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Change Analyst at a leisure / travel company with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Documents processes and systems and has good visuals
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable features are the different templates that they have already created, as well as all the different shapes you can use in the process charts because each shape stands for a different element or thing that's being done. It's easy to distinguish between different steps using the already set-out shapes."
  • "In terms of improvement, they should make it very clear, whether it's a single A4 page or two A4 pages, it should be mapped out. Either I don't know how to use it, or it's not there, but having to stick to margins so I can see what's going to be on different pages when I print it or move it to a PDF has been my only challenge so far."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case is to document processes in the business organization.

How has it helped my organization?

One way we benefit from it is that multiple different people can be working on a single document and they can also make comments from different points of the process. My manager will comment that something needs to change or be moved. Then I can edit that really easily, see exactly what they're referring to, and understand the changes. It's really collaborative as well.

For me, the biggest thing is that it has a really good visual representation of what's happening. It also easily exports to things like PDF and Microsoft Word so that you can send them easily. The collaborative element and how good the visuals are the best parts for me. I am referring to real-time collaboration among users and also comparing versions of documents.

Real-time collaboration has definitely saved us time. I haven't had to call people back and forth and make changes like that. Whereas we're both just editing in a single document. It saves around an hour or two a day.

The version comparison features are very important. I'll often analyze what the initial process is, and then how it's going to be in a new business situation. It's important to be able to see those changes because they need to be mapped in a different way for the original process. It's very useful.

Lucidchart has helped us to realize inefficiencies. You can see what seems like taking too long or what step in the process doesn't need to be there. It has definitely helped me to identify those and remove steps from a process, make recommendations to the client, and what doesn't need to be done or different areas that can be automated.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features are the different templates that they have already created, as well as all the different shapes you can use in the process charts because each shape stands for a different element or thing that's being done. It's easy to distinguish between different steps using the already set-out shapes.

Their ability to document things like processes and systems is a ten out of ten. It's very easy to use and very user-friendly. You don't need a lot of training. I didn't get any training and I could use it from the get-go because everything's very clear. They have the tools you need to make all the changes you need, which are very clear, and a lot of the things just automatically fix up for you. If you drop an arrow, it will automatically connect it to another box, make sure it's straight, and adjust all those sorts of things. It's a massive time saver.

It's great for process flows and workflows because they use swimlane diagrams, which is really helpful. You can see who's responsible for different tasks, and at what different stages in the process they need to do different things. Visually, it's a really good tool to provide to clients and customers. I can clearly see what is happening and it has good use of the different shapes and colors. It's a really good graphic representation.

It's definitely important that Lucidchart accommodates both Mac and PC users. I am a PC user, but occasionally I'll be on a Mac and it's really important to be able to do it on both as well, just because people have their own preferences.

What needs improvement?

In terms of improvement, they should make it very clear, whether it's a single A4 page or two A4 pages, it should be mapped out. Either I don't know how to use it, or it's not there, but having to stick to margins so I can see what's going to be on different pages when I print it or move it to a PDF has been my only challenge so far.

In the next release, I would like to have good roles and responsibilities-type diagrams, like a table that's as a template. Because they have really good templates, but nothing for something like that.

Buyer's Guide
Lucidchart
January 2025
Learn what your peers think about Lucidchart. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: January 2025.
831,071 professionals have used our research since 2012.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Lucidchart for a few months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I've never had a problem accessing it and it always updates quickly and works well.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It could definitely grow. It has been used in lots of different industries and areas. It's a really fantastic platform that, until this company, I didn't know about. I'd definitely use it for other areas of roles at different points in my life, I'm sure.

At this point, Lucidchart is being used all day, every day. I'm probably the main person using it, but there's someone who's a transformation specialist who uses it as well, who's above me. And anyone else who is a team specialist would use it as well.

How are customer service and support?

Lucidchart is easy to use so I haven't needed to contact technical support yet. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was super easy, it took me two minutes. I had a username and login, it was all there. My company shared the folders they needed to with me and I had instant access. They just have to give me permission. It really was a very quick process.

What was our ROI?

My company definitely thinks it's worthwhile. It's reasonably priced and they use it very easily and quickly. They recognize how much of a time-saver it is. Whereas, if we would have had to do this manually, in PowerPoint, or something like that, it would take around five times the time, or even more.

If you consider what you pay someone an hour, you've pretty much paid for the annual subscription probably within a week. 

What other advice do I have?

I would definitely advise purchasing it straight away. You will not regret it.

I would rate Lucidchart a ten out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
PeerSpot user
Business Development Representative at a tech vendor with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Provides real-time collaboration, saves time, and brings workflow efficiency
Pros and Cons
  • "I like how all the contacts in my chart are linked to LinkedIn. That's what makes it really easy for outreach and for making sure we have all the contacts right there in front of us when we need to."
  • "It would be nice to be able to import not just contacts from Salesforce but also leads. In the beginning, when I was still learning the ropes and my way around it, I couldn't find such an option. There might be an option, but I just don't know about it."

What is our primary use case?

It is mainly for sales and business development. We use it for account mapping. If we have a target account, we want to know who the key players are. They include the decision-makers, individual contributors, etc. We map this information out on Lucidchart.

We are probably using the latest version. They're pretty good about that. In terms of deployment, it might be SaaS.

How has it helped my organization?

When we have target accounts, we really need to see and get a really clear overview of who's who, who does what, and who the champions are. Lucidchart has been in charge of that.

I have used Lucidchart's abilities to modify existing data structures. When I joined the company, they had existing account maps, and I was able to duplicate them and then tweak them to my needs. Lucidchart supports such processes very well. It is very user-friendly. It was easy for multiple users to collaborate on a single chart. Anyone can jump in and start adding and changing to an existing chart. All that activity is also trackable, which is helpful.

We have integrated it with Salesforce and G Suite. These integrations are important because when you make tweaks on Lucidchart, you want to make sure that those tweaks are also reflected on Salesforce and other solutions. You can update on one, and it gets updated automatically on the other and vice versa. These integrations are critical to what we do.

There is also integration with Slack, which is our main communication channel. It is definitely something we use more than email. Having this integration between Lucidchart and Slack really allows us to share documents for feedback. For example, I can share a Lucidchart via Slack with my boss, and then he would take a look at it and give me immediate feedback over Slack, which works in conjunction with the comments in Lucidchart. Basically, when I'm speaking with my manager, we communicate via Slack about the Lucidchart file, but when I'm speaking with my counterpart, who's working with me on the same account, then we would make the tweaks directly in Lucidchart. Slack just complements the collaboration that's within Lucidchart. It adds another layer for sharing with the wider organization.

Lucidchart provides real-time collaboration among users so that everyone is accessing and working on the same version of the document. This real-time collaboration is key because I would be on Zoom with one of my colleagues, and then we would jump into a Lucidchart file and start tweaking it as we go together.

It has definitely saved time. More efficiency gains are definitely there. It has cut our time. Previously, we used to create something in a PowerPoint or Keynote file, but they were just not as collaborative, dynamic, and adaptable as Lucidchart. In terms of numbers, it has saved us at least 20% of the time that would have been spent on other programs.

It has definitely helped us in realizing the efficiencies in the projects. It has made us more efficient as a team. The collaborative nature of it is something that's key to time-saving and being efficient in our workflows. Each of us manages multiple accounts, and it is just easier to keep track of things with Lucidchart.

The ability for people to look at a diagram rather than reading through written documents has saved time and, as a result, money, but I don't have specific metrics to show for that.

What is most valuable?

I really like the drag and drop feature. It makes it really easy. I also like the comment feature that enables various users to comment on the chart in real-time.

I like how all the contacts in my chart are linked to LinkedIn. That's what makes it really easy for outreach and for making sure we have all the contacts right there in front of us when we need to.

It is very user-friendly for documenting things such as processes, systems, new teams, etc.

Lucidchart's organizational charts are very good for visualizing and understanding team hierarchies and relationships. That's the reason we use it. It gives you a very clear overview of who does what within the company. I also like how adaptable it is. It is very easy to tweak if someone leaves the company or someone joins, or as we find out more information about the company that we're working with in terms of who the players are. It is almost like playing chess. We can just move the pieces around the board.

It is very good for visualizing and understanding process flows or workflows. When I first started using it, I didn't feel the need to read the whole manual. It is very intuitive in terms of what the steps are. It is integrated with Salesforce as well, which makes it very easy to import leads from Salesforce into Lucidchart to create those maps. The workflows and processes are very seamless.

What needs improvement?

It would be nice to be able to import not just contacts from Salesforce but also leads. In the beginning, when I was still learning the ropes and my way around it, I couldn't find such an option. There might be an option, but I just don't know about it.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using it for only about a month, but my company has been using it longer.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is really stable. I honestly haven't incurred any issues related to stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is scalable. As our team grows and we hire more people, it can definitely accommodate all the users that we need. I do not have the numbers, but I just know we're hiring a lot of new people, myself included, recently.

We have more than 100 licenses, and its users include the Business Development people and Sales Account Executives. I'm on the Business Development team. There are also some Customer Success Managers who get involved once a deal is closed. They need to know who the players are at various accounts. We also have a team of Sales Engineers. They definitely get involved in it as well. So, Business Development, Sales Account Executives, Customer Success, and Sales Engineers are the four groups that are the main players.

How are customer service and technical support?

I have never interacted with their technical support.

How was the initial setup?

I was not there for that. There is a whole team that does that. They know how to handle Lucidchart. They handle other tools too.

For its maintenance, maybe one or two people are required on a regular basis. They just need to send out very quick and short surveys to see our experiences with the software. It is usually done when we are getting close to renewal, and then they see if it's worth extending the licenses.

What other advice do I have?

I would definitely recommend it. It is a tool that I wish I had in my previous jobs and companies. I would advise others to start with an existing template from the company and then reverse engineer that. It is very easy and very intuitive to use, so I would say go for it.

Lucidchart really has a clear overview. Once you have your players charted out, it is bound to change at some point, and it is not going to be static. It is dynamic, and Lucidchart can definitely accommodate. It is adaptable enough to accommodate all those changes.

Our company only uses Mac. So, it's not important for us to be able to access it on PC. I have not used Lucidchart's ability to compare versions of documents.

I would rate Lucidchart a nine out of 10.

Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor. The reviewer's company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Lucidchart
January 2025
Learn what your peers think about Lucidchart. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: January 2025.
831,071 professionals have used our research since 2012.
reviewer1599150 - PeerSpot reviewer
People Performance & Culture - Generalist at a computer software company with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Makes things simpler and helps us in looking at the processes in a different light
Pros and Cons
  • "The flow chart is most valuable. It is a very user-friendly and simple-to-use product. Quite quickly, I was able to understand how to use it and just get on with my process flow."
  • "It can have more colors or graphics. Currently, it is a little boring. It can have a little bit more fun factor."

What is our primary use case?

We are mainly using it for flow charts, organization charts, and process flows. In terms of deployment, we have a subscription for it. It has a login and a password, and we have to log in.

How has it helped my organization?

I joined my new company at the beginning of May. I'm in HR, and it is called the People Performance and Culture (PPC) team. One of the things I was told to do was figure out the process flow for onboarding. Because it is APAC and we have some people in India, Japan, China, and Singapore, it was confusing to understand who comes under which part during onboarding. My manager wanted to make a process flow, so I decided to make a flow chart. I literally just searched for flow chart software or easy-to-use tools on the web, and I came across Lucidchart. I really enjoyed using it. I was quite quickly able to understand how to use it and get on with my process flow. This process flow has really helped all the regions in understanding how onboarding works across all the regions. In the future, we can easily see how the process works rather than thinking it is too complicated, and we don't want to get into it. It just makes things simpler. Now, more people use it, and obviously, I can add more features to it if I want to. I think we have used it for our org chart as well. We've just rolled out a new org chart. I wasn't part of that, but I can see that they've used Lucidchart for that.

It is very useful for documenting things such as processes, systems, new teams, etc. because it has everything. It is very easy to document, and it is very easy to see the date you created or gave access to something.

It provides real-time collaboration among users so that everyone is accessing and working on the same version of a document. This real-time collaboration has affected our project development process. I was able to get someone to look at the org chart while I was working on it. As opposed to making changes at the end, I could make changes as I was working on a document. Its real-time collaboration has saved us time. It has approximately saved an hour worth of work.

The ability for people to look at a diagram rather than reading through written documents has also saved time, and as a result, money. It has saved about an hour.

It has definitely helped us in realizing efficiencies in our projects. It has made everything more visual. Once things are more visual, it becomes easier for me to see whether there are glitches in the process, whether there is a better way of doing things, and whether we have too many steps for one thing. The visual aid has definitely helped us look at the processes in a different light.

We use Microsoft Teams in our company, and one of the reasons for using Lucidchart is that you can integrate it with Microsoft Teams. If I need to send somebody a document through Microsoft Teams, it is very easy. This integration is highly important for our operations because otherwise, we will have to use another solution or way to do the same thing. We are already using Microsoft Teams, so it is much easier to tag it on to Microsoft Teams.

What is most valuable?

The flow chart is most valuable. It is a very user-friendly and simple-to-use product. Quite quickly, I was able to understand how to use it and just get on with my process flow. 

Its organizational charts are pretty good for visualizing and understanding team hierarchies and relationships. These organizational charts are very visual. The colors also help. It is also easy to create an organizational chart.

I use it for visualizing and understanding process flows or workflows, and I would rate it really high from this aspect because I found it very easy to use. It has some suggested themes, so I can make them look pretty. There was access to videos or tutorials if I got stuck. That was really good as well.

What needs improvement?

It can have more colors or graphics. Currently, it is a little boring. It can have a little bit more fun factor.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have started to use it very recently. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is quite stable and reliable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is quite scalable. We are a small department. Currently, two departments have access to it. We have only about 30 people, and out of them, only four are using it.

I am pretty new here, and we're just figuring out APAC processes and hiring new people. I will be using Lucidchart a lot more in the coming months because we're trying to figure out all the processes and the process flows amongst all the regions.

How are customer service and technical support?

It is pretty good. They were videos available for any questions that I had while I was using the solution. I'm more of a visual person, so the videos really helped.

How was the initial setup?

It was straightforward. It took just a few minutes.

What about the implementation team?

I did it on my own. I was using the free account because you can use a free account. It turned out that we had a company account with Lucidchart. My manager gave me access to that, and then basically, I uploaded the flow chart that I had created over there.

For its deployment and maintenance, probably only one or two people are required.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I did come across Visio, but I looked at Lucidchart first. Visio wasn't as user-friendly.

What other advice do I have?

I have definitely told people to use it. It really makes things easier. The visualization is really good, simple, and neat. For me, visuals work much better, and it is easier to spot mistakes when you can see it all in one go rather than in different steps. I would definitely advise people to integrate it and use it as much.

In my organization, we currently only use PCs, but it is good that it is compatible with Mac and PC. I have not used its ability to compare versions of documents. I have also not used any other product from their suite.

I would rate Lucidchart a nine out of 10. It just needs a little bit more fun factor.

Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
PeerSpot user
Co-Owner at Globe Cafe & Tapas Bar
Real User
Organizational charts help to visualize and understand team hierarchies and relationships
Pros and Cons
  • "Lucidchart enables me to put down on paper what I was visualizing in my head. It makes it more shareable than only using words."
  • "A couple of times when I tried to move a line, connecting two shapes on an organizational chart, occasionally the line doesn't move as intuitively as I think it should. I have to fiddle around with it a few times to get it to do what I want it to do."

What is our primary use case?

I'm using their web-based application. I've just come off the free trial, so I'm a very new user.

We use it for the organizational charts and for documenting new teams. We'll probably use it for processing systems at some point.

I would rate Lucidchart a seven out of ten for documenting things like new teams. I'd give it this rating purely because I don't know all the features yet.

How has it helped my organization?

Lucidchart enables me to put down on paper what I was visualizing in my head. It makes it more shareable than only using words.

What is most valuable?

The ease of use is the most valuable feature. It's simple to learn pretty quickly.

I have used the organizational charts for visualizing and understanding team hierarchies and relationships. It's been very good so far. It's easy to use, it's easy to manipulate and change quickly if I need to change something. It's a good product.

What needs improvement?

A couple of times when I tried to move a line, connecting two shapes on an organizational chart, occasionally the line doesn't move as intuitively as I think it should. I have to fiddle around with it a few times to get it to do what I want it to do. That's probably because I'm a new user and I'm not experienced enough, rather than it being an issue with the software itself.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Lucidchart for around three weeks. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It seems very available and very stable so far. The follow-ups have been good.

Nobody else is using it yet, but my business partner and our general manager will probably be using it. So there will be at least three of us.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I know I can add other users and stuff like that. So, that's good.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I tried to do charts in Word before.

Lucidchart is definitely more comprehensive, more professional-looking, and more flexible.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was of medium-level complexity. 

It didn't take very long to set up. There wasn't anything really difficult about it. I'm just not the most computer savvy person on the planet.

What was our ROI?

I hope to see ROI soon. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The price was low enough to make me think that it was fine, I'll go for it. I think it's $80 or so. It's not too expensive. Even if I don't end up using it that much, I feel that it's still a good deal.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I didn't evaluate other solutions.  I had a quick look at Lucidchart when a co-worker of mine used it about a month ago.

What other advice do I have?

I haven't integrated it with third-party solutions. I've only shared it through its share function, like with email and Outlook.

I liked the fact that I could extend my free trial for seven days. That was good because I wasn't ready to make a decision to buy it in the first seven days. I haven't had a chance to really use it properly. I have a pretty busy life and giving me that extra seven days was very useful.

I would rate Lucidchart an eight out of ten. I only give it this rating because I haven't had a chance to really explore all its functionality yet.

Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1597488 - PeerSpot reviewer
Salesforce Solution Architect at a consultancy with 5,001-10,000 employees
Real User
Salespeople can organize ideas and brainstorm with it
Pros and Cons
  • "It is important to me that the solution accommodates both Mac and PC users because the developers in our company use Mac, then the business people use Windows. The technical people create the technical architecture using Lucidchart. So, it is important that it is compatible with both the systems."
  • "I would like to have more text boxes to write more comments so I can write a small note below a picture. I would like some flexibility."

What is our primary use case?

We use the data models. We create technical architecture and system architecture, usually for technical diagrams that we need processed.

How has it helped my organization?

On my team, there are business and technical people who all are using Lucidchart. It gives us really clean, professional-looking diagrams that we have tried to make in PowerPoint. Also, if you can leverage their templates, then you aren't starting from a blank canvas.

What is most valuable?

The templates are very useful. We get the templates for technical systems, which are helpful.

There is a connection to the system where you can directly pull the data model. There is a Salesforce Connector that you can use, which pulls out your diagram from the system. That is really cool. When we click on the data model, you can connect to your technical system, like Salesforce or AWS. This helps create a data model that you would otherwise have to do manually in a better looking format, like PowerPoint. It pulls the data model into a kind of presentation mode. You don't have to drag and drop lines and relationships between objects.

It is good for documenting processes. I see the salespeople organize ideas and brainstorm with it.

I use Lucidchart to create database schemas and modify existing data structures. Lucidchart is pretty good in its ability to support these processes. I would rate it as a four out of five.

We use Lucidchart's integration with Salesforce for getting the ER diagram and enterprise relationship architecture. We need it to connect to the database, which is very important.

It is important to me that the solution accommodates both Mac and PC users because the developers in our company use Mac, then the business people use Windows. The technical people create the technical architecture using Lucidchart. So, it is important that it is compatible with both the systems.

Lucidchart has helped us realize efficiencies in the projects that we use it for. The leveraging of templates has been a great help. Previously, I was creating an ER diagram in PowerPoint, which was very tedious to do. Now, I just connect to the Salesforce database and have to pull the data model. The Salesforce Connector pulls the relationship automatically, which is a very big help. It is a great feature.

What needs improvement?

I would like to have more text boxes to write more comments so I can write a small note below a picture. I would like some flexibility.

For how long have I used the solution?

I started using it this month.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

My team consists of five people. In my company, there are a lot of people who use it. We get our licenses on an as-needed basis, e.g., if we need to run a project, then we use it. Not everybody in the company uses Lucidchart. If we need it for a project, then your credentials are created and you are enabled access. 

Only people who are a little bit in the middle management level of leadership use it. Not even our leadership uses it because they have people working for them.

How are customer service and technical support?

I have not contacted Lucidchart's tech support.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We previously used PowerPoint.

How was the initial setup?

I need to tell my company's IT that I need access to Lucidchart. There is a single sign-on that gets enabled, then I just need to set my password. It is pretty self-explanatory. It doesn't take much time. I just had to explore and browse a little bit to see what templates were available. It is pretty easy to navigate and use.

What was our ROI?

The ability for people to look at a diagram, rather than reading through written documents, has saved us a lot of time, and as a result money. In our clients' requirements, they need to see what our deliverables are and we have to produce these pictures, which is also better now.

What other advice do I have?

Go for it. Try it. The solution is good.

I do have plans to increase my usage. I just use it for deliverables and to generate a few diagrams and documents. I have not explored the full features of Lucidchart so much.

I would rate Lucidchart as an eight out of 10.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
PeerSpot user
Paid Search Lead Marketer at a wellness & fitness company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Helps us to realize efficiencies in the projects we use it for
Pros and Cons
  • "There is no alternative to Lucidchart if you want to describe a five-step process with bullet points. I believe every person who ever worked with PowerPoint on any type of documentation and then thought about which tool would actually help to describe what they're trying to do but without the words, would come up with Lucidchart."
  • "They should make it more user-friendly. The only option is either to use the existing template with already existing colors and gradients. If you want to do custom colors and gradients, then it's too complicated to use and should be simplified."

What is our primary use case?

I mostly use Lucidchart to describe projects, processes, process descriptions, and project flows. I also use it for mind mapping a little bit. I cannot imagine working on a presentation for my manager without using Lucidchart. It's handy. It enables me to clear my mind in terms of how the process should look, what the necessary steps are, what the flow should be, how the flow should look, and all the beautiful stuff.

How has it helped my organization?

Lucidchart definitely helps us to realize efficiencies in the projects we use it for.

There is no alternative to Lucidchart if you want to describe a five-step process with bullet points. I believe every person who ever worked with PowerPoint on any type of documentation and then thought about which tool would actually help to describe what they're trying to do but without the words, would come up with Lucidchart.

I discovered Lucidchart by accident. Someone in my previous company had used it before. I requested access, found it useful, and tried to learn how the tool works. I knew from the beginning, once I learned how to use it, it would be the tool I would want to use forever. It helps every time I need to squeeze a huge amount of information into something short and simple. The flows and diagrams help with exactly that.

What is most valuable?

Documenting things like processes and systems is pretty simple. I open up the blank diagram and start from scratch. In the beginning, it's more like mind mapping, meaning I just put on the screen what I want to achieve, what I have in mind, and then try to figure out what is missing. I consider what the best way to actually describe what I'm working on is, what the dependencies are so that the person I will be presenting it to later will understand what I'm working on. With words, it's all about the economy and time-saving. Lucidchart is a tool that allows me to squeeze a few slides into one slide.

I've been using Lucidchart for three to two years, at least, and I don't remember when the last time was that I was working on a presentation where there were no slides involved. I remember how difficult it was at the beginning. You have one or two slides reserved for you in a presentation for management, and you're trying to squeeze in as much information as possible. You can then play with the formatting. It's annoying that Google slides or PowerPoint don't simply allow you to do the same thing as Lucidchart does. 

Lucidchart is fully integrated with PowerPoint and other documentation tools I'm working with. I know that if I start with Lucidchart and spend some time there, there will be no problem with adding this to Confluence and to PowerPoint presentations.

The integrations are the most valuable features. 

I use templates as a reference, but even if I start with a template, I provide many notifications where the purpose of the template is different. I like the template because of the colors of those flows. The way the flow was presented was nice. It just looked better than anything I could do on my own.

It's important to us that Lucidchart accommodates both PC and Mac. In most cases, I work on a Mac, and the whole company works on the same devices, but there was a moment in time where I was on a PC and I was really happy with the fact that I didn't have to find another tool for the PC.

What needs improvement?

I'm not a designer. Most of the diagrams and flows I create are blank, black, and white. And sometimes I hate it but trying to work with different colors costs me too much time to figure out what color I should use and in what gradient I should use the color. That's the painful part. I would like my matches to do better. I'm trying to learn something from the templates in terms of appearance, but a grading tool, a tool that would allow me to choose between different gradients of the same color is currently unavailable. 

For example, on templates, I see a different set of colors being used, and I don't know which colors there are, which is why I use different templates sometimes. They offer better colors and look better. There's an option to ultimately change the color of your shapes using conditional formatting, but it looks very complicated. I would like to know more. I would like to know how to create those rules easily. At the end of the day, in the last step, I need to pick the color myself. I would like this tool to pick the colors for me.

They should make it more user-friendly. The only option is either to use the existing template with already existing colors and gradients. If you want to do custom colors and gradients, then it's too complicated to use and should be simplified.

If I would like to use the color green for any reason, the tool currently offers three gradients of green. There should be two fewer. It's the same for every other color.

I actually provided this feedback once directly in a survey to them some time ago. The current audience, I understand, based on the templates in Lucidchart, is tech people. I'm a marketer. I have slightly different needs. I want the stuff to look better and have better clarity. I don't need to know how to use a template for Amazon services and how to set up a server or whatever. The set of icons look impressive but are absolutely useless for a marketer.

It would be nice to have something role-based. They should target more people like me, mid-management, people who we need to present a lot, create a lot of documentation, pitch products to other people, explain what the necessary steps are. And I believe this tool is perfect for that. It could also be much simpler than it is right now.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Lucidchart for at least two years but I joined my current company two months ago. I discovered Lucidchart before, in my previous company at least two years ago.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's absolutely stable. I never had any problems with it. I like the fact that sometimes I close the tab or close the whole window and there would be something I didn't save or forgot to save. I reopen the tool, and my stuff is always there, up to date. I love it.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I tried using Visio but my experience was horrible. I also used a free solution from GitHub, a mind mapping tool from GitHub. I remember the appreciation for Lucidchart really increased the moment I realized how different it is to combine two shapes. 

I saved a project but then I couldn't access it for some reason. I lost it and had to start from scratch. The customer support said, "It's a free tool, what do we expect?"

I didn't have any expectations from the tools I was using. I just needed an hour with an online tool for free. But then I didn't know that Lucidchart had a free option, so I didn't turn where I needed to go. I didn't use Lucidchart and it was a mistake.

How was the initial setup?

In my first week, there was a presentation. A manager shared his deck with a Lucidchart diagram in it. I immediately recognized the tool and thought that it was great that my new company uses Lucidchart and I didn't have to request it. I tried to open a new account for myself because it was free, and then I saw the presentation and realized that the company uses a paid version, so my account was upgraded immediately.

The CEO and his team use it. I have no idea who else is using it unless I see a chart in a presentation, and this is also why we're not working on this together. When I see the button "Share" it means to me that I'm sharing this tool with other tools, not a person.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I forgot how much it costs but if the tech team were to ask if we really needed it and they tried to dump the tool, I would definitely refuse, because I really like it.

This is the one tool I want to use. I don't care how much it costs. It's the best tool for the stuff I'm working on. It fulfills my needs, and for this sake, it can cost 10 times more. I don't care.

What other advice do I have?

We have a different tool for collaboration with our colleagues. If I create a business case and I need some feedback from the data team, I present the flow as I imagined it should look, and then I let the data person or the specialist tell me how to improve it, what needs to be different, and what needs to be changed. But I never thought about allowing anyone to have access to Lucidchart, simply because most of the people, especially the marketers, do not know about Lucidchart.

The transition into using it as a collaboration tool will not happen instantly. I remember there was a period of time when I was simply struggling with how to use the tool, and it took a while until I was capable of presenting my thoughts in an efficient way. And it would be hard to imagine that. For the sake of using the tool, I would have to do a workshop with other colleagues to explain how things work.

We do not use Lucidchart to compare versions of documents. We use Spark for that simply by sending the link to the presentation. I can integrate Lucidchart into presentations or another form of documentation, like on Confluence, but we rarely work on Lucidchart itself. It's just a tool for me where I need to accomplish something and then move it forward, copy and paste it somewhere else. It's not very interactive.

We just saw a presentation someone created and it had 30 different slides. I would just say in one sentence that this presentation could say even more with fewer slides if the person would use Lucidchart instead. PowerPoint or Google slides are not perfect tools. They're just carriers. The content you provide to those slides should be created somewhere else in a more professional way, and Lucidchart is the tool everyone should at least consider using because it speeds up the work. 

Sometimes I use Lucidchart just for myself, to mind map everything I have in my mind to see what exactly is there and how to make it simple. With Lucidchart, you just do step one, step two, step three, done.

I would rate it a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
PeerSpot user
Sr. Software Engineer at Gartner
Real User
We don't need documentation on how to use it because it is self-explanatory
Pros and Cons
  • "The interface is very good and easy to use. We don't need documentation on how to use it. It is self-explanatory, which is very convenient for a new user."
  • "I am not quite sure what different functionalities it provides as well as the difficulties other people are facing. When I have a better understanding of the solution, I will increase my rating of it. No solution is perfect, so I am sure that I will be facing some problems in the future."

What is our primary use case?

I use it to filter data and create data models for applications.

We are in the starting phase. We are going step-by-step. We have just created our data diagram, and there is not much collaboration on this part. When we go to our architecture diagram, we will be having more collaboration.

I have used it for technical purposes and support.

I am still exploring the tool.

How has it helped my organization?

Our team asked me to create a data diagram for our applications. We have different tables in our applications and needed to come up with a diagram depicting the complete data structure in our applications, e.g., what are the different tables that we are using, what are the relationships between them, and how can we improve them. So, Lucidchart should easily help me to complete my work.

There are three more members on our team. We are sharing our document with team members, which is pretty good. Multiple users can add to it and comment on parts, e.g., whatever they want to ask. They can comment on the table structure or diagram. It is very easy to use. This real-time collaboration has saved us time.

What is most valuable?

Creating a collage diagram is the most valuable feature. 

Lucidchart is very good and convenient for creating database structures. I love it.

The interface is very good and easy to use. We don't need documentation on how to use it. It is self-explanatory, which is very convenient for a new user.

It is a very good tool that is easy to use. I can save time when collaborating with team members.

What needs improvement?

I am not quite sure what different functionalities it provides as well as the difficulties other people are facing. When I have a better understanding of the solution, I will increase my rating of it. No solution is perfect, so I am sure that I will be facing some problems in the future.

For how long have I used the solution?

I just started using Lucidchart a month ago.

My team has been using it for a long time. I just started using it.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is good. I have not faced any difficulties when using it.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We are a growing team. My colleagues include managers, a Scrum Master, and a business user. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

This is the first time that I am using a tool of this kind, e.g., data modeling. I have never used other tools.

How was the initial setup?

My initial setup was very straightforward. My company already purchased the tool. When I tried to sign in with my company email, they automatically sent me an email with some steps, then I started using it.

It did not take me long to set it up. I just signed up for Lucidchart and my team provided me with the license. It was very easy to use.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I work for Gartner. They provide us with an account from the paid version.

What other advice do I have?

It is a very interesting tool. I love using this tool. I would rate it as an eight out of 10.

I have recommended Lucidchart to my colleague and other developers in different companies. It is a good tool that is easy to use with a good UI. It is also easy to understand.

Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
PeerSpot user
Engineering Student at a educational organization with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Good collaboration capabilities, efficient, and has a user-friendly interface
Pros and Cons
  • "The interface is very user-friendly and it is not a hassle to use the site at all. They did a really good job in that regard."
  • "The UML diagram that it gave me initially was a huge flow with a bunch of UML tables, and I wasn't going to need that many. If it was a more simple linkage between the tables then it would be easier to finish projects, instead of having to select unnecessary tables and delete them."

What is our primary use case?

I am an engineering student at college and I was using Lucidchart for a research project. I was using it to create flow diagrams.

How has it helped my organization?

Lucidchart is a free application and it is very helpful for documenting processes and workflows. It is very easy to use and it can assist in every possible way.

It's important that Lucidchart accommodates both Mac and PC users because due to today's technology, not every person is going to be situated on a Windows, or Linux, or iOS platform. Lucid's accessibility on any type of platform allows more users and therefore more downloads. With more users, it leads to more reviews. With the additional coverage and scrutiny, it means that the product will be expanded and better maintained. 

My classmates and I were using real-time collaboration and it had a positive impact on our development process. It made things very easy for everybody to understand and it was super helpful. 

The real-time collaboration saved me time, considering other projects took much longer. Lucidchart allowed me to enter information and shape my project very effectively, probably shaving off more than 20 minutes per chart.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is developing flowcharts and being able to collaborate on them.

Using the product to create charts is efficient. It meant that I didn't have to rely on Microsoft Word or another application to draw them from scratch.

Lucidchart is really good and very informative.

The interface is very user-friendly and it is not a hassle to use the site at all. They did a really good job in that regard.

What needs improvement?

When you start the software, it requests what type of diagram you would like. In one instance, I chose UML because I needed it for an assignment. The UML diagram that it gave me initially was a huge flow with a bunch of UML tables, and I wasn't going to need that many. If it was a more simple linkage between the tables then it would be easier to finish projects, instead of having to select unnecessary tables and delete them.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used Lucidchart a handful of times.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Lucidchart is a very stable application, and at the moment I see not too many bugs or errors, so it's running very effectively.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability was not a problem. It did exactly what I needed to do and it didn't require that I spend several hours to figure it out.

How are customer service and technical support?

I have not been in contact with technical support.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I tried some other applications and websites, such as Draw.io, and I found that Lucidchart was very efficient compared to the others.

Lucidchart and Draw.io are fairly similar applications and I have used them both for creating charts. I found that it was more difficult to draw and work with charts using Draw.io.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is a straightforward process. It took me under a minute to complete it, and it explained every step, very well.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I was using the free version of Lucidchart, which was very helpful.

What other advice do I have?

This is a well-rounded application and I have recommended it to my classmates.

If Lucid could make a deal with universities, where it was free for students to use for projects over the duration of their courses, then it would be very good because many more people would become familiar with the platform. It is user-friendly to the point where it is easy for anyone to understand and use the platform, and Lucid is a top company because of that. I also think that for business owners, Lucid should have a bulk package that is available for multiple workstations.

I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Other
Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Lucidchart Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: January 2025
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Lucidchart Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.