What is a flow chart

A flow chart can be used to show various processing flows, including use case flow, business flow, page flow, etc. In Axure, flowcharts are often used to provide a high-fidelity view of tasks that can be completed through the designed page. A concise flow chart can promote communication with other designers and development engineers, save the cost of oral communication, and point out some key issues. The flow chart can make the thinking and logic clear, and help the logic realization of the program and the effective solution of practical problems.

The flowchart is actually a page, as long as you modify the page type to a flowchart. Right-click on the page and select “Diagram Type->Flow”, then the icon in front of the page will change to another icon. The interface is shown in Figure 1:

Note: To create a flowchart, it is not mandatory to designate a page as a flowchart. The designation as a flowchart is just to facilitate identification.

Axure process control

Click the “flow” button on the top toolbar in the control panel to find the process controls, which are used to express the steps in the process. As there is no specific program flow involved in Axure, some standard graphics are not provided, such as irregular graphics, double rectangles on the side, etc. If these process controls do not meet your process needs, they can be synthesized by picture controls.

There are some conventions in the use of process controls, but Axure does not impose mandatory constraints on how to use these shapes. Generally, you should use it in a way that other people can understand. You can customize a set of symbol standards for use. The interface is shown in Figure 2:

rectangle: rectangle

Role: Generally used as a process to be executed, as an execution box in the program flow chart. In Axure, if you are drawing a page frame diagram, you can also refer to a page. You can put the page and the execution command in the same process for explanation. At this time, the two types of different rectangles are distinguished by color, and then the explanation is just fine.

rounded rectangle: rounded rectangle or oblate

Function: indicates the beginning or end of the program, and is used as the start or end frame in the program flow chart.

beveled rectangle: beveled rectangle

Function: I hardly use beveled rectangles, so I can customize them according to the situation. Or in other flowcharts, there are special meanings, I don’t know for now, and I hope people of insight can give me some advice.

diamond: diamond

Function: to indicate decision or judgment (for example: If…Then…Else), used as a decision box in the program flow chart .

file: file

Function: expressed as a file, which can be a generated file or a called file. How to define it, you need to explain it yourself based on the actual situation.

bracket: brackets

Function: comment or description, or conditional description. I will use it when the general process goes to a position, a paragraph of execution instructions, or a special behavior.

semicircle: semicircle

Function: semicircle is often used as a mark for process page jump and process jump in use.

triangle: triangle

Function: control transmission, generally used in conjunction with lines, drawing data transmission.

trapezoid: trapezoid

Function: Generally used for manual operation.

ellipse: ellipse or circle

Function: If you draw a small circle, it is generally used to indicate the process of sequential data. If it is an ellipse, many people use it as the end of the process. If it is in the use case diagram, the ellipse is a use case.

hexagon: Hexagon

Function: It means preparation. Most people use it as the start of the process, similar to the start box.

parallelogram: parallelogram

Function: generally indicates data, or certain data processing. Or it means data input (Input).

actor: role

Function: from the use case, who is the role performing the operation in the simulation process. When you need to pay attention, the role is not necessarily a person, sometimes it is automatically executed by a machine, and sometimes it can simulate a system management.

database: data

Function: refers to the database that saves our website data.

image: picture

Function: to indicate a picture, or to place an already drawn picture, process or environment.

Section 3 Axure process connection line

The difference between flow chart control and wireframe control is that process control can be connected through a connection line.

When connected, Click and drag in the flowchart to draw and add connection lines. For example, to connect two process controls, place the mouse on the connection point of one process control, click and drag, and then release the mouse on the connection point of another target process control to complete the connection. Click and drag the end point of the connecting line to reconnect.

Select the process connection line, and then click the “Line Pattern” and “Line Ends” buttons in the toolbar to modify the shape and style of the connection line, such as arrows and dotted lines.