Quality Tool

Flow Charts

Flow Charts
Purpose:
Visual illustration of the sequence of
operations required to complete a task
Schematic drawing of the process to measure
or improve.
Starting point for process improvement
Potential weakness in the process are made
visual.
Picture of process as it should be.

Flow Charts
Benefits:
Identify process improvements
Understand the process
Shows duplicated effort and other non-valueadded steps
Clarify working relationships between people
and organizations
Target specific steps in the process for
improvement.

Flow charts Linear

Toolbox
How is it done?
Write the process step inside each symbol
Connect the Symbols with arrows showing the
direction of flow

Quality Tool Linear Flow

S M 01

E nquiry H andling / Q uota tion P ro ce ss

Custom er

Sales director

Customer send s
enqu iry

Estim ator

Sa les d epartment
receives en quiry

Enquiry e ntered
in to the electronic
Q uo te lo g &
U niqu e se rial
num ber e ntered

C ustom er
info rmed tha t w e
are unable to
quote

No

Can this
enquiry be
Q uote d ?

Yes

H ave the
item (s) be en
made befo re?

No

Enq uiry allocate d

to Estimator

R aise e stimate
sh eet & pla n
process
Q uo te p re pared
from Price gu ide

O rganize contra ct
re view to cove r
Q uality
Co ntractu al &
M anufa cturing
aspects

Q uote custo mer

Pre pare Q uote

Flow charts Linear

Benefits
Show what actually happens at each step in the
process
Show what happens when non-standard events occur
Graphically display processes to identify
redundancies and other wasted effort