Creating a stunning circular flow or process diagram need not be difficult. Discover an easy way to create this useful diagram by following our simple step by step instructions.
Problem with the usual Circular Flow Diagram:
Circular flows are quite commonly used in a wide variety of presentations. There are two common ways of making circular flow charts.
One is to use SmartArt cycle layout:
The problem is – the diagram looks clichéd. The diagram has been used so often by presenters, that it doesn’t capture your audience’s imagination any more.
The second option is to use circular arrows:
While this looks definitely impressive, it takes a lot of time and effort to create this diagram. You can refer our tutorial on circular arrows to learn how to make these diagrams.
Tutorial : How To Draw Circular Arrows In Powerpoint 2010
The easier way to represent circular flows:
A simple way to overcome the effort involved in creating circular charts is to use simple chevrons. Let us see how…
The two shapes we need:
We need just two shapes to represent circular flows. One is a simple chevron. Draw a Chevron shape using ‘Chevron’ tool under Block Arrows in Auto shapes menu.
Create a variation for the corner piece:
We need a variation of the chevron shape, to be used as corner pieces in a flow. Here is how to create the shape…
When you click on the chevron you would notice a red node. Draw a line connecting one of the corners of the chevron to the red node as shown below:
Convert the chevron into freeform by going to Format -> Convert to Freeform. Now, right clock on the point where the line meets the edge and choose ‘Add point’ option.
Select the other corner point of the chevron, right click and choose ‘Delete point’ option.
You will get a shape for the corner piece as follows:
Related: Creative Powerpoint Ideas Using Freeform Tool
This piece in combination with the regular chevron can help us create some stunning circular flow charts. Let us see the variations here:
Chevron plus corner piece combo:
This simple combination can help us create the following diagram template:
All we did was to group the chevrons and pasted them in different angles.
Extended two sided loop:
When we add a few more chevrons and alter the angles we get this variation which shows a change in direction:
Start to End loops:
You can add more corners and come up with looped Circular Flow Diagram variations like these:
Circular flow with S – loop:
With a bit of creativity the options are endless.
As you can see, chevrons give you far more options to create flow diagrams than the traditional circular arrows.
Related: Shortcut to PowerPoint Circle Diagram
More options for business presenters:
If you are a business presenter, you need as many diagram options as possible to depict your business ideas accurately. You may not have the time to create all those diagrams from the scratch.
That is why we came up with our ‘750 + PowerPoint Charts and Diagram Templates Pack for CEOs’. The pack has more than 750 fully editable diagrams that you can copy to your slides to create professional presentations in minutes.
Take a look at some of the circular flow diagram samples from the pack:
See more SCRUM Process Diagrams from CEO Pack >>
These diagrams are created by business professionals with keen design sense and business expertise. So, you find the widest range of options in our pack to express your business ideas.
Why waste time creating your diagrams from the scratch, when you can spend your time on thinking up the content? Get started with 750+ PowerPoint Charts and Diagrams CEO Pack 1:
Related: Creative 3D Circle in PowerPoint : Tutorial
Related: How To Draw PowerPoint Circle in 3D
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