Human beings are highly ‘visual’ thinkers, and whether you love diagrams and use them for every facet of your life, hate them but have to do them for work, or even if you’re somewhere in between … if you need to create a diagram then you will appreciate LucidChart, a web app which integrates with Google Drive and can take care of your diagramming needs with just a few clicks, share it with collaborators, and access it on PCs and mobile devices.
Note that LucidChart offers a free account geared towards personal and collaborative diagramming, as well as paid plans that are more suitable for corporate use.
LucidChart is a program that makes diagrams and flow charts an absolute breeze. I daresay, it even makes them fun. OK, well, as fun as a diagram or flow chart can possibly be, anyway. The program uses a basic WYSIWIG system (my favorite kind!) to allow you to build a diagram just by placing ‘nodes’ and connecting them with intuitive mouse and keyboard controls.
The process is entirely painless, which is a nice change from some of the so-called superior charting programs I have seen that charge an arm and a leg to use them, and them give you migraines trying to figure out how. LucidChart fails in none of those areas, bringing a simple, easy, and effective solution for creating diagrams to your browser.
You’ve got the option to link your Google Drive account to the LucidChart system, or to just begin building without making that link and save it for later. In either case, you will find yourself building your diagram immediately on the next screen. The process itself consists of three simple steps. Just add shapes, connect them with lines, then edit the data in the shapes. That’s all building a flow chart or diagram is, really, and LucidChart makes it as simple in practice as it is in concept. There are, of course, more advanced features, like multiple line types, colors, shape formats, and a host of other data point features. No matter what you need the chart for, you’re going to find that LucidChart can accommodate you. Like many other programs out there, there are paid versions that offer further features and services, but the free version is quite handy and useful in it’s own right. It doesn’t limit you in the same ways that many others do.
Once you have finished creating your chart or diagram, you have the option to sign up for a free account and then be able to share the live link for your chart on the Internet with anyone you like. The account really is free, and you’ll be able to access the link from any Internet capable device (like a tablet, for example) and use it on the fly in meetings or whatever you need. Alternatively, you can save still shots of it as screenshots, or use it as a demonstration. In any of these cases, the end result is a diagram that looks professional, but didn’t cost you anything except a little time and effort. I found a dozen uses for this program before I had even tried to do so, like creating plot charts, character histories and timelines, as well as charting program logic and more than that. If you think about it, you’re liable to find a few things that could use a diagram in your house, too. Until next time, my friends!
- Get your diagram on with LucidChart here.
