nick integrating charts
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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)