A methods section often needs a small flowchart: collect, process, decide, repeat. The Diagram tab builds one from a short text description, so the layout stays clean without dragging boxes around. This tutorial builds a fit-and-check pipeline.
Step 1 — Open the Diagram tab
In Figure Studio, open Diagram and choose the flowchart type. The editor takes a text description on one side; the preview renders it as you type.
Step 2 — Nodes and arrows
Each line declares nodes and the edge between them. Square brackets make a rectangular step:
A[Collect data] --> B[Fit model]
A and B are identifiers you reuse to connect more edges; the bracket text is the label readers see.
Step 3 — Add a decision branch
Curly braces make a decision diamond, and a label between pipes annotates each outgoing edge:
A[Collect data] --> B[Fit model]
B --> C{Good fit?}
C -->|Yes| D[Report parameters]
C -->|No| A
The No branch pointing back to A gives you the loop — the preview lays the cycle out for you.
Step 4 — Direction and theme
The layout direction (top-down or left-right) and the theme are set from the diagram controls, so the chart can match the rest of your figures. Left-right often fits a single-column figure better; top-down reads well for longer pipelines.
Step 5 — Extend it
You can insert additional shapes and elements into an existing diagram from the editor. Note that a node’s identifier attaches directly to its shape — E[Validate], with no space between E and the bracket — so the description stays valid as you extend it.
Step 6 — Export or insert
Export the diagram as a vector PDF, or Insert it into your paper with a \label. A saved diagram reopens here as its text description, so later edits change the source, not a flattened image.
Tip: Keep node labels to two or three words. A flowchart legible at single-column width beats a wordy one every time.