As much as some people might disagree, optimizing MySQL isn't rocket science. There are some basic steps that every server administrator can follow to improve the performance of their MySQL server. I've outlined these steps in the flow chart included in this post.
While it won't include all situations, it will give ideas to those who are just starting down the path of MySQL optimization. If you find any corrections or if you have suggestions for improvements, please let me know!
UPDATE: I've received a lot of positive feedback via twitter and e-mail about the flow chart idea. I'll try to work on some more charts soon and get them onto the site. Let me know if there are specific topics that you're interested in.
