By
Jyoti Tejpal
Award-winning all-in-one team collaboration, Chat & Video calling Real-time document & File sharing, Cloud-based Ultimate Collaborative Co-authored task manager
Designed for developers IT Network admins Designers & Process analysts Web-based tool Create Publish Share diagrams De-facto technology Open source stack software
Diagramming tool built with collaboration & simplicity in mind Easily convert thoughts into visuals Flowcharts Advanced info-graphics Supports many diagram-type
Diagram software helps businesses to give an idea of information by using visualization techniques. The software can be utilized to create varied types of visuals like mind maps, flowcharts, and process diagrams. The software generally comes with a whole lot of templates for a variety of industries as well as provides the ability to create layouts from scratch. Diagram software can be led to create network diagrams, floor plans, database diagrams, project management diagrams, and scientific illustrations.
The term “diagram” in its commonly used sense can have a general or specific meaning,
Optical information device: The name “illustration”, “diagram” is termed as a collective term standing for the whole category of technical genres, including graphs, technical drawings and tables.
Specific kind of visual display: This is the genre that showcases qualitative data with shapes that are connected by lines, arrows, or other visible links.
In science, the terminology is used in either way. As stated by Anderson more casually: “diagrams are pictorial, yet abstract, representations of information and maps, line graphs, bar charts, engineering blueprints, and architects’ sketches are all examples of diagrams, whereas photographs and video are not”. Whereas Lowe called diagrams as specifically “abstract graphic portrayals of the subject matter they represent”.
In the specific way of sensing diagrams and charts contrast with computer graphics, technical illustrations, infographics, maps, and technical drawings, by representing “abstract rather than literal representations of information”. The feel of a diagram can be seen as:
In Hall’s words, “diagrams are simplified figures, caricatures in a way, intended to convey essential meaning”. These simplified figures are generally based on a set of rules. The basic shape, according to White, can be characterized in terms of “elegance, clarity, ease, pattern, simplicity, and validity”. Elegance is determined by whether or not the diagram is “the simplest and most fitting solution to a problem”.
There are at least the following types of diagrams:
Logical or conceptual pictures, which take a collection of items and relationships between them, and express them by giving each piece a 2D position, while the contacts are shown as connections between the elements or overlaps between the items, for example:
Quantitative diagrams, which carve out a display of the relationship between two variables that take either discrete or a continuous range of values; for example:
Schematics and some other types of diagrams, for example:
Many of such types of diagrams are commonly created using diagramming software. Thousands of diagram techniques exist. Some more examples follow.
Diagrams may also be classified according to use or purpose for which they have been made. For example, explanatory and/or how-to diagrams.
Offers visual clarity of processes: Diagram software provides users to visualize a process and its sequence and provide them with that into a single document. It helps the users to quickly understand the workflow and point out which processes can be improved. This perspective of any project can help managers in the quick assessment of its viability and get valuable feedback before the start of a project.
Efficient resource management: The utility of diagram software offer project managers and resource schedulers to decrease the overburdening of team members. Users can thus save time and money by eliminating time-consuming and unnecessary steps from the job flows.
Efficient assessment through a detailed representation of procedures: Users can define different steps in a diagram using multiple shapes, sizes, and symbols. In a flow chart, the start or end of a process can be determined via a rectangle with rounded edges. A logo can help the illustration process in what kind of media is stored within the data.
Data visualization: Providing a graphical representation of processes, charts, and infographics.
File sharing: Digitally sharing a wide variety of media types.
Collaboration: Working collectively on a project while communicating and sharing information with multiple stakeholders in real-time.
Data import/export: Importing and exporting information and reports to and from the program.
Drag-and-drop: Creating processes through dragging and dropping objects within the interface.
Templates: Creating workflow templates that could be either customized as needed or used in their original format.
Most products available in the market are priced on a “per user, per month” basis and can be divided into three pricing tiers based on their starting price. A premium product is rated higher and include some additional features like mind mapping, network diagrams, organizational charting, and more.
Check for critical diagram tools: Try to check the availability of auto-generation tools that assist users to save time by automatically drawing linking lines between objects and processes. If they are not provided automatically, it will need a ton of repetition as you move and modify shapes. If you need to visualize an organizational chart, the software should assist to auto-align, auto-space, and re-layout forms of the organizational chart.
Must be helpful to import data: The solution must offer to import data from various file types and formats. User may also use a data import capacity software to reject the mess of data entry. Moreover, if the software can recognize other characteristics of data like email addresses or phone numbers from a CSV file and can add them to a diagram, this must be an added advantage.
Mobility of software: With the increase in the usage of mobile devices, diagram software companies are offering the facility to access the software from mobile devices. Users can produce diagrams and also review and integrate them with other descriptions on the go.
Use of augmented reality for the visualization of charts and mind maps: Users can make different diagrams or mind maps in 2D as well as in 3D and can see the graphics using augmented reality technology. By utilizing augmented reality diagrams, users can visualize to create relationships in three-dimension, which was not possible in the 2D version.
