A Shit Flow Diagram (SFD) is an easy-to-understand advocacy and decision-support tool comprising a report (SFD Report) which contains a graphic (SFD Graphic). An SFD summarises service outcomes in terms of the flow and fate of excreta in urban areas. It includes a qualitative assessment of the context in which service delivery takes place and a complete record of data sources. The process of developing the report is as important as the report itself; use of the SFD method enables a standardised assessment of excreta flows in urban areas. Due to the sensitivity around the term “shit” the following terms are often used interchangeably: Excreta Flow Diagram or Faecal Waste Flow Diagram.