# Swimlane Diagram Experiment

Task: DIAGRAM-SWIMLANE-EXPERIMENT

## Source Inventory

- `swimline-1.png`: five vertical lanes with colored headers, role icons, light lane backgrounds, process rectangles, decision diamonds, start/end rounded nodes, and orthogonal arrows across lanes.
- `Swimlane diagram - definitions, uses, examples.pdf`: long-form reference with swimlane illustrations; the useful visual pattern is a role-owned process flow with handoffs and decisions.
- `Swimlane Diagrams for Presentations.pdf`: presentation-oriented variants for layout and spacing reference.

## Element Contract

- Audience: product/operations reviewer validating process ownership and handoffs.
- Reading flow: left to right across departments, with retry paths returning to earlier lanes.
- Lanes: Client, Sales, Contracts, Construction, Handover.
- Nodes: start/end rounded pills, process rectangles, decision diamonds.
- Connectors: orthogonal arrows, lane-crossing handoffs, labels only when they disambiguate decision branches.
- Visual constraints: headers remain compact, lane bodies keep equal widths, arrows land on target edges, and decision branches avoid covering text.

## Prompt Used

Create an editable swimlane workflow diagram as SVG.

Use five vertical lanes: Client, Sales, Contracts, Construction, and Handover.
Each lane has a saturated blue/purple header with a simple white role icon and a
light blue body. Place nodes on a clear left-to-right process path:

1. Client submits PO.
2. Sales reviews costing.
3. Contracts reviews contract.
4. Decision: Contract okay?
5. If yes, set mobilization date, then Construction starts.
6. Decision: Terms accepted?
7. If yes, Construction finished, then Project handed over.
8. If no, Construction returns files to contractor and Completion date delayed.
9. If contract is not okay, complete requirements and return into the same review path.

Use rounded start/end nodes, rectangular process nodes, and diamond decisions.
Use orthogonal connectors only. Avoid diagonal connectors. Route arrows outside
node interiors. Add branch labels with at least 10px clearance from lines and
containers. After rendering, re-evaluate lane width, node text fit, connector
landing points, and unused whitespace.

## Evaluation Findings

- Swimlane references need explicit lane ownership and equal lane sizing; otherwise the flow becomes a generic process diagram.
- Decision labels are the highest-risk element because they can collide with vertical handoff lines.
- Icons are decorative but useful as first-scan lane identifiers; they should not drive layout.
- The generated SVG is readable, but a future high-fidelity pass should add a legend only when shape meaning is not obvious.