> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.stage3.app/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Visual Process Diagrams > Understanding and using the automatically generated visual and swimlane diagrams ## 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. The diagrams update automatically as you edit your process in the RACI tab. Add a new activity or category, and the diagram will reflect it. ## Two Types of Diagrams The system generates two different diagram views, each serving a different purpose: A high-level diagram showing activities grouped by their color-coded categories. 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 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. 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) A summary panel often appears on the side or bottom, showing: * Total Activities * Number of Categories * RACI Coverage ### Best For Perfect for seeing the main stages of your process at a glance. Helps you quickly see which activities belong to which phase. Great for teaching new team members the high-level process structure. 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 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 appear in the lane of the person or role that is **Responsible** for that activity. This makes it crystal clear who does what work. 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 Perfect for seeing all the work a specific person or role is Responsible for. Shows where work transfers between team members, highlighting potential bottlenecks. Helps you see if one person has too much or too little responsibility. Great for reviewing processes with your team to ensure everyone understands their role. ## Using the Diagram Tabs Navigate to any core process you've created. Go to the **RACI** tab and add activities with categories and responsible people. Look for the "Visual" and "Swimlane" tabs in the top navigation bar. Click each tab to see the different diagram styles. The diagrams generate instantly. 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 Export as a high-resolution image file. **Best for:** Presentations, embedding in documents, printing. Export as a PDF file with scalable graphics. **Best for:** Sharing with stakeholders, formal documentation, archiving. Print directly to your printer or save as PDF. **Best for:** Physical copies for workshops or wall displays. ### How to Export Navigate to either the Visual or Swimlane tab. Look for the Export or Download button (usually in the top-right corner). Select PNG, PDF, or Print from the export options. Save the file to your computer or share it with your team. Export both diagram types for comprehensive documentation. The Visual shows the flow; the Swimlane shows the roles. ## Diagram Tips and Best Practices If your diagram looks too complex, consider breaking your process into smaller core processes. Use descriptive names for your Blueprints so they're easy to distinguish in diagrams. Share diagrams in team meetings to validate that everyone understands the process. After editing your RACI, always check the diagrams to ensure they still make sense visually. ## Troubleshooting Diagrams **Solution:** You must add activities in the **RACI** tab first. Both diagrams are empty until activities with categories and responsible people are added. **Solution:** Your process might have too many activities. Consider: * Breaking it into multiple smaller core processes * Combining similar activities * Simplifying your categories **Solution:** You might have too many different roles in one process. Try to standardize the names used in the "Responsible" field. **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*. ## Next Steps Start creating processes that generate these diagrams Add Guides that will appear in your diagrams Assign roles to create meaningful swimlane diagrams Share your diagrams with team members