name: excalidraw-free description: Create Excalidraw diagrams. USE WHEN user specifically asks for Excalidraw. WORKFLOWS - mind-maps, swimlane, process-flow.
Excalidraw Free Skill
Create professional Excalidraw diagrams with Claude. Mind maps, swimlanes, and process flows with arrows that actually connect.
What's Included
| Diagram Type | Use For | Workflow |
|---|---|---|
| Mind Maps | Brainstorming, book summaries, topic exploration | workflows/mind-maps.md |
| Swimlanes | Multi-role processes, who does what, handoffs | workflows/swimlane.md |
| Process Flows | Step-by-step procedures, SOPs, decision flows | workflows/process-flow.md |
How It Works
- You describe what you want to visualize
- Claude identifies the right diagram type
- Claude analyzes the content and plans the layout
- Claude generates the
.excalidrawfile with proper formatting
Quick Start
Tell Claude what you want to visualize:
- "Create a mind map for my content strategy"
- "Map out my client onboarding process as a swimlane"
- "Show my sales funnel as a process flow"
- "Visualize the steps in my morning routine"
Claude will ask clarifying questions if needed, then generate the diagram.
Workflow Routing
Step 1: Identify diagram type from user request
| User Says | Diagram Type | LOAD THIS WORKFLOW |
|---|---|---|
| "mind map", "brainstorm", "ideas", "branches", "book summary" | Mind Map | READ: workflows/mind-maps.md |
| "swimlane", "who does what", "roles", "handoff", "multi-person" | Swimlane | READ: workflows/swimlane.md |
| "process", "steps", "flow", "procedure", "SOP", "workflow" | Process Flow | READ: workflows/process-flow.md |
| Other/unclear | Ask user | Clarify before proceeding |
Step 2: Load core references (ALWAYS)
Before generating ANY diagram, also READ these files:
- references/json-format.md - Required for proper JSON structure
- references/colors.md - Color palettes
Step 3: Follow the workflow
Each workflow file contains:
- Layout rules and positioning
- Element templates
- Color schemes
- Example outputs
References (Load Before Generating)
| Reference | Purpose |
|---|---|
| references/json-format.md | JSON structure, shapes, arrows, binding rules |
| references/colors.md | Color palettes for professional diagrams |
CRITICAL: Always load json-format.md before generating ANY Excalidraw file. It contains the bidirectional binding rules that make arrows connect properly.
Example Prompts
Mind Maps
- "Create a mind map for the book Atomic Habits"
- "Map out my business goals for this year"
- "Visualize the topics I want to cover in my course"
Swimlanes
- "Show my content creation workflow (me, AI, editor)"
- "Map the customer journey from lead to client"
- "Create a swimlane for our hiring process"
Process Flows
- "Show the steps in my morning routine"
- "Create a flowchart for handling customer complaints"
- "Map my sales process from first contact to close"
Output
Claude saves diagrams as .excalidraw files.
Naming convention:
[topic]-mindmap.excalidraw[process]-swimlane.excalidraw[process]-flow.excalidraw
To open:
- Go to excalidraw.com
- Click menu → "Open"
- Select the
.excalidrawfile
Skill Structure
excalidraw-free/
├── SKILL.md (this file)
├── workflows/
│ ├── mind-maps.md ← Radial diagrams
│ ├── swimlane.md ← Multi-role processes
│ └── process-flow.md ← Sequential steps
└── references/
├── json-format.md ← JSON structure + binding rules
└── colors.md ← Color palettes
Tips
- Keep it simple - Start with 4-8 elements, add more if needed
- Use colors meaningfully - Different colors for different categories
- Check the output - Open in Excalidraw to verify arrows connect
Want More?
This free skill covers the fundamentals. For advanced business visualization:
Business X-Ray Workshop includes:
- The interview process (what questions to ask)
- Advanced diagram types (bowtie, decision trees, sequences)
- Business architecture methodology
- How to identify what to visualize
The skill makes diagrams. The workshop teaches you how to think.
Free Excalidraw skill by Rashid