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<title>Master Style Guide: Chapter 11</title>
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<h1>Chapter 11<br>
Working with flowcharts</h1>
<p>This chapter discusses the issues involved with flowcharts,
including:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="#CREA">Creating flowcharts</a></li>
<li><a href="#FORM">Formatting flowcharts</a></li>
<li><a href="#TECH">Using flowcharts in technical documents</a></li>
</ul>
<p>These are discussed in the following sections.</p>
<a name="CREA"></a>
<h2><hr> Creating flowcharts</h2>
<p>Flowcharts should be used to illustrate one or more of the
following:</p>
<ul>
<li><b>Data flow diagrams</b>--The flowchart describes how data flows
from one logical processing unit to another. These diagrams
represent, for example, how input is transformed to output.
They do not show control information. Data should not loop back
on itself.<br><br></li>
<li><b>Process flow diagrams</b>--The flowchart describes how a process
works, or how data is handled by a sequence of processes.
These diagrams represent, for example, how the data moves through
a particular system. They may show control information if
necessary.<br><br></li>
<li><b>Structure charts</b>--The flowchart describes how an organization
or how programs are structured. These diagrams represent organization
charts or the data flow through a computer program.<br><br></li>
</ul>
<p>Flowcharts can be created in any graphics-capable tool, including
publishing tools (such as Microsoft Word or FrameMaker) and graphics tools
(such as Visio).</p>
<a name="FORM"></a>
<h2><hr> Formatting flowcharts</h2>
<p>The formatting of flowcharts depends on whether they are part of
a document or the entire document as well as the complexity of the
flowchart.</p>
<a name="SYMB"></a>
<H3>Using symbols in flowcharts</H3>
<p>The following general symbols are used in flowcharts:</p>
<ul>
<li><b>Rounded rectangles</b>--Transformation center, where an input
is transformed into an output. There should be a mnemonic label that
describes the transformation associated with this symbol.<br><br></li>
<li><b>Rectangles</b>--Data stores, where data of some kind is
described. There should be a mnemonic label that describes the data
represented as stored by this symbol.<br><br></li>
<li><b>Circles</b>--User interaction. The interaction can be either
input from or output to the end user.<br><br></li>
<li><b>Arrows</b>--Direction of the flow. There should be a mnemonic
label that describes the data flowing across the path represented
by arrows. Arrows should only point in one direction and never be
bi-directional.<br><br></li>
</ul>
<p>Additional symbols may be used to represent devices (such as CD-ROMs,
disks, or tapes).</p>
<a name="STYL"></a>
<H3>Defining styles for flowcharts</H3>
<p>In general, the following style rules apply to flowcharts:</p>
<ul>
<li>Use a 2-point pen for all rounded rectangles, rectangles, circles,
and all other containers.<br><br></li>
<li>Every container should have a shadow beneath it. The shadow may be
a consistent gray or be color-coded at the discretion of the author.
The shadow should appear below and to the right of the container,
offset about 6 to 12 pixels from the container.<br><br></li>
<li>Use a 1-point pen for arrows.<br><br></li>
<li>Arrowheads should be filled solid, using a solid triangle as
the pointer. Arrowheads should never be hollow (using a hollow
triangle as the pointer) or just lines (using two lines as the
pointer).<br><br></li>
</ul>
<p>If the flowchart is contained within a technical document:</p>
<ul>
<li>The flowchart should be treated as a Figure.<br><br></li>
<li>The flowchart should have a caption (such as "Figure 123 Data
flow").<br><br></li>
<li>The flowchart should follow the general rules for illustrations
discussed in <a href="12.shtml">Chapter 12, "Working with
illustrations."</a><br><br></li>
<li>The flowchart may be left-aligned with the text above and below
it or may be centered within the figure.<br><br></li>
<li>The flowchart should fit in the same space as the body text.
The left margin should be 1 inch greater than the right margin.
</ul>
<p>If the entire document is a flowchart:</p>
<ul>
<li>The flowchart should not have a caption.<br><br></li>
<li>The flowchart should follow the general rules for illustrations
discussed in <a href="12.shtml">Chapter 12, "Working with
illustrations."</a><br><br></li>
<li>The flowchart may be left-aligned on the page or may be centered
on the page at the discretion of the author.<br><br></li>
<li>The flowchart should fit in the same space as the body text. The
left margin should be 1 inch greater than the right
margin.<br><br></li>
</ul>
<a name="TECH"></a>
<h2><hr> Using flowcharts in technical documents</h2>
<p>Flowcharts should only be used in technical documents when:</p>
<ul>
<li>The flowchart conveys data in a form that is easier to read than
any other form, such as tables or plain text.<br><br></li>
<li>The process being described has multiple branches, decision trees,
dependencies, or loops.<br><br></li>
</ul>
<p>Flowcharts generally define a process flow with a specific start,
a specific completion, and specific procedures from moving from one
container to another, be it by user input or a decision tree or a case
statement.</p>
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Copyright © 2001 Joshua S. Simon.<br>
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