activity-diagram
In a workflow
activity diagram a swim lane is the visual representation of those actors who will perform the activity placed in the swim lane. It gets its name (obviously) from the act of swimming where one or more individuals are assigned a task of swimming in a lane in order to accomplish a task (winning the race). Similarly in an activity diagram, a person or set of people are assigned to fill a role (represented by the swim lane) to accomplish a certain activity.
In the diagram (created by the
sharepoint workflow designer) the alternating gray and white rows are the swim lanes. Each lane has a name (originator, managers, directors) which describe who will carry out the activity.
Good workflow systems have the capability to assign actors to swim lanes automatically based on context, data metadata, and corporate delegation of authority. For example, a in a workflow adhering to a delegation