Flowcharting is a tool for analysing processes. It allows you to break any process down into individual events or activities and to display these in shorthand form showing the logical relationships between them. Constructing flowcharts promotes better understanding of processes, and better understanding of processes is a pre-requisite for improvement.

The Flowchart Symbols and Their Usage
Process represents a step in your process.

Predefined process indicates a set of steps that combine to create a sub-process that is defined elsewhere, often on another page of the same drawing.

Decision indicates a point where the outcome of a decision dictates the next step. There can be multiple outcomes, but often there are just two - yes and no.

Terminal points indicates the starting and ending points of a process.

Data shape indicates that information is coming into the process from outside, or leaving the process.

Delay shape represents a waiting period where no activity is done. In Process Mapping, delays are often important as they may result in adding to the cost of the product or simply delaying its production.

Database shape: Use this shape for a step that results in information being stored.

Step represents a single step within a process, and usually contains the name of a specific action.
Page symbols refer to individual web pages, which may or may not contain multiple elements.
File symbols represent those data elements that exist independently of navigational properties outside of that page, e.g., audio sounds, movie clips, or a portable document file (PDF).
A decision point indicates a sequence in the process at which the end user chooses an option, i.e., a "yes-no", or "true-false" response, and then branches to different parts of the flowchart.
Arrows and connecting lines diagram the logical progression through the course, subject to