How can process mapping help you overcome workflow obstacles?

2 Why is process mapping useful?

Process mapping can help you understand and communicate how a process works, what are its goals and requirements, and who are the stakeholders and roles involved. It can also help you identify and measure the inputs, outputs, and outcomes of the process, as well as the resources, time, and costs associated with it. By mapping your process, you can reveal the current state and the desired state of the process, and compare them to find gaps and opportunities for improvement.

3 How to create a process map?

Creating a process map requires you to define the scope and boundaries of the process, identify the steps and tasks, assign roles and responsibilities, choose a process mapping tool or method, draw the map, and validate and refine it. When defining the scope and boundaries of the process, consider the start and end point of the process, inputs and outputs, criteria, and conditions. When identifying the steps and tasks of the process, consider actions, decisions, dependencies, flows, exceptions, and risks. Assigning roles and responsibilities involves identifying who or what is involved in the process and their functions and authority. When choosing a process mapping tool or method, you can opt for paper and pencil, software applications, or online platforms. The type of map you choose should reflect your needs - such as simple flowcharts, swimlane diagrams, value stream maps, or business process modeling notation (BPMN). Finally make sure your process map is clear, accurate, and consistent before validating it with stakeholders for feedback and further refinement.

4 How to use process mapping to overcome workflow obstacles?

Once you have created your process map, you can use it to analyze and improve your workflow. Process mapping can help you identify and eliminate waste, reduce variation, resolve bottlenecks, and enhance collaboration. For instance, you can use process mapping to find sources of waste or measure and monitor the variation in the process. Additionally, you can locate and quantify the bottlenecks in the process with process mapping, as well as improve the communication and information flow. Furthermore, process mapping can be used to align the goals of stakeholders and roles, foster a culture of teamwork and innovation, and involve employees and customers in the process improvement.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?