---
title: Swimlane Diagram
description: "When work crosses departments, the delays hide between the teams. A Swimlane Diagram shows who does what, and where the work waits. Watch the short video, then work with the toolkit PDF: it explains the method, shows a worked example…"
url: "https://skillagility.com/en/resources/swimlane-diagram/"
updated: "2026-10-11"
category: 02 MEASURE
---

# Swimlane Diagram

When work crosses departments, the delays hide between the teams. A Swimlane Diagram shows who does what, and where the work waits. Watch the short video, then work with the toolkit PDF: it explains the method, shows a worked example and gives you a blank template to fill in.

Tool video

The short tool video will appear here.

[Swimlane-Diagram_Toolkit_EN](https://skillagility.com/wp-content/plugins/embedpress/assets/pdf/web/viewer.html?&file=https%3A%2F%2Fskillagility.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F10%2FSwimlane-Diagram_Toolkit_EN.pdf#key=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)

## Swimlane Diagram in short

1. **Name the lanes.** List every role, team or system involved and draw one lane for each.
2. **Set start and end.** Place the start oval in the lane that triggers the process.
3. **Place steps by owner.** Each step goes into the lane of the person or system doing it.
4. **Mark the handoffs.** Every arrow that crosses a lane is a handoff. Highlight them.
5. **Look between the lanes.** Note where work waits for the next lane. That waiting time is your biggest lever.

Key points

- One lane per role, team or system.
- Each step sits in its owner’s lane.
- Lane crossings are handoffs.
- Most waiting happens between the lanes.

**Excel tool:** [Makigami (.xlsx)](https://skillagility.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/B303_Makigami_EN.xlsx)

**Related tools:** [Detailed Flowchart](https://skillagility.com/en/resources/detailed-flowchart/) · [SIPOC](https://skillagility.com/en/resources/sipoc/) · [Brown Paper Approach](https://skillagility.com/en/resources/brown-paper-approach/)