Using ‘swim lanes’ to visualize workflows, responsibilities, and interactions – that is exactly how a swimlane diagram is utilized. A swimlane diagram helps you gain insight into business processes. In this blog, we explain what a swimlane diagram entails, the benefits of a swimlane flowchart, and how to create one.
What is a swimlane diagram?
A swimlane diagram, also known as a swim lane diagram, is a process diagram used to better understand an organization. It specifically looks at different workflows, responsibilities, and interactions – either across the entire organization or within a specific project. Visually, a swimlane diagram is recognizable by its parallel ‘swim lanes’. Each swim lane represents a specific department, employee, team, or role. Actions or events are placed within these lanes in the form of small rectangles. Arrows are used to indicate the sequence of process steps, making it easy to see which steps are carried out by which responsible parties and how the actions are interconnected. Inefficiencies, duplicate actions, and a lack of accountability for specific tasks can be identified. For this reason, a swimlane flowchart is the perfect foundation for process analysis and optimization, project management, and software development.
Example of a swimlane diagram
Imagine a factory wants to create a swimlane diagram for quality control. The first step is to identify the departments involved. Each department gets its own swim lane in the diagram. Then, the responsibilities of these departments are placed in the correct order within the lanes. This could look like the following:
Purchasing (Swimlane 1):
- Receipt of raw materials
- Quality inspection of raw materials
- Storage in the warehouse
Production (Swimlane 2):
- Withdrawal of raw materials from the warehouse
- Production of parts
- Assembly of final products
Quality control (Swimlane 3):
- Inspection of final products
- Identification of defects
- Approval or rejection of products
Shipping (Swimlane 4):
- Packaging of approved products
- Preparation for shipment
- Shipping to customers
As you can see, the workflow is immediately clear, and the responsibilities of each team are easily comparable. Since each department has its own swim lane, it is easy to see if any responsibilities are duplicated or missing.
What are the benefits of a swimlane flowchart?
The greatest benefit of a swimlane flowchart is the visual clarity it provides. The method is often used for complex processes involving multiple parties. Separating responsibilities, departments, and teams offers better oversight. It also helps identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and overlapping responsibilities. All of this forms the basis for process optimization, improved communication, and enhanced collaboration.
How to create a swimlane diagram?
A swimlane diagram always follows a fixed structure using standard symbols, making it easy to read once completed. To properly visualize a process, a swimlane diagram uses four symbols and four steps to map out the business process.
Explanation of symbols in a swimlane diagram
You always fill in swim lanes using fixed symbols. It is important to know what these symbols are and what they represent. Here is a breakdown:
- Swim lanes: Create horizontal or vertical sections (lanes), each representing a different department, team, or responsible person. The swim lanes provide a clear and organized diagram by separating the different responsibilities.
- Activity blocks: Use small rectangles to indicate different individual steps or actions within the process. Placing these activity blocks in the correct order within the swim lanes clarifies the process steps.
- Arrows: Use arrow-shaped lines to indicate the direction and sequence of the workflow between activities. The arrows must align with the chosen placement of the activity blocks.
- Decision diamonds: Display choices or decision points in the process with diamond-shaped symbols. Depending on the decision, different outcomes can result from these points.
Mapping business processes across all departments
To create a swimlane diagram, you must clearly understand the business processes of all departments. Mapping these processes is a crucial step in setting up a swimlane diagram. Follow these steps:
- Identify involved departments and teams: First, determine which departments or individual roles are involved in the business process. Create a separate swim lane for each responsible party (department) in the diagram to distinguish them clearly.
- Define the process steps: Gather as much information as possible about the different activities within each team or department. Recording these steps in the correct swim lane clarifies each responsible party’s task set.
- Connect the steps: Use the arrows mentioned above to link the process steps in the correct order. This way, you can show how work ‘flows’ between departments.
- Add decision points to the diagram: Determine where decisions need to be made and mark these moments with a diamond symbol. This shows that the process can take different directions depending on the outcome of the decision made.
Start creating swimlane diagrams yourself
Want to start creating swimlane diagrams for your organization and track your progress? Make it easier for yourself by using EZ-GO. With this platform, you can document improved processes, such as reducing three checks to one. It is even possible to complete this check with photographic evidence. Since EZ-GO is focused on visualizing tasks for all involved, it creates greater clarity for every responsible person and task. Separating responsibilities and optimizing processes within teams and departments becomes much easier. As a result, you increase efficiency and benefit from more consistent processes. Feel free to sign up for a demo to experience EZ-GO yourself!