Creating a Flowchart

• To create a flowchart, you must start with a multi-step procedure that includes a specific start point, then define all possible end points. Next, break down all the steps necessary to get from your start point to each of the individual end points, as well as all decision points along the way, leading to separate, diverging steps. These steps and decision points should then be assigned uniform symbols, and connected with lines in chronological order.
  
  

Shapes and Symbols

• There are specific symbols in a formal flowchart that can group and define separate actions within a process. These shapes are then connected to show the relationship between the steps, as well as their chronological sequence. Most flowcharts use four principal shapes. An oval designates both the start point and end points on a flowchart, while a rectangle or square can represent a single step. A diamond shows the point in a flowchart process where a decision must be made, with every potential outcome of that decision shown through diverging lines. If a flowchart is so big it takes up more than one page, a circle represents the connection between pages.
  
  

Flowcharts in Computing

• According to "A Dictionary of Computing," flowcharts have been used in the computer sciences for many years. The structure of these diagrams can represent an algorithm -- that is, a computerized procedure or rule employed to solve a mathematical question. Likewise, flowcharts can also provide a graphical representation of a computer program, with lines standing in for flow control, and the individual boxes showing different decisions or actions taken. However, flowcharts are used less and less today, as they cannot adequately demonstrate a program's data structuring, only its processes.
  
  

Flowcharts in Everyday Use

• In addition to their application in computer programs and algorithms, flowcharts are often used as a learning tool, or as an entertaining guide regarding a cultural or societal issue. For example, tax advisors can use the series of questions provided in a flowchart to determine how a client should fill out a tax return. On the other hand, Wired magazine occasionally includes a humorous feature titled "Ask a Flowchart" in which readers are instructed on such cultural decisions as whether or not an email should be forwarded to friends and family.