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Business Process Elements: Swimlanes

ConceptDraw has 142 vector stencils in the 8 libraries that helps you to start using software for designing own Business Process Diagrams. Use Swimlanes library with 20 objects from BPMN.

Cross-Functional Flowchart (Swim Lanes)

Cross-Functional Flowchart is a type of chart which shows the series of process steps connected by the arrows to depict their order and applies the swim lanes to provide an extra dimension with means of assigning each process step to certain category. Often the category or the functional unit is a stakeholder (department, person, role), resource, project, phase, or any other attribute. Cross-Functional Flowcharts visually illustrate relationships between the business processes and the functional units responsible for this processes. ConceptDraw DIAGRAM is a powerful diagramming and vector drawing software for professional design Cross-Functional Flowcharts using the common notation of shapes and swim lanes. Cross-Functional Flowcharts solution included to the Business Processes area of ConceptDraw Solution Park provides numerous well-designed vector objects and connector tools for quick, easy and effective organizing information, representing process flows and relationships, and drawing Cross-Functional Flowcharts for business, science, education, technology, etc.

Swim Lane Diagrams

Swim Lane Diagrams are the kind of process flow diagrams and effective tool for documenting the business processes required for any business company for its productive work, for easy defining the weak points, reasons of defects, or delays during the process. Swim Lane Diagram is based on the IDEF3 standard and was developed primarily for using in projecting. Its name derives from the use of horizontal or vertical lanes. The blocks that denote the parts of the processes are arranged within definite lanes according to the belonging to responsible worker. So the process of any complexity is visually divided into the parts and represented with indication the responsibility for execution of each part. This significantly facilitates the comprehension of its work. Use the ConceptDraw DIAGRAM software and predesigned vector objects from the Swim Lanes library of Business Process Mapping Solution included to ConceptDraw Solution Park to easy develop Swim Lanes Flowcharts and Diagrams, for modeling and documenting the business processes in a simple and visual graphic form.

Swim Lanes Flowchart. Flowchart Examples

This sample was created in ConceptDraw DIAGRAM diagramming and vector drawing software using the Cross-Functional Flowcharts solution from the Business Processes area of ConceptDraw Solution Park. This sample shows the Swim Lanes Flowchart of Identification and logging.
Create Swim Lanes Flowchart
Create Swim Lanes Flowchart

Diagramming Software for Design Business Process Diagrams

Swimlanes are a visual mechanism of organizing and categorizing activities, in BPMN consist of two types: Pool, Lane. Use ConceptDraw Swimlanes library with 20 objects from BPMN.
This cross-functional flowchart sample represents the payroll process mapping.
"Business process mapping refers to activities involved in defining what a business entity does, who is responsible, to what standard a business process should be completed, and how the success of a business process can be determined.
The main purpose behind business process mapping is to assist organizations in becoming more efficient. A clear and detailed business process map or diagram allows outside firms to come in and look at whether or not improvements can be made to the current process.
Business process mapping takes a specific objective and helps to measure and compare that objective alongside the entire organization's objectives to make sure that all processes are aligned with the company's values and capabilities.
ISO 9001 requires a business entity to follow a process approach when managing its business, and to this end creating business process maps will assist. The entity can then work towards ensuring its processes are effective (the right process is followed the first time), and efficient (continually improved to ensure processes use the smallest amount of resources)." [Business process mapping. Wikipedia]
The business process map example "Swim lane diagram - Payroll process mapping" was drawn using the ConceptDraw PRO diagramming and vector drawing software extended with the Cross-Functional Flowcharts solution from the Business Processes area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.
Cross-functional flowchart
Cross-functional flowchart, terminator, swim lanes, vertical swimlanes, process, decision,
"A swim lane (or swimlane) is a visual element used in process flow diagrams, or flowcharts, that visually distinguishes responsibilities for sub-processes of a business process. Swim lanes may be arranged either horizontally or vertically. In the accompanying example, the swimlanes are named Customer, Sales, Contracts, Legal, and Fulfillment, and are arranged vertically. ...
When used to diagram a business process that involves more than one department, swimlanes often serve to clarify not only the steps and who is responsible for each one, but also how delays, mistakes or cheating are most likely to occur.
Many process modeling methodologies utilize the concept of swimlanes, as a mechanism to organize activities into separate visual categories in order to illustrate different functional capabilities or responsibilities (organisational roles). Swimlanes are used in Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) and Unified Modeling Language activity diagram modeling methodologies." [Swim lane. Wikipedia]
The template "UML activity diagram (swimlanes)" for the ConceptDraw PRO diagramming and vector drawing software is included in the Rapid UML solution from the Software Development area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.
www.conceptdraw.com/ solution-park/ software-uml
UML activity diagram (swimlanes)
UML activity diagram (swimlanes),  UML activity diagram symbols, swimlanes, note, merge, initial, final, decision, action

Swim Lanes

Swim lanes are visual elements used in Business Process Maps, Process Flow Diagrams and Flowcharts. ConceptDraw DIAGRAM diagramming and vector drawing software extended with Business Process Mapping Solution from the Business Processes Area of ConceptDraw Solution Park is ideal for drawing Business Process Maps and Swim Lanes Flowcharts.
"A swim lane (or swimlane) is a visual element used in process flow diagrams, or flowcharts, that visually distinguishes responsibilities for sub-processes of a business process. Swim lanes may be arranged either horizontally or vertically. In the accompanying example, the swimlanes are named Customer, Sales, Contracts, Legal, and Fulfillment, and are arranged vertically. ...
When used to diagram a business process that involves more than one department, swimlanes often serve to clarify not only the steps and who is responsible for each one, but also how delays, mistakes or cheating are most likely to occur.
Many process modeling methodologies utilize the concept of swimlanes, as a mechanism to organize activities into separate visual categories in order to illustrate different functional capabilities or responsibilities (organisational roles). Swimlanes are used in Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) and Unified Modeling Language activity diagram modeling methodologies." [Swim lane. Wikipedia]
The template "Business process swim lane diagram BPMN 1.2" for the ConceptDraw PRO diagramming and vector drawing software is included in the Business Process Diagram solution from the Business Processes area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.
Swim lane diagram BPMN 1.2 template
Swim lane diagram BPMN 1.2 template, task, start, horizontal lane, lane, end,
The vector stencils library "Swimlanes" contains 20 swimlane shapes for drawing business process diagrams (BPMN 2.0) using the ConceptDraw PRO diagramming and vector drawing software.
"Swim lanes are a visual mechanism of organising and categorising activities, based on cross functional flowcharting, and in BPMN consist of two types: (1) Pool. Represents major participants in a process, typically separating different organisations. A pool contains one or more lanes (like a real swimming pool). A pool can be open (i.e., showing internal detail) when it is depicted as a large rectangle showing one or more lanes, or collapsed (i.e., hiding internal detail) when it is depicted as an empty rectangle stretching the width or height of the diagram. (2) Lane. Used to organise and categorise activities within a pool according to function or role, and depicted as a rectangle stretching the width or height of the pool. A lane contains the flow objects, connecting objects and artifacts." [Business Process Model and Notation. Wikipedia]
The example "Design elements - Swimlanes BPMN 2.0" is included in the Business Process Diagram solution from the Business Processes area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.
BPMN 2.0 swimlanes
BPMN 2.0 swimlanes, two lanes, horizontal pool, non-initiating message flow with decorator, multiple horizontal lanes, horizontal lanes, lanes, initiating message flow with decorator, horizontal pool, pool, multiple lanes, horizontal pool, pool, MI participant, horizontal pool, pool, horizontal lane, lane, collapsed horizontal pool, horizontal pool, pool, MI participant, collapsed horizontal pool, horizontal pool, pool,

Swim Lane Flowchart Symbols

Use the set of special professionally developed swim lane flowchart symbols - single, multiple, vertical and horizontal lanes from the Swimlanes and Swimlanes BPMN 1.2 libraries from the Business Process Diagram solution, the Swim Lanes library from the Business Process Mapping solution as the perfect basis for your Swim Lane Flowcharts of processes, algorithms and procedures.
The vector stencils library "Swimlanes BPMN1.2" contains 8 swimlane shapes for drawing business process diagrams (BPMN 1.2) using the ConceptDraw PRO diagramming and vector drawing software.
"Swim lanes are a visual mechanism of organising and categorising activities, based on cross functional flowcharting, and in BPMN consist of two types:
(1) Pool.
Represents major participants in a process, typically separating different organisations. A pool contains one or more lanes (like a real swimming pool). A pool can be open (i.e., showing internal detail) when it is depicted as a large rectangle showing one or more lanes, or collapsed (i.e., hiding internal detail) when it is depicted as an empty rectangle stretching the width or height of the diagram.
(2) Lane.
Used to organise and categorise activities within a pool according to function or role, and depicted as a rectangle stretching the width or height of the pool. A lane contains the flow objects, connecting objects and artifacts." [Business Process Model and Notation. Wikipedia]
The example "Design elements - Swimlanes BPMN1.2" is included in the Business Process Diagram solution from the Business Processes area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.
BPMN1.2 swimlanes
BPMN1.2 swimlanes, horizontal pool, horizontal lanes, horizontal lane,
The vector stencils library "Swimlanes BPMN 1.2" contains 8 swimlane shapes.
Use it for drawing business process diagrams (BPMN 1.2) in the ConceptDraw PRO diagramming and vector drawing software extended with the Business Process Diagram solution from the Business Processes area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.
www.conceptdraw.com/ solution-park/ business-process-diagram
Horizontal single lane
Horizontal single lane, horizontal lane,
Horizontal pool
Horizontal pool, horizontal pool,
Horizontal lanes
Horizontal lanes, horizontal lanes,
Horizontal pool
Horizontal pool, horizontal pool,
Vertical single lane
Vertical single lane, vertical lane,
Vertical pool
Vertical pool, vertical pool,
Vertical lanes
Vertical lanes, vertical lanes,
Vertical pool
Vertical pool, vertical pool,
The vector stencils library "Swimlanes" contains 20 swimlane symbol shapes.
Use it for drawing business process diagrams (BPMN 2.0) in the ConceptDraw PRO diagramming and vector drawing software extended with the Business Process Diagram solution from the Business Processes area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.
www.conceptdraw.com/ solution-park/ business-process-diagram
Horizontal Lane
Horizontal Lane, horizontal lane, lane,
Two Lanes in a Horizontal Pool
Two Lanes in a Horizontal Pool, two lanes, horizontal pool,
Horizontal Pool
Horizontal Pool, horizontal pool, pool,
Horizontal Pool (with MI Participant)
Horizontal Pool (with MI Participant), horizontal pool, pool, MI participant,
Collapsed Horizontal Pool
Collapsed Horizontal Pool, collapsed horizontal pool, horizontal pool, pool,
Collapsed Horizontal Pool (with MI Participant)
Collapsed Horizontal Pool (with MI Participant), collapsed horizontal pool, horizontal pool, pool, MI participant,
Multiple Horizontal Lanes
Multiple Horizontal Lanes, multiple horizontal lanes, horizontal lanes, lanes,
Horizontal Pool (with Multiple Lanes)
Horizontal Pool (with Multiple Lanes), horizontal pool, pool, multiple lanes,
Vertical Lane
Vertical Lane, vertical lane, lane,
Multiple Vertical Lanes
Multiple Vertical Lanes, multiple vertical lanes,
Two Lanes in a Vertical Pool
Two Lanes in a Vertical Pool, two lanes, vertical pool,
Vertical Pool
Vertical Pool, vertical pool, pool,
Vertical Pool (with MI Participant)
Vertical Pool (with MI Participant), vertical pool, MI participant,
Collapsed Vertical Pool
Collapsed Vertical Pool, collapsed vertical pool, vertical pool, pool,
Collapsed Vertical Pool (with MI Participant)
Collapsed Vertical Pool (with MI Participant), collapsed vertical pool, vertical pool, pool, MI participant,
Vertical Pool (with Multiple Lanes)
Vertical Pool (with Multiple Lanes), Vertical pool, multiple lanes,
Message Flow
Message Flow, message flow,
Initiating Message Flow with Decorator
Initiating Message Flow with Decorator, initiating message flow, decorator,
Non-Initiating Message Flow with Decorator
Non-Initiating Message Flow with Decorator, non-initiating message flow, decorator,
Smart Message Flow
Smart Message Flow, smart message flow,

Business Process Mapping — How to Map a Work Process

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