Diagram Design Guide for Research

Diagram Design Guide for Research

When to Create Diagrams

Create a diagram when your research findings involve:

• Comparing 3+ options — comparison table or matrix diagram
• Process with 4+ steps — flowchart or sequence diagram
• System with multiple components — architecture diagram
• Chronological events — timeline
• Hierarchical relationships — tree or mind map
• Data flows — data flow diagram

Excalidraw Workflow

1. Plan the diagram — decide type, elements, and layout before creating
2. Create elements — use create_element or batch_create_elements
3. Arrange — use align_elements and distribute_elements for clean layout
4. Inspect — use describe_scene to verify the diagram looks right
5. Adjust — use update_element to fix positioning or text
6. Group — use group_elements to lock related items together

Note: Do NOT export or share links — the user sees a live embedded canvas that auto-syncs.

Color Palette

Use consistent colors across diagrams:

Layout Patterns

• Top-to-bottom: Process flows, decision trees, timelines
• Left-to-right: Comparisons, before/after, pipelines