Turtle Diagram

If you are trying to understand what is a turtle diagram? Then most probably, you have started working or learning about ISO 9001, ISO 14000, IATF 16949 or some other Quality Management System (QMS). And if I am correct, then congratulations, you are going just the right way.

Here I will try to answer few of the common questions related to a turtle chart or turtle diagram, which might be stuck in your head too. I have also provided a real corporate life example for better understanding.

So let’s begin!

What is a turtle diagram?

Turtle diagram is simple yet effective process visualization tool. As we know, any process is made up of various components such as Inputs, outputs, performance indicators, etc.  And turtle diagram helps us in understanding the interrelationship between these components that too in a very precise way. That is why it’s remains crucial to bring all the aspects of a process, while making a turtle diagram.

Why do we need to use it?

Interestingly, ISO 9001:2015 nowhere mentions about a turtle diagram. Still we use it extensively in ISO document because there are numerous clauses in ISO 9001:2015, which can possibly be addressed, by using a turtle chart such as follows.

• 4.1 Understanding the organization and it’s context, 4.2 Interested parties & 4.4 Management system process
• 5.2 Quality policy
• 6.1 Risk Management
• 7.2 Competence & 7.4 Communication
• 10.3 Continual improvement etc.

Similarly, it can possibly address clauses 4.1, 4.2, 5.2, 6.1.3, 6.1.4, 7.2, 7.4, 8.1, 9.1, etc of ISO 14001:2015. Apart from QMS, we can use it for understanding who is the owner of the process and how the roles and responsibilities are distributed.

Turtle chart or diagram can also help us to understand the flow of process especially when number of elements increases and process flow diagrams gets too complicated to understand, anyhow while making a document for QMS you should still include a flow diagram.

But, why do we call it turtle diagram?

I agree, turtle diagram doesn’t really sound like a corporate word! Below is a simple diagram of turtle diagram and now you can clearly understand why it’s called a turtle diagram.

A basic turtle chart comprises of 7 body parts as seen in the figure, let’s look at them one by one.

Elements of Turtle diagram

1. Process (shell) – The process is the most important part of any turtle diagram, as all the value adding activities are listed in this section only. Process should involve all the activities in the scope of process regardless of the number of employees or department.

Trivia: if you want to remember, which is the most important part of a turtle diagram, just try to picturize the largest body part of a turtle (its shell)

• Input (Head) – In this part you need to list down all the details which affects the process, such as Documents like quality policy, Information like customer complaints, Input material, etc.

Trivia: A simple way of listing down these points is, to ask yourself/ team what affects the process.

• Output (tail) – Now I guess this must be easy for you guys. In this section we shall note down all the end products of the process, such as a documents like training procedure, Products – like a car, etc.

Wait a minute Process followed by Input and output, doesn’t this sound familiar? If you are thinking it’s like SIPOC DIAGRAM which we have earlier explained then you are 100% right. And at the end of the article we shall integrate both of them to have their combined benefits.

Now let’s get back to our turtle diagram.

• Responsibility (Who?) – If you remember, we have already mentioned that a turtle charts helps us to understand the owner of process and how responsibilities are distributed in the organization, yes? This is the section where we find it. In this part, we need to mention entire list of people responsible for the process regardless of their department or role.
• Resources (With what?) – Now to perform any task the team requires resources, those resources have to be mentioned in this section. For example if you want to implement ISO 9001 into your organization, then resource could be an ISO 9001 expert.
• Method (How?) – Here you need to mention all the documents such as Work instruction, SOP, etc. which can help the team to understand how the process needs to be carried out.
• Results (KPI) – KPI stands for Key Performance Indicators; KPI acts like a report card and helps us to monitor the impact of our processes. (KPI is a very interesting topic and vastly used in industry, if you wish to learn more about KPI then leave a comment below)

Now if you have read this article – SIPOC then you can easily say that we need to add two more sections and we will be done! Although Supplier and customers are not traditionally mentioned in a Turtle chart but I will always insist to add them, because the whole idea of following a QMS system is to achieve Customer delight! By the way, try to answer this simple question in the comment section, who defines quality, supplier or customer?

• Supplier – Anyone who provides inputs for the process is known as supplier. Supplier can be both Internal as well as external. Common example of supplier can be design team, HOD, Top management, etc.
• Customer – Customer is someone/ some organization who receive the output and just like suppliers, customers can be Internal as well as External. Common examples are Packaging team, QC team and obviously the end customer.

Now most probably you are very clear regarding what is a turtle chart?, why is it called a turtle chart?, what are their benefits?, etc. So let’s practice it once, because you know “ Practice makes a man/ woman perfect”

Case study on Turtle Diagram

Case study: – You have to make a Turtle diagram for establishing a documented procedure for planning, scheduling and implementation of Internal audit in your organization.

You can use the template provided in the link below to make this turtle diagram

1. Process – If you are new with ISO then you have to copy this section
   1. Prepare an audit program
   2. Fix the date of audit
   3. Distribute audit notification
   4. Prepare a process audit criteria sheet
   5. Conduct an audit in planned manner
   6. Prepare an NC report and audit score
   7. Share the report and score with respective HODs
   8. Ask for corrective actions on NCs
   9. Check the actions and close the NCs, etc.
2. Input – Just ask what can affect our processes?
   1. List of departments
   2. Product flow
   3. Scope of Audit, etc.
3. Output – What will be the end product of an internal audit?
   1. Audit scores for each department
   2. List of NCs, etc.
4. Responsibility (Who?) – Who is responsible for conducting an internal audit?
   1. Company Management representative – MR (Please not having a MR is not more a requirement from ISO 9001:2015, but it’s still recommended)
   2. Top management, etc.
5. Resources (With what?) – What are the resources required for conduction an Internal Audit?
   1. Trained Internal auditors
   2. Capital (Money Money money music in background), etc.
6. Method (How?) –How to perform an internal audit?
   1. Audit plan
   2. List of criteria, etc.
7. Results (KPI) – How can you monitor the effectiveness of your audit?
   1. % of NCs closed on time
   2. No. of NCs in subsequent external audit
   3. Reduction in exposure to risk, etc.
8. Supplier – Who is providing the inputsand resources?
   1. Top management
   2. Management representative
9. Customer – Who is getting the outputs?
   1. HOD of respective department
   2. Management representative

If you have done it right, then your turtle chart looks somewhat like the above figure!

I can assuming that now you have got a good grip on making turtle diagram now.

Try making a turtle chart for Tea making example mentioned in SIPOC article. If you are not clear with any part or having, any doubts feel free to connect with us via the comment section.

Thank You.

Topics related to Turtle Diagram

Before you leave this page, try searching the below topics that is related to turtle diagram. This will help you to explore more about this topic.

1. Turtle diagram example
2. Turtle diagram template
3. How to create a turtle diagram
4. Turtle diagram process mapping
5. Turtle diagram ISO
6. Turtle diagram training
7. Turtle diagram for risk assessment
8. Turtle diagram for quality control
9. Turtle diagram symbols
10. Benefits of using a turtle diagram

About the Author

Meet Maheshwari is a budding Lean consultant, a Post Graduate in Industrial Engineering and SixSigma Green Belt. He has worked with 15+ industries and helped them through their Operational Excellence journey since 2018. He has delivered in total 650+ hours of training on various concepts of Lean, QMS and Six Sigma.