Traditionally, process maps are used when one is working on improving a process, but a good process map can serve many purposes. But what is a process map used for and why is this a tool worth learning about? A process map is a tool using a flowchart to illustrate the flow, people, as well as inputs, actions, and outputs of the process in a clear and detailed way. A good process map will reflect the work that is actually done within a given process, not what the intended or imagined workflow might entail. This means in order to build a good process map you should be talking to and learning from the folks that use the process every day, not just the people that oversee the process. Because I see the value behind having a good process map and the many ways you can utilize one to make your work more efficient I want to share with you some of the different ways you can use this versatile tool.
A visual tool
One of the best things about building out a process map is the fact that it is a visual of what a process looks like from beginning to end. It offers almost immediate clarity and understanding of how many and what steps it takes to complete the process as well as all the different people that have a role in completing the process. The more obvious use for a process map as a visual tool would be for a process improvement project. Process maps for this purpose are incredibly useful in identifying waste and what type of waste is happening in each step, identifying the number of resources being used in each step of the process, as well as identifying when and how you could be collecting data to help better inform you about the performance of your process over time. Identifying waste is perhaps the less straightforward use of a process map than resource use and data collections identification, and can be helpful in identifying many different types. Generally, this is done by using small brightly colored stickie notes, and each note is placed on the step it relates to. When looking at the different types of waste a process can have we use the acronym DOWNTIME.
D = Defects; re-work because of errors or poor quality control
O = Overproduction; pushing work downstream before the next person is ready, creating documentation/reports no one needs, or entering repetitive information.
W = Waiting; this could be for information, resources, approvals, or for systems to respond.
N = Non-utilized human talents; this could be a poor use of staff time or skills and could be that computers, printers, or scanners are not being used.
T = Transportation; this could be multiple handoffs or an unorganized workspace.
I = Inventory; this could be a pile-up of forms or a full email inbox waiting to be processed. This could also mean there are more supplies than needed.
M = Motion; this could be the actual movement of giving a paper to another person, searching for documents in another space or office, or could be unnecessary data entry or motion between areas.
E = Excessive Processing; these could include tasks that could be combined or eliminated altogether or task that you are spending too much time on.
Identifying waste on a process map in our Innovation Academy
Placing these stickie notes on your map can help to visualize which steps have the most waste in them and what types of waste exist. The beautiful thing here is that a process map can be a living breathing document that allows for mistakes to be made or missing information to be filled in over time and can be a collaborative effort between team members.
Personally, visual tools have a great impact on my understanding of the more complicated processes out there, but a process map can be more than just a process improvement visual, it can be utilized for so much more. Process maps can be used for onboarding new staff or educating current staff on a process. Rather than leaving the learning to happen by word of mouth you could use a visual that ensures consistency and establishes a standard for how a process is executed within your department or organization. It can be a great resource to add to any documentation that you have built out for onboarding new team members or educating other folks in or outside of your organization. Think about communication and how we communicate a change or just the transfer of knowledge, a process map can be an incredibly valuable tool for this. The possibilities are plenty when considering this. Think about it, you could modify and create a tailored map that would specifically target your audience and what information you need to share with them.
A tool for implementation
Implementation is always where the real work starts when working on a project. We seem to be finding ourselves implementing new software or using existing software more and more to bring many of our paper-based processes into the digital world since COVID like so many other municipalities and businesses out there. Having a well-built process map is helpful when looking to do this work, especially if it involves more than one department or organization. Having a clear visual of the workflow for a process you are making digital is critical in ensuring that no person or department is missed and can help you to ensure that you are engaging all the people and departments when beginning configuration and training for the digital platform.
Process maps can also be helpful in reacting to new change that has already been set into motion. Much like implementing something new, sometimes we have the need to react to change that is happening within our organization already. Having a well-built process map can be helpful in ensuring that first the process involved is efficient and serves the needs of the outcome of the process and second it can be helpful in educating those who use the process and ensuring that you are providing all the needed resources and information to them. Anytime that one can create documentation of the current state of a process can also prove helpful over time.
Digital process map
A tool for change management
Change management is the controlled identification and implementation of required changes within a process. So how can a process map be used for change management? If used in such a way it can be a tool that drives change management in a project. A process map would be completed in one of the first few steps taken in a change management (or process improvement) project and could be used to identify any of the following
Where waste within a process is happening.
What types of waste are occurring.
Identifying what types of resources and how much of those resources are being used in a process.
Identifying when data is being collected within a process.
Learning where there is potential to collect data within a process.
A process map would help to facilitate the identification of the listed above and if used in such a way can even help with how you might prioritize the identified challenges. Aren’t process maps great!?