How can I display an multi level, multiple choice in a flow chart?

Question

I am looking for an appropriate way to display an multi level, multiple choice, choice in a flow chart.

• there are several levels (1, 2, 3, etc)
• there are four categories (A, B, C, D)
• there are multiple assessments in each category at each level (1A1, 1A2, 1A3, 1B1, 1B2, 1B3, 1C1, 1C2, 1C3, 1D1, 1D2, 1D4)

When a user wants to complete an assessment, he may choose from all the categories. Once a user has completed all the assessments in all the categories they may proceed to the next level.

Here is an example sequence (assuming there are two assessments per categorie and the user does not make any mistake) : 1A1 > 1A2 > 1C1 > 1B1 > 1C2 > 1D1 > 1D2 > 1B2 --> GOTO LEVEL 2

The following sequence should not be possible for the user because they have to complete all the other assessments from that level : 1A1 > 1A2 > 2A1

So as you can see there are mostly four possible choices (except when the user has already finished the assessments from a certain categorie). But unfortunately for the flowchart there are 2^4 (assessments ^ categories) = 16 possibilities. And I will repeat myself in the chart, if I am not mistaking.

Does someone have an example for this scenario? And how I can visualize the choices that can be made?

Answer 1

You seem to be willing to both :

• show everything the user will eventually (have to) go through
• and highlight what the user can do now

I've always thought that language learning site Duolingo was doing a great job in this respect :

The entire set of possibilities is visible but those that are not yet accessible (based on the progress rules) are just greyed out and inactive whereas the accessible ones are in vivid colors and clickable.

One suggestion would be to keep your table and fill all the cells with elements (icons or titles) that look active or inactive in a similar way.

Answer 2

The only part of the data you describe that actually "flows" is the move from level to level. The contents of each level can be done in any order, provided they are all done, so it is really better to show it as a grid of things to be checked off before proceeding. Something roughly like this: