Swimlane Diagram

How is it used?

The Swimlane diagram is developed much in the same way as a typical flowchart, with the key difference being identifying the key players and the specific tasks they accomplish within the process. The development of a Swimlane diagram follows a general progression:

1. Identify the goal.

2. Identify the process(es) needed to achieve the goal.

3. Identify swim lanes. Which employees/groups/departments will need to be a part of the process for the goal to be accomplished?

4. Breakout the process steps in the flowchart, placing each step in its appropriate lane. Be sure to identify connections, communications, and handoffs between the lanes.

Why is it used?

The primary use of the Swimlane diagram is to organize a process in a way that allows all key players to identify their responsibilities during the process.

Advantages and Disadvantages of use?

Advantages-

· It brings clarity to task expectations across multiple key players; it offers clear communication

· It identifies the relationship between key players throughout the process

· The streamlined layout of a process can help to quickly identify and redundancies or inefficiencies within the process

Disadvantages-

· The Swimlane diagram only allows for the organization of one process at a time; it cannot manage a multi-process approach to accomplishing a goal within one diagram

Real World Examples of Use?

The DeKalb Community Service Board frequently uses Swimlane diagrams in the Staff Development department to identify the roles of HR and Staff Development in the new hire and orientation process. Below is a Swimlane used to determine how to enroll new hires in courses needed from an external LMS.