How to make a fishbone diagram in Word
If youâve tried to create diagrams in Microsoft Word, you know that diagramming is not one of its strong points. It is, after all, a word processorâgreat for creating text documents, not so great for creating visuals. Although Word can be used to make simple fishbone diagrams, there arenât any in-app templatesâyouâll have to start from scratch. In this tutorial, weâve broken down the whole process for you.
1. Locate the Shapes drop-down box
In your Word document, go to Insert > Shapesâeverything needed for your fishbone diagram will be found there.Â
2. Create the âheadâ and âspineâ of your diagram
For your first shape, choose a line with an arrow and draw it in the center of your document. Draw from left to right (the arrow should point towards the right-hand side of the page). Add a rectangle adjoining this line and label it with the central problem statement. To add text to your rectangle, simply select it and begin typing.Â
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3. Add additional lines
Add lines without arrows jutting out from the central line. These extend from the central line at an angle, like ribs. Each of these lines represents a category of factors that contribute to the central problem. It may be helpful to label these lines with their respective categoriesâadd rectangles or bubbles with text at the tip of each line.
Next, add additional lines extending horizontally from each category line. Each of these new lines will eventually be labeled with a potential cause of the central problem.Â
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4. Customize your diagram
At this point, your diagram is styled according to Microsoft presets. If youâre satisfied with the diagramâs look, go ahead and skip this step.Â
To edit a shapeâs color, line weight, etc., select one of the shapes or lines in your diagram. Open the format pane, found on the right-hand side of the shape format bar. (To open the format pane quickly, just double-click one of your shapes.)
From the format pane, you can change nearly every aesthetic aspect of your diagram. Try different stylings out until you are satisfied with the look of your fishbone diagram. (Tip: To edit multiple shapes or lines simultaneously, hold Shift as you select them.)
5. Add content or save as a template
Now your diagram is both built and styled, but it has no content. If you want to use this fishbone diagram as a template, simply save your document as isâyour fishbone template is complete.
To finish your fishbone diagram, fill in the text. If you havenât written a problem statement in the central box, add one now. Next, add text boxes above each of the horizontal lines. Go to Insert > Text > Text Box. These labels should represent contributing factors to the central problem. Once your diagram is all filled in, youâre ready to save your document.Â
While it is possible to make simple diagrams using MS Word, hereâs the bottom line: Word wasnât designed for creating visuals. Diagramming with the shapes library is a pain. With the Lucidchart add-in, youâll skip the headache, no matter the complexity or size of your diagram. And this doesnât apply only to fishbone diagramsâwhether you need a flowchart or a timeline, you can add beautiful visuals to your MS Word documents with Lucidchart.Â
