Darker cells mean a higher score for this topic on that metric.
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Quick answers
When should I pick Flowchart?
When the story is: decisions, loops and hand-offs in a procedure.
When should I avoid Flowchart?
Skip it in cases like: the structure is a hierarchy or a free brainstorm.
Who invented or popularised it?
Frank Gilbreth process charts, 1921; ANSI/ISO flowchart symbols later
What does it encode?
topology of labelled boxes and directed edges
Is it OK in ads?
Yes if one claim is visible at a glance in Meta, Google and retail print; otherwise link to a full figure.
Will a teacher accept it?
Yes for lab reports and poster boards if axes, units and a source line are present.
Flowchart encodes values as topology of labelled boxes and directed edges. Frank Gilbreth process charts, 1921; ANSI/ISO flowchart symbols later.
In reports, ads and assignments it fits decisions, loops and hand-offs in a procedure. Skip it when the structure is a hierarchy or a free brainstorm.
Mistakes
- Failure modes 1 — the structure is a hierarchy or a free brainstorm
- Failure modes 2 — 3-D pies and perspective bars
- Failure modes 3 — Dual axes that fake a correlation
- Failure modes 4 — Truncated axes that shout a small delta
- Failure modes 5 — Legend only, no direct labels
- Failure modes 6 — Missing source, unit or period
Fixes
- Fixes 1 — Return to decisions, loops and hand-offs in a procedure.
- Fixes 2 — Flat, one axis, direct labels.
- Fixes 3 — Color-blind-safe palette plus pattern.
- Fixes 4 — Rewrite the title as a claim and add a source line.
Flowchart: honour topology of labelled boxes and directed edges, and switch when the structure is a hierarchy or a free brainstorm.