space to avoid clutter while eliminating ambiguity through well-defined decision criteria and paths.

Can flowcharts be used for both simple and complex problem-solving?

Yes, flowcharts can be used for both simple and complex problem-solving scenarios. Flowcharts are versatile visual tools that can effectively represent various processes, decision-making steps and problem-solving approaches regardless of their complexity.

In both cases, flowcharts offer a systematic and visual means of organizing information, identifying potential problems and facilitating collaboration among team members.

Can problem-solving flowcharts be used in any industry or domain?

Problem-solving flowcharts can be used in virtually any industry or domain. The versatility and effectiveness of flowcharts make them applicable to a wide range of fields such as Business and Management, Software Development and IT, Healthcare, Education, Finance, Marketing & Sales and a lot more other industries. 

Final thoughts

Problem-solving flowcharts are a valuable and versatile tool that empowers individuals and teams to tackle complex problems with clarity and efficiency.

By visually representing the step-by-step process of identifying, analyzing and resolving issues, flowcharts serve as navigational guides simplifying intricate challenges into digestible parts.

With the aid of modern tools like Venngage’s Flowchart Maker and Venngage’s Flowchart Templates , designing impactful flowcharts becomes accessible to all while revolutionizing the way problems are approached and solved.

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Flow Charts

Identify and communicate your optimal process.

How often have you thought about streamlining a process in your organization but not been sure where to start? Or perhaps you've struggled to understand a process when it's described to you in detail.

Flow charts are a useful tool in these situations, as they make a process easy to understand at a glance. Using just a few words and some simple symbols, they show clearly what happens at each stage and how this affects other decisions and actions.

In this article and video, we look at how to create and use flow charts, and explore how they can help you to solve problems in your processes.

Click here   to view a transcript of this video.

What Is a Flow Chart?

Flow charts are easy-to-understand diagrams that show how the steps of a process fit together. American engineer Frank Gilbreth is widely believed to be the first person to document a process flow, having introduced the concept of a "Process Chart" to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 1921.

Flow charts tend to consist of four main symbols, linked with arrows that show the direction of flow:

1. Elongated circles, which signify the start or end of a process.

2. Rectangles, which show instructions or actions.

3. Diamonds, which highlight where you must make a decision.

4. Parallelograms, which show input and output. This can include materials, services or people.

You can use many other symbols in a flow chart but remember that these diagrams are used for communication   . If you use symbols that only a few people understand, you may fail to get your message across. So, be sure to keep things simple   !

When to Use a Flow Chart

All manner of organizations use flow charts to:

• Define a process.
• Standardize   a process.
• Communicate a process.
• Identify bottlenecks or waste   in a process.
• Solve a problem   .
• Improve a process.

For example, software developers can use them to work out how the automated and manual parts of a process join up. Inexperienced team members might follow a flow chart to help them to complete activities in the right order. A manufacturer could ensure that it keeps to its values by applying a quality-control flow chart that presents questions and decision points. And an HR department might combine a flow chart with an organogram   to show people who to contact about issues and when.

Why Use Flow Charts?

This tool's simplicity makes communicating and documenting a process quick and clear, so that the process will more likely be understood and applied correctly and consistently. It can also help you to estimate the timescale of the process, as you're better able to gauge the time needed for each task   along the way. And you'll more likely identify who you should involve and at what stage, such as senior management or a compliance authority.

But you can also benefit from the process of creating a flow chart itself, as you build it step by step. You'll be able to focus on the detail of each individual stage, without feeling overwhelmed by the rest of the process, and then "zoom out" again to see the wider picture.

If your process or project involves several people or teams, you might find it more useful to use a Swim Lane Diagram   rather than a flow chart – this helps you to show process flows between people and teams.

How to Create a Flow Chart

Follow these four steps:

Step 1: Identify Tasks

Begin by listing all of the tasks in a process in chronological order. Ask questions such as, "What happens next in the process?" or, "Do you need to make a decision before the next step?" or, "What approvals are required before you move on to the next task?"

Put yourself in the shoes of the person using the process, possibly for the first time. Talk to team members who work with the process directly, and get their opinions on where improvements could be made. Better yet, take a hands-on approach and go through the procedure yourself, and think about the practicalities of each stage. Use Customer Experience Mapping   if your flow chart focuses on customer service, so that you can gain a better understanding of the process.

Step 2: Organize and Document Tasks

Next, start your flow chart by drawing the elongated circle shape and labeling it "Start."

Then, work through your whole process, and show the actions and decisions in the order that they happen. Link them with arrows to illustrate the flow of the process.

Where you need to make a decision, draw arrows from the decision diamond to each possible solution, and then label each arrow with the decision made. Remember to show the end of the process by using an elongated circle labeled "Finish."

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Step 3: Double-Check the Process

When you've completed your flow chart, go back to the start and try it out to make sure that you haven't overlooked anything. Work through each step, and ask yourself whether you've represented the sequence of actions and the decisions involved correctly. Are there more decisions to be made at certain stages?

Then show your flow chart to other people, especially those who work directly with the process. Ask them to test that it works and to tell you if there are any problems or omissions.

Step 4: Challenge the Flow Chart

Finally, you might want to improve the process rather than just record it. So, see whether any of the steps that you've described are unnecessary or overly complicated. Identify any major bottlenecks   , and deal with them to improve performance.

Are there any missing steps, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, that you should add? And have you assigned tasks and decisions to the right people or automated them where it's most appropriate? Make any changes and then challenge the chart again.

As you challenge your flow chart, you might also be challenging your team members' tried and tested ways of working. So, take time to win support for your ideas and don't expect to change people's habits   overnight.

You may find that SIPOC diagrams   will give you the detailed information that you need to introduce change in a controlled and effective way.

Flow Chart Software

You'll likely start with drawing flow charts by hand, but it's often more convenient to use a diagramming app to save, amend and share your charts.

Such apps vary from the simple and free, such as draw.io , creately and Pencil Project , to the more complex and paid-for, such as gliffy™ , Lucidchart , SmartDraw™ , and Visio® .

Flow charts can quickly become long and complicated, so that you can't represent them on a single piece of paper. This is where you can use "connectors" (shown as numbered circles) to link the flow when moving from one page to another. The user can follow the matching numbers to trace the flow of the process.

The image below shows part of a flow chart for how the receptionists in an example company should route incoming phone calls to the correct department:

Flow charts are simple diagrams that map out a process, so that you can easily communicate it to other people. You can also use them to define and analyze a process, build a step-by-step picture of it, and then standardize or improve it.

To draw a flow chart, identify the tasks and decisions that you make during a process, and write them down in order.

Then, arrange these steps in the flow chart format, using the appropriate symbols.

Finally, check and challenge your flow chart to make sure that it accurately represents the process, and that it shows the most efficient way of doing the job.

This site teaches you the skills you need for a happy and successful career; and this is just one of many tools and resources that you'll find here at Mind Tools. Subscribe to our free newsletter , or join the Mind Tools Club and really supercharge your career!

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Comments (34)

• Over a month ago BillT wrote Hi saima-21, This is a good example of a simple flow chart. Can you think of any dependent tasks that you could add? Such as, what to do if there is cross traffic at Amber; or what output if traffic ahead is stopped on Amber? Thank you for your comment. BillT Mind Tools Team
• Over a month ago saima-21 wrote Write in Flowchart form: Asks the user to input the traffic light colour. If the traffic light colour is green, outputs ‘Go.’ If the traffic light colour is amber, outputs ‘Get Ready.’ Otherwise outputs ‘Stop.’
• Over a month ago Yolande wrote Hi denoboy Maybe the question mark you saw was a symbol for a question, meaning that the student had to come up with a suitable question. There needs to be a question in the diamond that will take the process either in one direction or the other. I hope that helps? Yolandé Mind Tools Team

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A guide to problem-solving techniques, steps, and skills

You might associate problem-solving with the math exercises that a seven-year-old would do at school. But problem-solving isn’t just about math — it’s a crucial skill that helps everyone make better decisions in everyday life or work.

Problem-solving involves finding effective solutions to address complex challenges, in any context they may arise.

Unfortunately, structured and systematic problem-solving methods aren’t commonly taught. Instead, when solving a problem, PMs tend to rely heavily on intuition. While for simple issues this might work well, solving a complex problem with a straightforward solution is often ineffective and can even create more problems.

In this article, you’ll learn a framework for approaching problem-solving, alongside how you can improve your problem-solving skills.

The 7 steps to problem-solving

When it comes to problem-solving there are seven key steps that you should follow: define the problem, disaggregate, prioritize problem branches, create an analysis plan, conduct analysis, synthesis, and communication.

1. Define the problem

Problem-solving begins with a clear understanding of the issue at hand. Without a well-defined problem statement, confusion and misunderstandings can hinder progress. It’s crucial to ensure that the problem statement is outcome-focused, specific, measurable whenever possible, and time-bound.

Additionally, aligning the problem definition with relevant stakeholders and decision-makers is essential to ensure efforts are directed towards addressing the actual problem rather than side issues.

2. Disaggregate

Complex issues often require deeper analysis. Instead of tackling the entire problem at once, the next step is to break it down into smaller, more manageable components.

Various types of logic trees (also known as issue trees or decision trees) can be used to break down the problem. At each stage where new branches are created, it’s important for them to be “MECE” – mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive. This process of breaking down continues until manageable components are identified, allowing for individual examination.

The decomposition of the problem demands looking at the problem from various perspectives. That is why collaboration within a team often yields more valuable results, as diverse viewpoints lead to a richer pool of ideas and solutions.

3. Prioritize problem branches

The next step involves prioritization. Not all branches of the problem tree have the same impact, so it’s important to understand the significance of each and focus attention on the most impactful areas. Prioritizing helps streamline efforts and minimize the time required to solve the problem.

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4. Create an analysis plan

For prioritized components, you may need to conduct in-depth analysis. Before proceeding, a work plan is created for data gathering and analysis. If work is conducted within a team, having a plan provides guidance on what needs to be achieved, who is responsible for which tasks, and the timelines involved.

5. Conduct analysis

Data gathering and analysis are central to the problem-solving process. It’s a good practice to set time limits for this phase to prevent excessive time spent on perfecting details. You can employ heuristics and rule-of-thumb reasoning to improve efficiency and direct efforts towards the most impactful work.

6. Synthesis

After each individual branch component has been researched, the problem isn’t solved yet. The next step is synthesizing the data logically to address the initial question. The synthesis process and the logical relationship between the individual branch results depend on the logic tree used.

7. Communication

The last step is communicating the story and the solution of the problem to the stakeholders and decision-makers. Clear effective communication is necessary to build trust in the solution and facilitates understanding among all parties involved. It ensures that stakeholders grasp the intricacies of the problem and the proposed solution, leading to informed decision-making.

Exploring problem-solving in various contexts

While problem-solving has traditionally been associated with fields like engineering and science, today it has become a fundamental skill for individuals across all professions. In fact, problem-solving consistently ranks as one of the top skills required by employers.

Problem-solving techniques can be applied in diverse contexts:

• Individuals — What career path should I choose? Where should I live? These are examples of simple and common personal challenges that require effective problem-solving skills
• Organizations — Businesses also face many decisions that are not trivial to answer. Should we expand into new markets this year? How can we enhance the quality of our product development? Will our office accommodate the upcoming year’s growth in terms of capacity?
• Societal issues — The biggest world challenges are also complex problems that can be addressed with the same technique. How can we minimize the impact of climate change? How do we fight cancer?

Despite the variation in domains and contexts, the fundamental approach to solving these questions remains the same. It starts with gaining a clear understanding of the problem, followed by decomposition, conducting analysis of the decomposed branches, and synthesizing it into a result that answers the initial problem.

Real-world examples of problem-solving

Let’s now explore some examples where we can apply the problem solving framework.

Problem: In the production of electronic devices, you observe an increasing number of defects. How can you reduce the error rate and improve the quality?

Before delving into analysis, you can deprioritize branches that you already have information for or ones you deem less important. For instance, while transportation delays may occur, the resulting material degradation is likely negligible. For other branches, additional research and data gathering may be necessary.

Once results are obtained, synthesis is crucial to address the core question: How can you decrease the defect rate?

While all factors listed may play a role, their significance varies. Your task is to prioritize effectively. Through data analysis, you may discover that altering the equipment would bring the most substantial positive outcome. However, executing a solution isn’t always straightforward. In prioritizing, you should consider both the potential impact and the level of effort needed for implementation.

By evaluating impact and effort, you can systematically prioritize areas for improvement, focusing on those with high impact and requiring minimal effort to address. This approach ensures efficient allocation of resources towards improvements that offer the greatest return on investment.

Problem : What should be my next job role?

When breaking down this problem, you need to consider various factors that are important for your future happiness in the role. This includes aspects like the company culture, our interest in the work itself, and the lifestyle that you can afford with the role.

However, not all factors carry the same weight for us. To make sense of the results, we can assign a weight factor to each branch. For instance, passion for the job role may have a weight factor of 1, while interest in the industry may have a weight factor of 0.5, because that is less important for you.

By applying these weights to a specific role and summing the values, you can have an estimate of how suitable that role is for you. Moreover, you can compare two roles and make an informed decision based on these weighted indicators.

Key problem-solving skills

This framework provides the foundation and guidance needed to effectively solve problems. However, successfully applying this framework requires the following:

• Creativity — During the decomposition phase, it’s essential to approach the problem from various perspectives and think outside the box to generate innovative ideas for breaking down the problem tree
• Decision-making — Throughout the process, decisions must be made, even when full confidence is lacking. Employing rules of thumb to simplify analysis or selecting one tree cut over another requires decisiveness and comfort with choices made
• Analytical skills — Analytical and research skills are necessary for the phase following decomposition, involving data gathering and analysis on selected tree branches
• Teamwork — Collaboration and teamwork are crucial when working within a team setting. Solving problems effectively often requires collective effort and shared responsibility
• Communication — Clear and structured communication is essential to convey the problem solution to stakeholders and decision-makers and build trust

How to enhance your problem-solving skills

Problem-solving requires practice and a certain mindset. The more you practice, the easier it becomes. Here are some strategies to enhance your skills:

• Practice structured thinking in your daily life — Break down problems or questions into manageable parts. You don’t need to go through the entire problem-solving process and conduct detailed analysis. When conveying a message, simplify the conversation by breaking the message into smaller, more understandable segments
• Regularly challenging yourself with games and puzzles — Solving puzzles, riddles, or strategy games can boost your problem-solving skills and cognitive agility.
• Engage with individuals from diverse backgrounds and viewpoints — Conversing with people who offer different perspectives provides fresh insights and alternative solutions to problems. This boosts creativity and helps in approaching challenges from new angles

Final thoughts

Problem-solving extends far beyond mathematics or scientific fields; it’s a critical skill for making informed decisions in every area of life and work. The seven-step framework presented here provides a systematic approach to problem-solving, relevant across various domains.

Now, consider this: What’s one question currently on your mind? Grab a piece of paper and try to apply the problem-solving framework. You might uncover fresh insights you hadn’t considered before.

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March 25, 2022

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6 types of maintenance troubleshooting techniques

• By: Marc Cousineau
• Reviewed by: Eric Wallace, C.E.T.
• Asset management , Blog

Back to blog

A complete guide to maintenance troubleshooting techniques, plus tips for improving your troubleshooting skills to elevate your whole operation.

Table of contents

What is maintenance troubleshooting?

Maintenance troubleshooting tips, using cmms software for maintenance troubleshooting, the bottom line.

Maintenance troubleshooting can be both an art and a science. A common problem is that, while art can be beautiful, it isn’t known for its efficiency. When taken to the next level, maintenance troubleshooting can ditch the trial-and-error moniker and become a purely scientific endeavor. This helps maintenance technicians find the right problems and solutions more quickly. When troubleshooting is done correctly, your whole maintenance operation can overcome backlog, lost production, and compliance issues much more efficiently.

In this troubleshooting guide, we’ll take a look at what it actually is, why it matters to maintenance professionals, and how your team can fine-tune its approach.

Systems break down—that’s just a fact of life. Whether it’s a conveyer belt or an industrial drill, we’ve all run across a piece of equipment that is unresponsive, faulty, or acting abnormally for seemingly no reason at all. It can be downright frustrating.

Maintenance troubleshooting is the process of identifying what is wrong with these faulty components and systems when the problem is not immediately obvious. Maintenance troubleshooting usually follows a systematic, four-step approach; identify the problem, plan a response, test the solution, and resolve the problem. Steps one to three are often repeated multiple times before a resolution is reached.

Identify the problem

Plan a response, test the solution, repeat until problem is resolved.

Think about it this way: When a conveyor belt breaks down, you may try a few different methods to fix it. First, you identify which part of the conveyor belt isn’t working. Once you’ve identified the problem area, you plan a response and test it, such as realigning or lubricating a part. If this fails to fix the problem, you might replace the part, which makes the conveyor belt work again. This is troubleshooting.

How is maintenance troubleshooting usually done?

Stop us if you’ve heard this story before. An asset breaks down and no one knows why. You talk to the operator, read some manuals, and check your notes about the asset. You try a couple of things to get the machine up and working again with no luck. Before you can try a third or fourth possible solution, you get called away to another emergency, with the asset still out of commission.

This is often how the process happens when performing maintenance troubleshooting, especially when a facility relies on paper records or Excel spreadsheets. The process is based on collecting as much information as possible from as many sources as possible to identify the most likely cause of the unexpected breakdown. You can never go wrong when you gather information, but it’s the way that information is gathered that can turn troubleshooting from a necessity to a nightmare.

Why does maintenance troubleshooting matter?

Unexpected equipment failure is the entire reason maintenance troubleshooting exists. If assets never broke down without any clear signs of imminent failure, there would be no need to troubleshoot the problem. But we know that’s just not the case.

Machinery failure doesn’t always follow a predictable pattern. Yes, maintenance teams can use preventive maintenance and condition-based maintenance to reduce the likelihood of unplanned downtime. However, you can never eliminate it entirely. What you can do is put processes in place to reduce failure as much as possible and fix it as soon as possible when it does occur. This is where strong maintenance troubleshooting techniques come in handy.

The Business Leader’s Guide to Digital Transformation in Maintenance

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Because troubleshooting will always be part of the maintenance equation, humans will also always have a role. Maintenance technology does not erase the need for a human touch in troubleshooting; it simply makes the process much more efficient. When troubleshooting isn’t refined, it could lead to time wasted tracking down information, a substantial loss of production, an unsafe working environment, and more frequent failures. In short, knowing some maintenance troubleshooting techniques could be the difference between an overwhelming backlog and a stable maintenance program.

The following are just a few ways your operation can improve its troubleshooting techniques to conquer chaos and take control of its maintenance.

1. Quantify asset performance and understand how to use the results

It probably goes without saying, but the more deeply you know an asset, the better equipped you’ll be to diagnose a problem. Years of working with a certain asset can help you recognize when it’s not working quite right. But exceptional troubleshooting isn’t just about knowing the normal sounds, speeds, or odours of a particular machine. Instead, it’s about knowing how to analyze asset performance at a deeper level, which is where advanced reporting factors in.

Get best practices for tracking and using asset data

When operators and technicians rely solely on their own past experience with a piece of equipment, it leaves them with huge gaps in knowledge that hurt the maintenance troubleshooting process. For example, it leaves too much room for recency bias to affect decision-making, which means that technicians are most likely to try the last thing that fixed a particular problem without considering other options or delving further into the root cause. Also, if maintenance troubleshooting relies on the proprietary knowledge of a few technicians, it means repairs will have to wait until those particular maintenance personnel are available.

Maintenance staff should have the know-how to conduct an in-depth analysis of an asset’s performance. For example, technicians should understand how to run reports and understand KPIs for critical equipment, such as mean time between failure and overall equipment effectiveness . If using condition-based maintenance, the maintenance team should also know the P-F curve for each asset and what different sensor readings mean. When technicians are equipped with a deeper understanding of an asset, it will be easier for them to pinpoint where a problem occurred and how to fix it, both in the short and long-term.

2. Create in-depth asset histories

Information is the fuel that powers exceptional maintenance troubleshooting for maintenance. Knowing how a particular asset has worked and failed for hundreds of others is a good place to start a repair. That’s why manuals are a useful tool when implementing troubleshooting maintenance techniques. However, each asset, facility, and operation is different, which means asset machine failure doesn’t always follow the script. Detailed notes on an asset’s history can open up a dead end and lead you to a solution much more quickly.

A detailed asset history can give you an edge in maintenance troubleshooting in a variety of ways. It offers a simple method for cross-referencing symptoms of the current issue with elements of past problems. For example, a technician can see if a certain type of material was being handled by a machine or if there were any early warning signs identified for a previous failure. The more a present situation aligns with a past scenario, the more likely it is to need the same fix. Solutions can be prioritized this way, leading to fewer misses, less downtime, fewer unnecessary spare parts being used, and more.

When troubleshooting is done correctly, your whole maintenance operation can overcome backlog, lost production, and compliance issues much more efficiently.

When creating detailed asset histories to help with maintenance troubleshooting (as well as preventive maintenance), it’s important to include as much information as possible. Make sure to record the time and dates of any notable actions taken on an asset or piece of equipment. This can include breakdowns, PMs, inspections, part replacement, production schedules, and abnormal behavior, such as smoke or unusual sounds. Next, document the steps taken during maintenance, including PMs or repairs. Lastly, highlight the successful solution and what was needed to accomplish it, such as necessary parts, labor and safety equipment. Make sure to add any relevant metrics and reports to the asset history as well.

One way to capture all this information in one place is to create a well-built equipment maintenance log , like this one:

Download your own equipment maintenance log template here

3. Use root cause analysis and failure codes

Effective maintenance troubleshooting starts with eliminating ambiguity and short-term solutions. Finding the root of an issue quickly, solving it effectively and ensuring it stays solved is a winning formula. Root cause analysis and failure codes are a couple of tools that will help you achieve this goal.

Root cause analysis is a maintenance troubleshooting technique that allows you to pinpoint the reason behind a failure. The method consists of asking “why” until you get to the heart of the problem. For example:

• Why did the equipment fail?: Because a bearing wore out
• Why did the bearing wear out?: Because a coupling was misaligned
• Why was the coupling misaligned?: Because it was not serviced recently.
• Why was the coupling not serviced?: Because maintenance was not scheduled.
• Why was maintenance not scheduled?: Because we weren’t sure how often it should be scheduled.

Nail your next root cause analysis with this RCA template

This process has two benefits when conducting maintenance troubleshooting for maintenance. First, it allows you to identify the immediate cause of failure and fix it quickly. Second, it leads you to the core of the issue and a long-term solution. In the example above, it’s clear a better preventive maintenance program is required to improve asset management and reduce unplanned downtime.

Failure codes provide a consistent method to describe why an asset failed. Failure codes are built on three actions: Listing all possible problems, all possible causes, and all possible solutions. This process records key aspects of a failure according to predefined categories, like misalignment or corrosion.

Failure codes are useful when maintenance troubleshooting because technicians can immediately see common failure codes, determine the best solution, and implement it quickly. Failure codes can also be used to uncover a common problem among a group of assets and determine a long-term solution.

Create awesome failure codes with this free FMEA template

4. Build detailed task lists

Exceptional maintenance troubleshooting requires solid planning and foresight. Clear processes provide a blueprint for technicians so they can quickly identify problems and implement more effective solutions. Creating detailed task lists is one way to bolster your planning and avoid headaches down the road. This could also be incorporated into routine maintenance.

A task list outlines a series of tasks that need to be completed to finish a larger job. They ensure crucial steps aren’t missed when performing inspections, audits or PMs. For example, the larger job may be conducting a routine inspection of your facility’s defibrillators. This job is broken down into a list of smaller tasks, such as “Verify battery installation,” and “Inspect exterior components for cracks.”

Maintenance technology does not erase the need for a human touch in troubleshooting; it simply makes the process much more efficient.

Detailed task lists are extremely important when conducting maintenance troubleshooting. They act as a guide when testing possible solutions so technicians can either fix the issue or disqualify a diagnosis as quickly as possible. The more explicit the task list, the more thorough the job and the less likely a technician is to make a mistake. Comprehensive task lists can also offer valuable data when failure occurs. They provide insight into the type of work recently done on an asset so you can determine whether any corrective actions were missed and if this was the source of the problem.

There are a few best practices for building detailed task lists. First, include all individual actions that make up a task. For example, instead of instructing someone to “Inspect the cooling fan,” include the steps that comprise that inspection, such as “Check for any visible cracks,” and “Inspect for loose parts.” Organize all steps in the order they should be done. Lastly, include any additional information that may be helpful in completing the tasks, including necessary supplies, resources (ie. manuals), and PPE.

Build world-class PM checklists with this free template

5. Make additional information accessible

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again; great maintenance troubleshooting techniques are often the result of great information. However, if that information is difficult to access, you will lose any advantage it provides. That is why it is crucial for your operation to not only create a large resource center, but to also make it highly accessible. This will elevate your maintenance troubleshooting abilities and get your assets back online faster when unplanned downtime occurs.

Let’s start with the elements of a great information hub . We’ve talked about the importance of reports, asset histories, failure codes and task lists when performing a troubleshooting method. Some other key resources include diagrams, standard operating procedures (SOPs), training videos, and manuals. These should all be included and organized by asset. If a technician hits a dead-end in a troubleshooting procedure, these tools can offer a solution that may have been missed in the initial analysis.

Now that you’ve gathered all your documents together, it’s time to make them easily accessible to the whole maintenance team. If resources are trapped in a file cabinet, on a spreadsheet, or in a single person’s mind, they don’t do a lot of good for the technician. They can be lost, misplaced and hard to find—not to mention the inefficiency involved with needing to walk from an asset to the office just to grab a manual. One way to get around this obstacle is to create a digital knowledge hub with maintenance software. By making all your resources available through a mobile device, technicians can access any tool they need to troubleshoot a problem. Instead of sifting through paper files to find an asset history or diagram, they can access that same information anywhere, anytime.

Everything you need to know about maintenance metrics

If it sounds like a lot of work to gather, organize, analyze and circulate all the information needed to be successful at maintenance troubleshooting, you’re not wrong. Without the proper tools, this process can be a heavy lift for overwhelmed maintenance teams. Maintenance software is one tool that can help ease the load every step of the way. A digital platform, such as a CMMS, takes care of crunching the numbers, organizing data and making it available wherever and whenever, so you can focus on using that information to make great decisions and troubleshoot more effectively.

For example, when building a detailed asset history, it’s important to document every encounter with a piece of equipment. This is a lot of work for a technician rushing from one job to another and difficult to keep track of after the fact. An investment in maintenance software will help you navigate these roadblocks. It does this by allowing technicians to use a predetermined set of questions to make and retrieve notes in real-time with a few clicks.

The same goes for failure codes. The key to using them effectively is proper organization and accessibility. Without those two key ingredients, failure codes become more of a hindrance than a help. One way to accomplish this is to use maintenance software. A digital platform can organize failure codes better than any filing cabinet or Excel spreadsheet and make it easy for technicians to quickly sort them and identify the relevant ones from the site of the breakdown.

Troubleshooting will always exist in maintenance. You will never be 100 percent sure 100 percent of the time when diagnosing the cause of failure. What you can do is take steps to utilize maintenance troubleshooting techniques to ensure equipment is repaired quickly and effectively. By combining a good understanding of maintenance metrics with detailed asset histories, failure codes, task lists, and other asset resources, and making all this information accessible, you can move your troubleshooting beyond trial and error to a more systematic approach.

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🤖 AI Troubleshooting Flowchart Generator

Shrug off the confusion of tech troubles! Unveil the wizardry of simple solutions with our Troubleshooting Flowchart Generator.

Have you ever found yourself stuck in a loop of technical problems, not knowing where to start or how to proceed? Allow us to relieve your stress with the magical tool of troubleshooting flowcharts! In this tech-driven world, knowing how to follow this structured and systematic approach can be a game-changer.

Truly a saviour in the world of problem-solving, troubleshooting flowcharts simplify the process of diagnosis, making it more efficient and less time-consuming. With their logical “if this, then that” dependency structure, they guide you step by step, ensuring you never miss an angle while identifying issues. Stick with us and unleash the potential of troubleshooting flowcharts in resolving complex problems with simple solutions. It’s time to put the mystifying circuitry and daunting lines of codes into comprehensible diagrams, making troubleshooting an enjoyable journey rather than a fearsome task!

What is a Troubleshooting Flowchart?

A troubleshooting flowchart is a step-by-step visual guide designed to help diagnose and resolve potential problems commonly encountered in a system, whether it be an application, a network, or a device. More than just a map of interconnected boxes and arrows, a troubleshooting flowchart encompasses the logical sequence of steps that technical specialists, such as IT and maintenance personnel, should follow to efficiently locate and correct issues. It not only facilitates an orderly progression to problem-solving and captures the collective wisdom of the organization, but it also reduces the possibilities for error by providing consistent guidelines on how to navigate through complicated procedures.

Conceptually, a troubleshooting flowchart is not dissimilar to an algorithm – methodical, well-organised, and predictable. It provides an effective tool to simplify and break down the resolution process into manageable tasks. Unlike a traditional list of instructions, flowcharts account for the possibility of variance in situations by providing alternative routes based on conditions or responses at each step along the way. At the heart of it, by making the troubleshooting process visual and interactive, these flowcharts empower professionals to make informed decisions swiftly and accurately, enhancing process efficiency while minimizing costly downtimes.

Why Use a Troubleshooting Flowchart Generator?

A troubleshooting flowchart generator is a valuable tool that has revolutionized problem-solving scenarios across various industries. Used primarily in diagnosing and solving technical issues, its convenient and efficient approach has earned it a rightful place in today’s competitive digital landscape. While there are numerous reasons why users should invest in this tool, the core benefits it provides are truly unparalleled, making it a must-have in your problem-solving arsenal.

• Simplification of complex processes : One of the most significant benefits of using a troubleshooting flowchart generator is its ability to break down complex troubleshooting procedures into understandable steps. It offers a clear and concise outline of the entire process, making daunting technical procedures more manageable.
• Improved efficiency : Flowcharts systematically guide users through a process, reducing redundant steps and leading to quicker solutions. With a troubleshooting flowchart generator, businesses can improve their efficiency levels significantly.
• Enhanced communication : In a team setting, troubleshooting can become complicated, especially with more complex scenarios. A troubleshooting flowchart lays out the problem and the steps to its solution, promoting transparency and understanding amongst team members.
• Error reduction : Using a troubleshooting flowchart generator can help reduce mistakes and oversights. By ensuring that every step in a process is included and followed correctly, it significantly reduces the chance for errors and miscommunication.
• Cost and time-effective : Because of the systematic approach a troubleshooting flowchart generator uses, it can greatly save time and cost. The reduction of redundant steps and errors leads to faster problem resolution, ultimately enhancing overall productivity.

Equipping yourself with a tool like a troubleshooting flowchart generator is a smart move in the digital world. It bridges the gap between complex technical information and layman understanding, making problem-solving less of a burden and more of an achievable task. By reducing errors, saving time and promoting effective communication, troubleshooting becomes less daunting. It’s essentially transforming the way we solve problems, paving the way for a more streamlined, efficient process.

Utilizing a troubleshooting flowchart generator not only simplifies technical procedures but also maximizes efficiency and productivity levels, making it an invaluable tool in any industry. By changing the way we approach and tackle problems, it’s clear that the benefits of a troubleshooting flowchart generator are immeasurable and ultimately lead to a more effective, progressive business.

How To Use This AI Generator:

• Click “Use Generator” to create a project instantly in your workspace.
• Click “Save Generator” to create a reusable template for you and your team.
• Customize your project , make it your own, and get work done!

Pseudocode and Flowcharts

Software development is complex and usually involves many parties working together. Therefore, planning out a project before beginning to program is essential for success.

In this article, we will take a real-world problem and attempt to design an algorithm step by step to best solve it using pseudocode and flowcharts.

Password validator

The problem.

Passwords are everywhere, and we create them all the time to access a great array of services. However, it can sometimes be helpful to guide users to make stronger passwords. This can be done by imposing some restrictions on what passwords are considered valid.

If we want to set a couple of restrictions, such as that the password must be at least 8 characters and contain a number, then the following passwords would be valid:

• supers3cure
• meandmy2dogs

But these would not:

We have all seen plenty of passwords like these, so let’s come up with a simple algorithm to validate passwords like this!

The solution

First, let’s take this problem and brainstorm some steps to validate passwords that are at least 8 characters long and also contain a number:

Input the password that we plan to validate.

To keep track of the password length, establish a pass_length variable and set it to 0 .

To keep track of whether the password contains a number, establish a contains_number variable and initially set it to False .

Has the entire password been searched?

If not, continue to step 5.

If so, skip to step 8.

Iterate, or move to, to the next character in password .

Increase the value of pass_length by 1 .

Is the current character a number?

If not, go straight back to step 4 and continue to iterate over the entire password .

If so, set the contains_number variable to True and then go back to step 4.

Is the pass_length greater than 8 and is contain_number equal to True ?

If not, then the password is invalid.

If so, then the password is valid!

Doodling a flowchart

Now that we have a framework for the task that needs to be completed, we can get to formalizing the solution. As a picture is worth a thousand words, a nice doodle can be a helpful way to communicate a complex idea — and in software development, the professional form of doodling is the flowchart !

Common flowchart symbols

Flowcharts have some standard symbols that allow them to be read and understood by a wider group of people. These are some of the most commonly-used symbols:

The terminal is an oval that indicates the beginning and end of a program. It usually contains the words Start or End .

The flowline is a line from one symbol pointing towards another to show the process’s order of operation. This displays the flow of execution in a program.

Input/Output

Input/output is represented by a rhomboid and indicates the input or output of data. This is similar to setting a value to a variable.

A process, represented by a rectangle, is an operation that manipulates data. Think of this as changing the value of a number-based variable using an operator such as + .

Decisions are represented by a rhombus and show a conditional operation that will determine which path a program should take. This is similar to conditional statements which control the flow of execution in a program.

Converting steps into symbols

Ok! Now that we have all of the steps for the algorithm figured out, let’s pair them with the relevant flowchart symbol:

INPUT/OUTPUT : Input the password that we plan to validate.

PROCESS : To keep track of the password length, establish a pass_length variable and initially set it to 0 .

PROCESS : To keep track of whether the password contains a number, establish a contains_number variable and initially set it to False .

DECISION : Has the entire password been searched?

FLOWLINE : If not, continue to step 5.

FLOWLINE : If so, skip to step 8.

PROCESS : Iterate to the next character in password .

PROCESS : Increment pass_length .

DECISION : Is the current character a number?

FLOWLINE : If not, go straight back to step 4 and continue to iterate over the entire password .

PROCESS/FLOWLINE : If so, set the contains_number variable to True and then go back to step 4.

DECISION : Is the pass_length greater than 8 and is contain_number equal to True ?

TERMINAL : If not, then the password is invalid.

TERMINAL : If so, then the password is valid!

Drawing the flowchart

Whew. Now that every step is associated with a symbol, we can connect them all together to put the flow into the chart!

Luckily, most steps just happen one after another, so the final product is relatively straightforward. However, do note how the iteration of the password requires the flowlines to physically loop in the flowchart:

Progressing with pseudocode

Now that we have the entire algorithm thought out and in visual form, we can take steps to turn it into code. Some people may be able to jump right into a development environment and start hacking away, but let’s take it slow and create some pseudocode first.

• Pseudocode is a description of an algorithm using everyday wording, but molded to appear similar to a simplified programming language.

To create pseudocode from what we have so far we can use the flowchart’s flowlines to guide the structure of our code as we simplify the steps we outlined earlier:

The final code

Now the closing moments! With pseudocode in hand, the algorithm can be programmed in any language. Here it is in Python :

Even if this code seems foreign, the power of flowcharts and pseudocode shines through. It allows people, regardless of technical expertise, to communicate algorithms and other technical solutions. These ideas can then be implemented in whatever technologies work best, and the notes can be kept around in case the algorithm needs to be reimplemented in different technologies in the future.

Wrapping up

Awesome job on making it to the end of this article! While this was mainly a practical article, here is what we learned:

• In code-based flowcharts, common ANSI shapes are ovals for terminals, arrows for flowlines, rhomboids for inputs and outputs, rhombuses for decisions, and rectangles for processes.

Learn More on Codecademy

Introduction to it, code foundations.

Technician Flow Chart

The Technician Flow Chart is a must-have tool. This concise and professional chart provides an easy-to-read overview of the essential steps in problem-solving. With its clear structure and user-friendly design, the Technician Flow Chart is an indispensable resource for efficient and successful technical problem-solving.

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Flowchart for troubleshooting a computer problem

This flowchart outlines a structured approach for troubleshooting a computer problem. The process begins with identifying the problem, which involves understanding the symptoms and determining the root cause of the issue.

Once the problem has been identified, the next step is to check the software settings. This involves reviewing the settings and configurations of the software that is involved in the problem, such as the operating system, applications, or drivers. This step may involve adjusting the settings to resolve the issue.

If the issue persists, the next step is to reinstall the software. This involves removing the software that is causing the problem and then reinstalling it. This step is often effective for resolving issues related to software corruption, conflicts, or errors.

If the issue still persists after reinstalling the software, the final step is to seek professional help. This may involve contacting  technical support , a  computer repair technician , or an IT specialist . This step is particularly useful for complex or persistent issues that require specialized knowledge or expertise.

Overall, this flowchart provides a clear and structured approach to troubleshooting computer problems, emphasizing the importance of identifying the problem , checking software settings , reinstalling software , and seeking professional help as needed. By following this process, computer users can effectively resolve issues with their computers, improving their productivity and avoiding potential downtime or data loss. This flowchart also highlights the importance of understanding the root cause of the issue and taking a systematic approach to resolving the problem, which helps to minimize the risk of further issues or complications.

Use of Flowchart for troubleshooting a computer problem

Firstly, the flowchart helps to ensure that computer users follow a consistent and standardized approach to troubleshooting . This is particularly useful for organizations with multiple IT support teams or technicians, as it helps to ensure that all team members are following the same approach and using the same best practices.

Secondly, the flowchart can help to improve the efficiency of the troubleshooting process. By breaking down the troubleshooting process into smaller, more manageable steps , the flowchart can help computer users to identify and resolve issues more quickly and effectively.

Thirdly, the flowchart can help to reduce the risk of  user error  or misunderstanding . By providing a  visual representation  of the troubleshooting process, the flowchart helps to ensure that computer users understand the steps involved and the order in which they should be taken.

Fourthly, the flowchart can help to improve the quality of the troubleshooting process. By providing a structured and systematic approach, the flowchart helps to ensure that computer users identify and address the root cause of the issue, rather than simply addressing the symptoms.

Overall, using a flowchart for troubleshooting a computer problem can help computer users to optimize their troubleshooting processes , improve the efficiency and quality of their troubleshooting efforts, and ultimately resolve the problem more successfully. By following a structured and standardized approach to troubleshooting, computer users can minimize the risk of further issues or complications and ensure the ongoing productivity and functionality of their computer systems.

Are you looking for any templates for creating flowchart? Right away, go to Visual Paradigm Online to browse the available templates.

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An introduction to Flowcharts

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What is a Flowchart?   Flowchart is a graphical representation of an algorithm. Programmers often use it as a program-planning tool to solve a problem. It makes use of symbols which are connected among them to indicate the flow of information and processing.  The process of drawing a flowchart for an algorithm is known as “flowcharting”. 

Basic Symbols used in Flowchart Designs

• Terminal: The oval symbol indicates Start, Stop and Halt in a program’s logic flow. A pause/halt is generally used in a program logic under some error conditions. Terminal is the first and last symbols in the flowchart.   

• Input/Output: A parallelogram denotes any function of input/output type. Program instructions that take input from input devices and display output on output devices are indicated with parallelogram in a flowchart.   

• Processing: A box represents arithmetic instructions. All arithmetic processes such as adding, subtracting, multiplication and division are indicated by action or process symbol.   

• Decision Diamond symbol represents a decision point. Decision based operations such as yes/no question or true/false are indicated by diamond in flowchart.   

• Connectors: Whenever flowchart becomes complex or it spreads over more than one page, it is useful to use connectors to avoid any confusions. It is represented by a circle.   

• Flow lines: Flow lines indicate the exact sequence in which instructions are executed. Arrows represent the direction of flow of control and relationship among different symbols of flowchart. 

Rules For Creating Flowchart :

A flowchart is a graphical representation of an algorithm.it should follow some rules while creating a flowchart Rule 1: Flowchart opening statement must be ‘start’ keyword. Rule 2:  Flowchart ending statement must be ‘end’ keyword. Rule 3: All symbols in the flowchart must be connected with an arrow line. Rule 4: The decision symbol in the flowchart is associated with the arrow line.  

Advantages of Flowchart:

• Flowcharts are a better way of communicating the logic of the system.
• Flowcharts act as a guide for blueprint during program designed.
• Flowcharts help in debugging process.
• With the help of flowcharts programs can be easily analyzed.
• It provides better documentation.
• Flowcharts serve as a good proper documentation.
• Easy to trace errors in the software.
• Easy to understand.
• The flowchart can be reused for inconvenience in the future.
• It helps to provide correct logic.  

Disadvantages of Flowchart:

• It is difficult to draw flowcharts for large and complex programs.
• There is no standard to determine the amount of detail.
• Difficult to reproduce the flowcharts.
• It is very difficult to modify the Flowchart.
• Making a flowchart is costly.
• Some developer thinks that it is waste of time.
• It makes software processes low.
• If changes are done in software, then the flowchart must be redrawn  

Example : Draw a flowchart to input two numbers from the user and display the largest of two numbers    

References:   Computer Fundamentals by Pradeep K. Sinha and Priti Sinha  

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20 funny flowcharts to help you navigate life’s toughest decisions

Georgina Guthrie

February 10, 2022

Flowcharts are a great way to distill big questions or complex processes into neat yes/no answers. They’re commonly used in organizations to help visualize decision processes , but that doesn’t mean they should be confined to the office. Flowcharts can actually help you navigate a multitude of big life choices. Or, in the case of funny flowcharts, they’re just as useful for working through comically trivial decisions.

For example, should you eat that slice of pizza you dropped on the floor? There’s a flowchart for that. Should you add an emoji to that email? Consult the flowchart! Should you leave the party early? At Nulab, we love funny flowcharts, so take a look at some of our top picks for the most entertaining diagrams .

1. Is this a flow chart?

First of all, here’s an essential flowchart for anyone who’s still a little fuzzy about the concept. This one’s jazzed up the original ‘yes/no’ questions with slightly different phrases, but they’re still affirmative/negative responses leading you towards your big reveal.

cheezburger.com

2. Is this a flowchart, simplified

It’s the same idea, but if you remove all the unnecessary steps, you could end up with a flowchart as simple as this one.

Humor that works

3. Do you need a flowchart?

Next, you need to decide whether a flowchart is right for you. Of course, there’s a flowchart to help you navigate that question as well.

augustlovesmay.com

4. Hey Jude?

Here’s an example of a looping flowchart designed to help you remember the lyrics to The Beatles’ most confusing song, Hey Jude . The loop comes at the bottom in the form of the ‘na’ lyric, which, if you know the song, goes on for hours. For those unfamiliar with the tune, you can listen to it right here on YouTube. All together now!

Laughingsquid.com , via loveallthis.tumblr.com

5. Is this flowchart a trap?

Flowcharts aren’t without their problems : all those arrows and loops could be your downfall if you’re not vigilant. Here’s a specially designed diagram to illustrate these potential pitfalls.

6. Are you hungry?

Deciding what it is you want to eat is no easy task. Do you choose the carrot sticks or chow down on the carrot cake? Luckily, there are funny flowcharts designed to help you navigate this complex decision-making process.

Now, you know what to do with those leftover birthday treats sitting in the office kitchen.

dailyvowelmovements.com

7. Should you get takeaway?

Reaching a decision at the end of a long day can be difficult, which is why a dinner-based flowchart is all the more useful. Should you roll up your sleeves and start cooking dinner or splurge on takeaway? Check the flowchart!

Ben Armson, Buzzfeed

8. Should you stay?

After-work drinks. Networking. Team socials . Like accidentally hitting ‘reply all’ and tripping over in public, attending a career-based group activity is just one of those things that professionals have to do at least once in their working lives. Some people enjoy it. Others are indifferent. And then there are those who would quite literally rather have both their eyebrows waxed off.

It’s not that they don’t like their colleagues; it’s just that they find large groups of people exhausting. Not only are the small talk and mingling tiring, but the event itself is fraught with complex decisions. For example, when and why should you leave?

Here’s a helpful flowchart for socially anxious individuals who find themselves in this predicament.

9. Do I say ‘hi?’

Getting someone’s name wrong is awkward for everyone involved. So, rather than put you both through the trauma of it, let’s take a step back and consider whether you should be saying ‘hi’ in the first place. Here’s a handy flowchart full of probing questions designed to help you make that initial decision.

knocknockstuff.com

10. Do you eat it?

Ever heard of the five-second rule? It’s essentially a very accurate scientific formula that determines whether the food you’ve dropped on the floor is safe to eat. If it was there for five seconds or less, then it’s good to eat. Six seconds or more? Bin it.

But, like many scientific processes, the five-second rule isn’t without its limitations. For example, was the event witnessed by anyone who is likely to be disgusted by the sight of you eating floor food? Was the item sticky and therefore likely to have fluff attached to it? Did the cat lick it? The funny flowchart below takes all these important complexities into consideration.

seriouseats.com

11. Are you sure you can eat it?

Flowcharts can be as simple or as detailed as you like. The example below expands upon the five-second rule by adding more layers of questioning to the process. It takes a little longer to create (and answer), but the outcome will be more thorough.

www.dissociatedpress.com

12. Should I use emoji?

One of life’s great questions: to emoji, or not to emoji? Use one and risk appearing unprofessional. Don’t use one and risk sounding grumpy, sarcastic, or stuffy. It’s a minefield! Luckily, there’s a way to help you decode emoji etiquette.

wendymacnaughton.tumblr.com

13. How do engineers fix a problem?

We don’t all have the passion or mathematic skills to go to engineering school. But that doesn’t mean life isn’t going to throw you some engineering problems. Here’s how to start fixing things like a professional.

engineering.com

14. Are you a horse?

Funny flowcharts can also help you get to know yourself a bit better. Consider this example, which is designed to help you work out whether you’re a horse or not. Go on, give it a go. You never know!

i.imgur.com / Via blameitonthevoices.com

15. Do you have too many pets?

Now that you’ve figured out you’re not a horse… is it possible you have too many cats at home? Here’s a quick and easy way to find out. Of course, answers are subjective.

16. Which fruit are you?

Every once in a while, it’s therapeutic to engage in an extremely low-stakes analytical process. So, the next time you need to flex your mental muscles, why not figure out what type of fruit you are? Who knows? You might discover you’re really a papaya and not the blueberry you always imagined.

17. How to play games with kids

As any parent knows, it’s not how you play the game; it’s how you let your kid win. If you’re normally so competitive that you’d even brag about being struck by lightning the most times, being a parent exposes you to a lot of hard truths.

The most important one: young children always get to win. Always. If you have any doubts about this unspoken rule, this funny flowchart should clear things up for you.

How to Be a Dad

18. Should you call me?

For those of us who love our alone time, it’s crucial to set some ground rules for our well-meaning friends. Getting an unexpected call when you were busy enjoying a solo celebration of 90s music is the worst. And to recover, you’ll have to spend hours recharging your energy with an 80s music playlist.

If you’d rather avoid the stress, turn to this flowchart to let others know exactly when they’re allowed to call you.

Introvert Doodles

19. Should I cook more?

Some flowcharts aren’t about making a decision ; they’re about the inevitable failure of trying to force yourself out of your comfort zone. But don’t fret! Even if you never convince yourself to cook more or climb Mount Everest, at least you can learn how to master the art of creating funny flowcharts .

20. Did you wake up on time?

There’s one dilemma everyone has faced: does it make sense to get out of bed if you’re already late for work? Whether you stayed up late tending to children or binge-watching Game of Thrones (for the tenth time), the correct answer is always the same. Just take a personal day!

Adam Ellis, Buzzfeed

Final thoughts

Flowcharts are a great way to simplify the decision-making process , whether you have serious business goals or just fancy making funny flowcharts for you and your team. Using a specially designed diagramming tool can streamline the creative process, while a mixture of different colors and shapes keeps things looking vibrant and fun.

This post was originally published on December 11, 2018, and updated most recently on February 10, 2022.

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5 Funny Flowcharts Everybody Needs to See!

Updated on: 9 December 2021

It’s universally acknowledged – our lives are the decisions we make in answer to a bunch of yes/no questions. From the moment we wake up to the moment we climb back on to our comfortable beds.

‘Do I get up and go to work today?’ If ‘yes’, then you get up and go to work.  If ‘no’ then you throw that annoying alarm out the window, turn around and go back to sleep!

‘Do I eat that last piece of cheesecake?’ If ‘yes’, then you eat it. If ‘no’ then you regret it!

It’s all based on yes/no decisions. This habit all humans instinctively practice daily can be creatively captured through flowcharts , which basically show the sequence of actions in a certain process. In a decision-making process, flowcharts help to break down a problem into smaller steps, rendering it easier to make the final and the proper decision.

The questions we ask ourselves and the decisions we make are not always – well – conventional? But we ask them and make them anyway!

Following funny flowcharts depict such decisions we often find ourselves making and questions we like to ask ourselves (only in our heads, of course!), with the most appropriate answers! Do enjoy!

Should I watch GOT (Game of Thrones)?!

Do you belong to that 10% (or is it 1% now?) of the population that have never watched GOT? It’s indeed a dire situation! This funny flowchart will help you decide what you should do about this.

How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse?

Once in awhile it doesn’t hurt to let your imagination run a little wild (especially after watching a Walking Dead episode!). If you are one of those people who wonder ‘Will I ever survive a zombie apocalypse’, this flowchart will give you a basic idea as to how to!

Should You Help Your Wife with Household Chores?

Does your wife sometimes look at you while you are enjoying the delicious meal she has prepared for you and shake her head as if she is thinking, ‘oh the nerve of this guy!’. Well, then you really need to take a look at this flowchart!

Are You a Smarty Pants?

We all like to think that we are not, but what do you know , we can come off as one! In any case, check this funny flowchart to find out!

Should You Go to Work Today?

Every morning we (well, most of us) wake up and contemplate whether what we really want is more sleep or a successful future! This funny flowchart breaks down the entire ordeal we go through in the early hours of morning until the second alarm goes off eerily on the bedside cupboard!

Get creative and use Flowchart Symbols in a different way to create more funny Flowcharts with Creately . Assuming we all make the right decisions at the end of the day, do share these funny flowcharts with your friends!

Join over thousands of organizations that use Creately to brainstorm, plan, analyze, and execute their projects successfully.

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