Organograms

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A diagrammatic representation of the structure and hierarchy within an organization that illustrates roles and relationships among its members
2. A visual tool used to depict the arrangement of personnel or departments in a company, showing how they interconnect
3. An organizational chart that outlines the reporting lines and functions within a business, clarifying responsibilities and positions

Etymology: The "organ" in organogram comes from the Greek "organon," which meant a tool or instrument. The same root gives us the musical organ and the body's organs, both named for their function as working parts. An organogram, then, is a drawing of an organization's parts and how they fit together. The "-gram" ending comes from the Greek "gramma," meaning something written or drawn, and it shares that root with "diagram," which combines "dia-" (across or through) with the same stem and originally meant something marked out by lines. Organogram follows that pattern: it is a diagram of the organization's working parts.

Synonyms: organograms