This paper examines two related topics in organizational and process management: the use of flowcharts as a documentation and communication tool, and the challenges of implementing new technology in the workplace. The first section explains how flowcharts use standardized symbols, natural visual order, and color to make complex processes easier to understand and remember. The second section addresses the range of staff reactions to new technology, including resistance and lack of vision, and outlines strategies — such as pre-implementation demonstrations, training, and certification incentives — that organizations can use to encourage employee adoption and ensure successful integration.
Flowcharts provide clear documentation of a process. Using a flowchart, one is able to demonstrate every step in a process. The flow of steps from left to right and top to bottom provides a natural order and makes it easy for an audience to follow. This natural order also makes it easier to communicate the process to others. Flowcharts use standardized symbols, which enhance the readability of the charts (Green & Petre, 1992).
The standard symbols help people understand the overall scheme and follow individual steps easily. During the development of a process, it is easier for a team to reduce the risk of complications by having the different steps presented using a flowchart. Having developed the flowchart before implementing the actual process, the team is able to streamline tasks in order to include steps that would produce better outcomes. Using rough drafts, one can sketch the flowchart easily before the final version is produced. This allows the presenter to map out all the steps and confirm that all required steps have been covered.
People understand and remember information presented using charts better than information presented as text alone. Visual presentation is intuitive and provides the audience with an easy way to comprehend information. Charts allow the audience to visualize the information being presented, appealing to multiple senses (Zelazny, 1996).
Stimulating the audience's senses enables them to recall and understand information much more effectively. The amount of information conveyed by charts can be equivalent to multiple pages of text, making charts an efficient way to condense and present information. A person is more likely to recall information presented using charts than information presented as text alone, which improves overall comprehension. Charts make use of different colors and visuals to display information, which appeals to the audience and encourages curiosity about the content.
When new technology is introduced in the workplace, it is likely that staff reactions will be mixed. Some employees will embrace the new technology while others will resist it. The beliefs held by employees regarding new technology can be a significant issue — staff may not see or understand the benefits of the technology, which can result in resistance. There could be a failure to incorporate the technology if employees do not recognize its relevance (Gillespie & Barr, 2002).
A lack of vision among staff would hinder integration and could result in implementation failure. Embracing new technology is often dependent on pre-implementation activities carried out within the organization. Demonstrating the benefits and uses of the system to employees before rollout can enable them to embrace the integration. Staff may also be tempted to blame new technology for work-related issues, which often serves as an excuse for refusing to adopt the change.
"Training, timelines, and incentives to reduce resistance"
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