Organizational chart

The organizational chart ( portmanteau word from organization and diagram or short form of organization chart also organization chart, organization chart, structure plan, establishment plan ) is a graphical representation of the organizational structure of a company, which disclose its organizational units as well as the distribution of tasks and communication links. Thus, the line relationships between the individual organizational units are displayed in a clear form. It was first used by the railway manager Daniel Craig McCallum to 1855 (1815 * -1878 †).

General

Usual forms of representation in practice are the horizontal and vertical organizational chart and mixed forms of both. To visualize symbols are used, for example, line managers are usually classified as illustrated box (with or without post holder ) and supporting points as circles ( staff positions ) and their compounds as solid lines

Information on the following organizational items are included in an organization:

• Distribution of operational functions to offices and departments
• Hierarchical structure of the building or management organization and the transfer relations
• Classification of line auxiliary locations
• Staffing (bars, centers, departments )

Important rules of an organization are visible to all his inner effect must therefore not be underestimated, it is the map of every company. The formal creation of organizational charts is usually defined by the producer. When you create an organization chart in the detail of importance. It should be examined whether each employee of the company is to be mapped, or whether individual groups of employees are sufficient. Is it about a reorganization, each site must be considered.

Graph

Regarding the graph, there are no general rules, however, has the following in the established practice:

Furthermore, there are various options for display:

• In a quadrilateral is only one person who holds the appropriate place.
• Rectangles that have a connection down, include the role of the supervisor; For example, level 1 or level 2 is prefixed, etc. ( longitudinal joints )
• Cross-section functions are usually represented as supportive or professionally -determining positions as a staff in addition to the management in the form of a circle. In the illustration, the support is also indicated by a dashed line ( cross-links ).
• The number of a supervisor direct reports is referred to as Subordinationsquote, or as a tap or span of control

Example of an organization chart:

Pros and Cons

Such a plan of organization has not only recorded benefits, but it is also to be regarded critically. While small businesses only a few levels of the hierarchy are to be found there is in large companies, many levels of the hierarchy ( with divisions, departments, groups and single digits).

• Hierarchical structures are visible ( organization )
• Levels of competence
• Assist in critical business decisions
• Efficient exchange of information

• Simplistic
• Problems of representation technique
• Very time consuming and costly without appropriate software
• No DIN standards

Software

There are a number of software products with which you can draw, inter alia, organizational charts. These include Dia, KDissert and Kivio for Linux, Microsoft Visio, SmartDraw and OpenOffice.org Draw for Windows and Mac OS X, and OmniGraffle for Mac OS X. Cross-platform creating and editing organization charts with the Chart Editor yEd possible.

In addition, there are dedicated organization chart software such as Ingentis org.manager or OrgPlus, which can create organizational charts based on existing data (such as SAP, PeopleSoft or Oracle ERP).