At the core of every business are processes. Whether it is employee onboarding or purchase orders, data needs to move around the office in a certain sequence to get done. Show But, if you were to ask your team members to draw out the exact process flow, what would it look like? Something like the blueprint to a battleship, or a lot of fuzzy lines and question marks? This is where business process mapping comes into play. What is Business Process Mapping?Business process mapping is a powerful technique inside business process management (BPM) to visually depict process steps and show how a process should function from start to finish. With this technique, business processes are laid out visually so every stakeholder in your organization can understand and adhere to the proper functioning. Business process mapping uses charts, flowcharts, and symbols to answer the following three essential questions: What are the tasks in the process?Processes are made up of individual tasks that must be done in a particular sequence in order to complete an item. When you map business processes, you clearly identify every step in the process and make sure everyone knows where one task ends and another begins. Who does each task?In business process mapping, you must identify exactly who is responsible for a particular task. Task assignment might be static (Karen always does it), or dynamic (the initiator’s manager always does it), or might be dependent on data in the form. But business process mapping makes it clear on roles and responsibilities. When does each task occur?A process mapping tool will set each task within the sequence of the entire process. Does it happen first? After another task? Can this task happen simultaneously with other tasks, or is it dependent on other data being processed first? You can also set deadlines and SLAs with business process mapping. How long should each step take? 24 hours? Two business days? Does it depend on the priority of the item? PINGDOM_CANARY_STRING A process map is a planning and management tool that visually describes the flow of work. Using process mapping software, process maps show a series of events that produce an end result. A process map is also called a flowchart, process flowchart, process chart, functional process chart, functional flowchart, process model, workflow diagram, business flow diagram or process flow diagram. It shows who and what is involved in a process and can be used in any business or organization and can reveal areas where a process should be improved. 6 minute read Want to create your own process map? Try Lucidchart. It's fast, easy, and totally free. The purpose of process mapping is for organizations and businesses to improve efficiency. Process maps provide insight into a process, help teams brainstorm ideas for process improvement, increase communication and provide process documentation. Process mapping will identify bottlenecks, repetition and delays. They help to define process boundaries, process ownership, process responsibilities and effectiveness measures or process metrics. One of the purposes of process mapping is to gain better understanding of a process. The flowchart below is a good example of using process mapping to understand and improve a process. In this chart, the process is making pasta. Even though this is a very simplified process map example, many parts of business use similar diagrams to understand processes and improve process efficiency, such as operations, finance, supply chain, sales, marketing and accounting. Process mapping spotlights waste, streamlines work processes and builds understanding. Process mapping allows you to visually communicate the important details of a process rather than writing extensive directions. Flowcharts and process maps are used to:
Process maps can save time and simplify projects because they:
Process maps help you to understand the important characteristics of a process, allowing you to produce helpful data to use in problem solving. Process maps let you strategically ask important questions that help you improve any process. Diagramming is quick and easy with Lucidchart. Start a free trial today to start creating and collaborating. Create a process mapProcess mapping is about communicating your process to others. You can build stronger understanding with process maps. The most common process map types include:
Key elements of process mapping include actions, activity steps, decision points, functions, inputs/outputs, people involved, process measurements and time required. Basic symbols are used in a process map to describe key process elements. Each process element is represented by a specific symbol such as an arrow, circle, diamond, box, oval or rectangle. These symbols come from the Unified Modeling Language or UML, which is an international standard for drawing process maps. In business, a process is a group of interrelated tasks that happen as a result of an event. These tasks produce a desired result for the customer. Process mapping can be used in many areas of business: business process improvement, business process redesign, reengineering, training, quality improvement, simulation, information technology, work measurement, documentation, process analysis, operational process design, process integration, acquisitions, mergers and selling business operations. Business process mapping can also be helpful for complying with manufacturing and service industry regulations, such as the common ISO 9000 (International Organization for Standardization) or ISO 9001. Process mapping has become streamlined because of software that provides a better understanding of processes. Process maps can be created in common programs like Microsoft Word, PowerPoint or Excel, but there are other programs more customized to creating a process map. Process mapping is about communicating your process to others so that you achieve your management objectives. Knowing how to map a process will help you build stronger communication and understanding in your organization. Step 1: Identify the problem
Step 2: Brainstorm activities involved
Step 3: Figure out boundaries
Step 4: Determine and sequence the steps
Step 5: Draw basic flowchart symbols Each element in a process map is represented by a specific flowchart symbol. Lucidchart makes it simple to create and rearrange shapes, add labels and comments and even use custom styling in your process map.
Step 6: Finalize the process flowchart
Process maps provide valuable insights into how a businesses or an organization can improve processes. When important information is presented visually, it increases understanding and collaboration for any project.
Mapping out a process is an excellent way to improve efficiency in any organization. With drag-and-drop design and online collaboration, Lucidchart makes it easy to process map anytime, from anywhere. Want to create your own process map? Try Lucidchart. It's fast, easy, and totally free. |