In January 2010, I wrote that working together on documents and spreadsheets was already common, while making a diagram often meant sending a file back and forth. Creately let several people edit the same drawing. A diagram could become part of a discussion instead of one person’s finished product.
When does a shared diagram help?
A flowchart can reveal where a process gets stuck. An organisation chart can show roles and dependencies. A simple customer journey can expose missing information. The point is not to make attractive shapes, but to build a shared picture of something that is hard to follow in words.
Creately now describes a shared workspace for diagrams, whiteboards and notes. It remains relevant to the original purpose, although the product has grown. The old limit of five users and my prediction of a future paid version are not current terms. Today’s plans have their own limits and features.
Work on the question together
Start with one question: which process, decision or system do we want to understand? Place its main steps or parts on the canvas. Invite others to add missing paths, exceptions and assumptions. Then agree which version represents the chosen way of working; otherwise a diagram can quickly become outdated.
A shared canvas matters when the people involved can question and improve it. That made Creately interesting in 2010 and remains the reason to draw a diagram together.