Creating, Chatting, and Updating Diagrams

1. Creating Diagrams

First, let's create a diagram using the "New Product Development Decision Process" as an example. In Auto mode, when you enter specific instructions for creating a diagram into the text area, AI generates the diagram as you envisioned. If you choose a template, no instructions are needed, and AI automatically generates the diagram according to the selected template.

Every time you press Submit, a new diagram is generated. After creating several diagrams, we recommend saving a diagram that seems like a good base. You can then use this diagram as a foundation to further improve it with AI.

2. Discussing and Updating Diagrams

Open the Chat tab to discuss your diagram with AI. Ask for suggestions or describe a change, then apply the changes you want to keep to the diagram.

For a direct update to one diagram, the Update tab remains available. Describe the additions, removals or styling changes you need, then review the generated result.

Excalidraw diagrams can also be updated from the Update tab. For visual diagrams, Diagramming AI summarizes the saved scene and applies targeted changes such as adding boxes, connecting objects with arrows, renaming labels, deleting elements, or changing colors. This lets you refine an existing Excalidraw canvas without asking AI to recreate the full drawing from scratch.

3. Saving and Re-updating Diagrams

Open the Saved tab and click the 'Restore' button to retrieve the saved diagram state. This serves as a basis for further discussions and improvements.

The Saved tab is also where you share completed work. After saving a diagram, open the share action to generate a read-only share link for reviews, approvals, or simple handoff without exposing the editing interface.

4. Direct Diagram Editing

Diagramming AI supports mermaid.js and plantuml, allowing for editing at any time via the Code tab editor. Mermaid.js is supported by GitHub, Notion, and various other sites, making it a convenient tool for embedding charts. PlantUML allows for creating diverse diagrams with expressive power. Both are code-based UML diagramming tools.

Switch between them using the mermaid or plantuml button located at the bottom left of the diagram display area.

Additionally, for some diagrams, a "Quick Edit" feature is available, enabling swift and simple diagram editing. Excalidraw users can combine direct visual editing with AI updates, so manual canvas changes and natural-language refinements can work together in the same saved diagram.