Process mapping is critical for efficient operations. These maps offer visual representation of required inputs and outputs, enhancing communication with stakeholders and making it easier to manage processes from start-to-finish. Many organizations use process maps in continuous improvement exercises, following the flow to pinpoint inefficiencies.Business leaders often believe that process mapping is the sole component of documenting a process, however, this is not entirely accurate. Process mapping is only one part of comprehensive process documentation.
Enhancing Process Map Effectiveness with Supporting Documentation
While process maps are highly effective at illustrating process flow, they cannot consolidate all of the information needed for process completion. Some of the missing information includes:
- Workflow Interruptions - Bottlenecks and exceptions are not shown on process maps.
- Responsibility – Paper maps generally do not show a clear picture of who owns which tasks and activities. This causes problems with ownership and makes it more difficult to pinpoint bottlenecks in the process.
- Time Spent - The amount of time it takes users to complete tasks is not apparent on process maps, making it harder to estimate deadlines. This also complicates efforts to determine whether slowdowns are caused by a specific employee or department.
- Information Flows – Understanding how staff members find and use the resources needed to complete their assigned tasks is an important factor in process development. However, accessibility and availability of information cannot be depicted on process maps.
Documentation of these additional components gives a complete picture of the workflow, making it possible to find inefficiencies and make improvements. Supporting documentation also ensures complete and concise process maps.
Getting Started with Process Documentation
The primary objective of process mapping is to gain a clear understanding of current methods. This leads to the identification of areas where the process can be improved. Supplementing process maps with additional documentation brings the entire picture into focus. Best practices for process documentation include:
