Ecomap symbols & legend.
Every line style and arrow convention used in an ecomap, from Hartman’s 1978 paper through to modern clinical practice. Bookmark for handouts and case-note reference.
The notation system behind the symbols
Ecomap notation was designed to be readable without a legend. Ann Hartman chose line weight and stroke style to mirror intuitive qualities: a thick, solid line looks substantial because it represents a substantial relationship. A dashed line looks fragile because it represents a fragile one. A zig-zag looks unsettled because it represents stress. Once a clinician has learned these conventions — which takes about five minutes — they can read any Hartman-standard ecomap at a glance, regardless of who drew it.
Arrowheads add a second layer of meaning that line style alone cannot carry: direction. An ecomap line tells you the quality of a relationship; the arrowhead tells you where the energy goes. A strong line with an arrow pointing toward the center means the system is a resource the client draws from — a supportive therapist, an attentive sponsor. A strong line with the arrow pointing outward means the client is giving more than they receive — common when a client is caregiving for an aging parent or supporting a struggling family member. A mutual arrow means the exchange is reciprocal. This distinction matters clinically: two clients can have the same number of strong connections and very different energy budgets depending on which direction those arrows point.
Relationship line styles
| Name | Visual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Strong | A close, supportive, high-quality connection. Thick, solid line. | |
| Normal | A baseline, present-but-not-intense connection. Thin solid line. | |
| Weak / Tenuous | A fragile, occasional, or early-stage relationship. Dashed line. | |
| Stressful | A relationship that creates stress or strain. Zig-zag (lightning) line. | |
| Stressful + Strong | Close AND stressful — both intense and conflicted. Double zig-zag. | |
| Conflictual | Active conflict or hostility. Solid line with hash-marks across it. | |
| Broken / Cut-off | A relationship that has been severed or estranged. Solid line interrupted with a cross. |
Arrowheads & energy flow
Arrows on the end of a line show direction. They tell you whether the system feeds the person, the person feeds the system, or the exchange is mutual.
| Direction | Visual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Toward center | Resources / energy flow from the system into the person. (e.g., therapist providing care.) | |
| From center | Person gives energy to the system. (e.g., volunteers, caregives.) | |
| Mutual | Two-way exchange. A reciprocal relationship. | |
| No direction | Undirected — connection exists, flow is unspecified. |
Build your own with these symbols
The GenogramAI canvas uses these conventions out of the box. Pick any line style from the inspector and the on-canvas legend updates to match.
Try the ecomap makerFAQ
Who created the ecomap symbol system?+
Dr. Ann Hartman developed the ecomap and its core notation in 1975 at the University of Michigan School of Social Work. The line-style conventions on this page derive from her 1978 paper "Diagrammatic Assessment of Family Relationships."
Are there official ecomap colors?+
Hartman’s original notation was black-and-white. Modern digital tools (including GenogramAI) color-code by system category — family, work, healthcare, mental health, recovery, religion, recreation, etc. — to aid quick visual scanning, while keeping the Hartman line-style conventions intact.
What shape is the center of an ecomap?+
Traditionally a single bubble (circle) for an individual, or a larger rectangle for a family. Surrounding systems are typically circles. GenogramAI follows this convention by default.
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