How do you make Flowcharts?

I’m satisfied with MindNode for mindmapping, but I’d like to make flowcharts for my students. What apps are you using for something like this? I’d rather not do all the tweaking with MindNode to make a flow chart (though I know it’s possible). I know that OmniGraffle is a popular solution for making diagrams and graphics like flowcharts, but when I trialed it, it didn’t jump out at me as the tool I wanted to be using (while OmniOutliner and OmniFocus did). Are there dedicated apps out there for this?

1 Like

I have used Shapes before. It’s pretty simple but price wise very affordable and is good for basic diagrams.

There is some discussion here. I have OmniGraffle, Scapple, Diagrammix and Simple Diagrams.

If you are looking for a simple, free solution that you probably already have installed on your Mac, consider Keynote. The basic shapes are there.

PowerPoint is also useful for simple flowcharting, and has a broader range of figures to work with than Keynote.

5 Likes

Like @anon41602260, I also find Keynote or Powepoint can handle a lot of diagramming tasks these days. An additional aspect is that these apps and their file formats are widely used and can easily be edited by others.

OmniGraffle is my go-to app for diagramming. To be truthful, I can’t recall ever using anything else. Powerful, adaptable and, for the most part, transparent. What’s not to like?

Old school here, I use pencil and my stencil with all the flowchart symbols. Then I scan the paper in as documentation.

2 Likes

I don’t really need to make anything more advanced than flowcharts right now, and OmniGraffle isn’t cheap even with an educational discount. There are things I could see myself using its more powerful features for down the road, but I need these flowcharts for some students sooner than later, and my wallet can’t be happy with me from the last month.

Diagrammix and Shapes both look awesome. Maybe if I’m trying to be smartest with my money, I should use Keynote or PowerPoint for now and drop the money on OmniGraffle when I can, but Diagrammix looks good enough that I could see myself busting it out in a jiff even with OmniGraffle.

I have used omnigraffle a lot in the past, but it is a big old application!

More recently I have moved to Lucid Chart (www.lucidchart.com). I find it really easy to make great looking charts and flows - it has symbol libraries for a wide range of flowcharts and charts. They have a free level, or basic paid starts at £5/6 pm.

I have used Diagrammix. It is a bit idiosyncratic, and the importing of stencils is a bit hit and miss. There is a “lite” version in the Appstore. Be aware that it has not been updated for a while.

Shapes is good, and unless you start to need complex charts, from the sounds of it that would be a good place to start.

Gliffy (gliffy.com) might also be worth a look.

For really simple charts I might use keynote or powerpoint, but they get unmanageable very quickly (for me at least)
Nick