Nick integrating charts

INTEGRATING CHARTS

by Nick Pettyjohn

Purpose of Charts

To portray relationships among the components of a unified whole.

ie. Production process, chain of command, schedule, expenses, etc.

Types of Charts

1. Flow Charts: Break down a process

2. Organizational Charts: Portray a hierarchical structure

3. Gantt Charts: Depict a schedule of activities

4. Circle Charts: Depict relationships among parts of a whole

1. Flow Charts

Advantages of Flow Charts

Clearly communicates how a process works

Provides a clear documentation of a process

Helps clarify your own understanding

Assists in identifying improvements

Composition of Flow Charts

1. Elongated circles, signify the start/end

2. Rectangles, show instructions or actions

3. Diamonds, indicate decisions

Most flow charts are made of three symbols:

Composition of Flow Charts Continued

Symbols are labelled

Symbols are connected by arrows

Making a Flow Chart: Brainstorm

1. Identify tasks and decisions

2. List them in order1. Alarm goes off

2. Hit snooze button (repeat)

3. Shower

4. Get dressed

5. Have breakfast

6. Go to school

Making a Flow Chart: Create Chart

1. "Start" symbol

2. Add items in list with appropriate symbols

3. Connect with arrows

4. "End" symbol

Making a Flow Chart: Review

Review your flow chart for: Accuracy

Efficiency

Legibility

Flow Chart Tip: Connectors

Use connector symbols to extend your flow chart onto another page

Additional flow chart symbols

2. Organizational Charts

Advantages of Organizational Charts

Guides development of your organization

Identifies the layout of responsibilities

Indicates authority and relationships

Composition of Organizational Charts

Like flow charts: labelled boxes linked by lines or arrows

Each box contains: title of the position name

Organized most powerful to least powerful; top to bottom

Making an Org. Chart: Define Positions

1. Make a list of the positions

2. Identify which position each position reports to.1. President

2. VP Marketing - President

3. VP Productions - President

4. VP Sales - President

5. .

6. .

7. .

Making an Org. Chart: Create Chart

1. Draw each level of the heirarchy and connect them appropriately.

3. Gantt Charts

Advantages of Gantt Charts

Helps plan projects

Provides a schedule

Assists in organizing resource allocation

Sets motivational due dates and milestones

Composition of Gantt Charts

Include:

Bar lines

List of milestones

Horizontal time axis

Composition of Gantt Charts cont.

Gantt Chart Horizontal Line Graph

Similar to horizontal line graphs

Making a Gantt Chart: Identify Tasks

1. List tasks/milestones

2. Order them from first to last

3. Note their duration1. Survey and Data Review - 1

week

2. Interview BC Hydro - 1 week

3. Data Extraction Research - 3 weeks

4. Data Display Research - 3 weeks

5. Final Report Writing - 1 week

Making a Gantt Chart: Create Chart

Table Graph

A Complex Gantt Chart

4. Circle Charts a.k.a. “Pie Charts”

Advantages of Circle Charts

Facilitates risk analysis, needs assessment, and resource allocation.

Makes depicting relationships among parts within statistical wholes easy.

Represents the size relationship between the parts and the entire thing clearly

Composition of Circle Charts

Title

Circle

Key

Making a Circle Chart: Identify Portions

1. Make a list of the portions you want to include. Should only be 3-7 portions.

2. Identify the percentage of each portion. They should add up to 100%

Making a Circle Chart: Create Chart

1. Write a meaningful title at the top

2. Add your key to the right

3. Add your circle, dividing it up into the portions indicated by your key.

Disadvantages of Circle ChartsPrecision

Difficult to compare similar values

Disadvantages of Circle ChartsPrecision

Easy to compare those same values

Disadvantages of Circle ChartsReadability

Having too many portions makes it difficult to read.

Software Makes it Easy

Many programs support the easy creation of charts:

Microsoft Office Visio

Open Office Draw

SmartDraw

References

1. "Flow Charts."Mind Tools. http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_97.htm (February 8, 2012)

2. "Why the Organization Chart is Not Obsolete." SmartDraw blog. http://www.smartdraw.com/blog/archive/2008/05/12/why-the-organization-chart-is-not-obsolete.aspx (February 8, 2012)

3. "Gantt Charts." Mind Tools. http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newPPM_03.htm (February 8, 2012)

4. "Gantt Chart." ASQ. from http://asq.org/learn-about-quality/project-planning-tools/overview/gantt-chart.html (February 8, 2012)

5. Kosara, Robert. "Understanding Pie Charts." Eagereyes. http://eagereyes.org/techniques/pie-charts (February 8, 2012)

6. "When To Use Pie Charts." SQL Server Business Intelligence LTD. http://www.sql-server-business-intelligence.com/data-visualization/charts/pie-charts/when-to-use-pie-charts (February 8, 2012)