MS Word – How to Draw a Target Diagram – Step-by-Step Instructions

A target diagram is used to visually represent the hierarchical relationship between a set of targets.

It is a set of concentric circles, each circle representing a subset of the outer circle. It is like a flowchart that describes more specific concepts or objects as you go from the outer circle to the inner one. Here is an example:

EXPLANATION: Trucks is a subset of Vehicles; U.S. Trucks is a subset of all Trucks, and Ford 150 is a subset of U.S. Trucks.

Target diagrams are used in healthcare, education, marketing, and economic development. They can be used for example to identify the most effective way to intervene with treatment or surgery in order to reduce an infection risk or improve the health of people living in poverty.

The Target Diagram is a tool that is used to find out what a customer wants or needs. It helps marketers by providing a visual representation of the customer’s psyche.

How to Create a Target Diagram in Older Versions of MS Word

You do not need an additional graphics program to insert a Target Diagram into your MS Word document.

Target Diagrams are great to show the successive steps leading to a central goal.
First of all, display your DRAW toolbar which will be very handy in changing the formatting of individual pieces of your diagram.
Then click the 3-ball button on your DRAW tool bar to display the Diagram Gallery dialog box.
Select the Target Diagram button on the lower-right. When you click the OK button, your diagram will be inserted in the document where your cursor is.
By clicking the different buttons on your Diagram mini tool-bar you can accomplish the following changes to your diagram:

• You can insert additional rings by clicking the Insert Shape button. To delete a ring, just select it and press the Delete button on your keyboard.
• Here is a feature I really love – to move the rings in and out, click one of the two “Move Shape” buttons on the mini tool-bar. It’s great fun to see the rings moving around the “target board.”
• Click Layout drop-down list and select an option from the drop-down menu to change the formatting of the diagram.
• To select one of the pre-saved diagram templates, click the Autoformat button and choose a template.

• Click the “Click to Add Text” text to change the label of individual rings.
• By clicking on the appropriate buttons on the DRAW toolbar you can change the formatting, color etc. of individual rings in any way you like.

How to Create a Target Diagram in New Versions of MS Word

Select Insert (tab) > Smart Art > Relations.

Select the target diagram as shown below:

Conclusion

There are quite a few professional graphic creation software out there to create a target diagram, like Adobe Illustrator. But why spend the extra money when you have at your disposal great free graphic tools already built into your MS Word?