Teaches PMs to create syntactically valid mermaid diagrams by selecting the right diagram type for their communication need, following syntax validity rules, and validating before shipping. Covers all 15 mermaid diagram types with PM-relevant examples and a dual-lens navigation system.

<! PM Skills https://github.com/product on purpose/pm skills Apache 2.0 Mermaid Diagrams Create effective, syntactically valid mermaid diagrams for product documents. When to Use Creating mermaid diagrams for PRDs, specs, roadmaps, or stakeholder presentations Choosing which of 15 diagram types fits a specific communication need Debugging mermaid code that won't render or renders incorrectly Reviewing diagrams for clarity, accuracy, and accessibility When NOT to Use Exporting diagrams to image files (PNG/SVG) that's a rendering tool concern Using non mermaid diagramming tools (Figma, Lucidchart, draw.io) Creating purely decorative visuals with no informational purpose Producing a full customer journey artifact (stages, touchpoints, emotional curve, pain points) rather than a standalone diagram use discover journey map , which composes this skill for its timeline or flowchart section The Cardinal Rule Don't diagram what a list can say. Diagrams earn their place when they reveal relationships , branching , or flow that prose flattens. Before creating any diagram, ask: Does this show branching, relationships, or flow that a list or table would flatten? Yes → proceed with a diagram No → use a numbered list, bullet list, or table instead A 5 step linear process is a list. A 5 step process with two decision points and a retry loop is a diagram. Diagram Selection Guide I need to show... Use Also consider A decision or approval process Flowchart State Multi service or multi party interactions Sequence Flowchart Feature lifecycle or status transitions State Flowchart Work stages or pipeline status Kanban State Release or sprint timeline with dependencies Gantt Timeline Version history or chronological milestones Timeline Gantt 2D prioritization (effort/impact, risk/value) Quadrant Allocation breakdown or composition Pie Treemap Problem decomposition or brainstorming Mindmap Domain models or data relationships ER Class API or object contracts Class ER System topology or infrastructure Architecture Flowchart Flow quantities or budget allocation Sankey Pie Hierarchical proportional data Treemap Pie Trends or time series metrics XY Chart For worked examples organized by PM task, see references/pm use cases.md . For full syntax and options per type, see references/diagram catalog.md . Syntax Validity Principles Six rules that prevent most rendering failures: 1. Quote labels Any label containing spaces, parentheses, brackets, colons, commas, or reserved words must be quoted with double quotes 2. Escape special characters Characters with mermaid or markdown meaning ( , < , at line start, ) need escaping or quoting 3. Declare before referencing Define a node before using it in an edge; referencing an undeclared node causes silent failures in some types 4. Respect limits Each diagram type has a maximum node/participant count beyond which readability collapses (see references/diagram catalog.md for per type limits) 5. Comment your intent Use %% comments to document non obvious choices (why this layout direction, why this grouping) 6. Test before shipping Paste into a mermaid renderer (mermaid.live, VS Code preview, or your target environment) and verify it renders correctly For the complete syntax reference, see references/syntax guide.md . Instructions 1. Identify what you're communicating What relationship, flow, hierarchy, or proportion needs to be visible? Who is the audience? 2. Apply the cardinal rule Confirm a diagram adds value over a list or table 3. Select a diagram type Use the selection guide above, browse references/pm use cases.md by task, or browse references/diagram catalog.md by type 4. Plan the diagram Fill out the planning worksheet in references/TEMPLATE.md : purpose, audience, node inventory, type rationale 5. Write the mermaid code Follow references/syntax guide.md rules; start with the minimal syntax example from references/diagram catalog.md and expand 6. Validate Run through the quality checklist below 7. Embed Place the validated mermaid code block in your document Output Contract Planning artifact : A completed diagram planning worksheet ( references/TEMPLATE.md ) Final output : A syntactically valid mermaid code block embedded in the target document Quality gate : All items in the quality checklist pass Quality Checklist [ ] Diagram renders without error in target environment [ ] Cardinal rule satisfied a list or table would not communicate this more clearly [ ] No linear sequences without branching, relationships, or hierarchy [ ] All labels with spaces or special characters are properly quoted [ ] Special characters escaped where needed [ ] Node/participant count within type specific limits [ ] Colors are accessible (WCAG AA 3:1 contrast minimum, black text on light backgrounds) [ ] Color is never the sole differentiator shapes and labels also distinguish elements [ ] Diagram has a descriptive title or surrounding prose context [ ] %% comments document any non obvious layout or grouping choices References File Purpose references/TEMPLATE.md Diagram planning worksheet fill out before writing mermaid code references/EXAMPLE.md Worked example: PM creating 4 diagrams for a product launch references/diagram catalog.md All 15 diagram types: syntax, PM examples, limits, pitfalls references/pm use cases.md PM task → diagram type mapping with mini worked examples references/syntax guide.md Complete syntax validity rules, escaping, styling, and validation checklist

utility-mermaid-diagrams