A stair diagram is a type of flowchart that represents the process of decision-making. Decision-making is a cognitive process that involves selecting from alternatives in order to make a choice. A stair diagram shows this process with a series of horizontal lines, each representing one stage in the decision-making process. The lines are drawn as steps, with each step being labeled by an appropriate word or phrase. There are seven stages in the decision-making process: problem recognition, goal setting, alternative generation, evaluation of alternatives, selection of best alternative, implementation and follow up.