Automatic Diagram Generation
Stage3 automatically generates visual diagrams for every core process you create. You don’t need to use complicated diagramming software or manually draw anything. As you add activities and assign RACI roles in the RACI tab, the system creates professional diagrams in the Visual and Swimlane tabs that you can share with your team.Two Types of Diagrams
The system generates two different diagram views, each serving a different purpose:Visual Tab
A high-level diagram showing activities grouped by their color-coded categories.
Swimlane Tab
A diagram organized by roles, showing which team members are Responsible for which activities.
Visual Diagram Tab
The Visual Diagram shows your process organized by phases, making it easy to understand the sequence of categories. This is not a traditional flowchart.What You’ll See
Category Bars
Category Bars
The diagram is organized into large, horizontal, color-coded bars for each Category (e.g., “E” [Red], “Lanning Phase” [Green]).This gives you an immediate visual sense of the process phases.
Activity Cards
Activity Cards
Beneath each Category bar, you’ll see the Activity cards associated with that phase.Each card displays:
- Activity name (e.g., “e” or “Activity 2”)
- The RACI assignments (e.g., R: e, A: e, C: e)
Process Flow Insights
Process Flow Insights
A summary panel often appears on the side or bottom, showing:
- Total Activities
- Number of Categories
- RACI Coverage
Best For
Understanding Phases
Perfect for seeing the main stages of your process at a glance.
Identifying Activities
Helps you quickly see which activities belong to which phase.
Training
Great for teaching new team members the high-level process structure.
High-Level Overview
Gives stakeholders a quick understanding of the entire process.
Swimlane Diagram Tab
The Swimlane Diagram organizes activities by roles, showing who does what. Think of it like lanes in a swimming pool—each lane represents a different “Responsible” person.What You’ll See
Responsible Person Lanes
Responsible Person Lanes
The diagram is divided into horizontal “lanes,” one for each unique entry in the Responsible (R) field of your RACI matrix (e.g., a lane for “Braulio”, a lane for “e”, a lane for “r”).
Activities in Lanes
Activities in Lanes
Activities appear in the lane of the person or role that is Responsible for that activity.This makes it crystal clear who does what work.
Horizontal Sequence
Horizontal Sequence
The chart shows the sequence of steps horizontally (Step 1, Step 2, etc.), allowing you to see how work flows through the team.
Best For
Understanding Roles
Perfect for seeing all the work a specific person or role is Responsible for.
Identifying Handoffs
Shows where work transfers between team members, highlighting potential bottlenecks.
Workload Balance
Helps you see if one person has too much or too little responsibility.
Team Discussions
Great for reviewing processes with your team to ensure everyone understands their role.
Using the Diagram Tabs
1
Open Your Process
Navigate to any core process you’ve created.
2
Add Activities
Go to the RACI tab and add activities with categories and responsible people.
3
Find the Tabs
Look for the “Visual” and “Swimlane” tabs in the top navigation bar.
4
Switch Between Views
Click each tab to see the different diagram styles. The diagrams generate instantly.
5
Zoom and Pan
Use your mouse or trackpad to zoom in/out and pan around larger diagrams.
The diagrams are read-only. To make changes, go back to the RACI tab to edit your activities, and the diagrams will update automatically.
Exporting Diagrams (Unverified Feature)
You may be able to export your diagrams for use in presentations, training materials, or documentation.Export Options
PNG Image
PNG Image
Export as a high-resolution image file.Best for: Presentations, embedding in documents, printing.
PDF Document
PDF Document
Export as a PDF file with scalable graphics.Best for: Sharing with stakeholders, formal documentation, archiving.
Print
Print directly to your printer or save as PDF.Best for: Physical copies for workshops or wall displays.
How to Export
1
Open the Diagram
Navigate to either the Visual or Swimlane tab.
2
Find Export Button
Look for the Export or Download button (usually in the top-right corner).
3
Choose Format
Select PNG, PDF, or Print from the export options.
4
Save or Share
Save the file to your computer or share it with your team.
Diagram Tips and Best Practices
Keep It Simple
If your diagram looks too complex, consider breaking your process into smaller core processes.
Use Clear Blueprints
Use descriptive names for your Blueprints so they’re easy to distinguish in diagrams.
Review with Your Team
Share diagrams in team meetings to validate that everyone understands the process.
Review After Changes
After editing your RACI, always check the diagrams to ensure they still make sense visually.
Troubleshooting Diagrams
Diagram is empty
Diagram is empty
Solution: You must add activities in the RACI tab first. Both diagrams are empty until activities with categories and responsible people are added.
Diagram looks cluttered
Diagram looks cluttered
Solution: Your process might have too many activities. Consider:
- Breaking it into multiple smaller core processes
- Combining similar activities
- Simplifying your categories
Swimlane has too many lanes
Swimlane has too many lanes
Solution: You might have too many different roles in one process. Try to standardize the names used in the “Responsible” field.
Export quality is poor
Export quality is poor
Solution: Choose PDF format for the highest quality, especially for large diagrams. PDFs scale better than PNGs.
When to Use Each Diagram
| Use Case | Visual Diagram | Swimlane Diagram |
|---|---|---|
| Training new team members | Good | Limited |
| Showing process phases | Yes | No |
| Clarifying roles | Limited | Yes |
| Identifying handoffs | Good | Yes |
| Executive presentations | Yes | Limited |
| Team collaboration | Good | Yes |
| Finding workload issues | No | Yes |
Pro tip: Use the Visual tab for understanding the process phases, and the Swimlane tab for understanding the people.