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.