What is the most effective way to maintain your process design artifacts and deliverables?

1 Choose the right format

The first step to maintain your process design artifacts and deliverables is to choose the right format for each type of artifact and deliverable. The format should be clear, concise, and easy to understand by the intended audience. It should also be suitable for the level of detail, complexity, and scope of the process design. For example, a high-level process map can use a simple flowchart format, while a detailed process model can use a BPMN notation. A user story can use a simple template, while a requirements specification can use a more structured format. Choosing the right format will help you avoid confusion, ambiguity, and redundancy in your process design artifacts and deliverables.

2 Follow a naming convention

The second step to maintain your process design artifacts and deliverables is to follow a naming convention for each type of artifact and deliverable. A naming convention is a set of rules or guidelines that define how to name your artifacts and deliverables, so that they are consistent, meaningful, and easy to identify and locate. A naming convention can include elements such as the process name, the artifact or deliverable type, the version number, the date, and the author. For example, a process map for the order fulfillment process can be named as Order_Fulfillment_Process_Map_v1_2021_07_01_John_Doe. Following a naming convention will help you organize, manage, and track your process design artifacts and deliverables.

3 Use a version control system

The third step to maintain your process design artifacts and deliverables is to use a version control system for each type of artifact and deliverable. A version control system is a tool or software that helps you store, manage, and track the changes and revisions of your artifacts and deliverables. It allows you to create different versions of your artifacts and deliverables, compare and merge them, and restore them if needed. It also helps you collaborate with other process designers and stakeholders, and ensure that everyone is working on the latest version of the artifacts and deliverables. For example, you can use a version control system such as Git, SVN, or SharePoint to manage your process design artifacts and deliverables.

4 Document your assumptions and decisions

The fourth step to maintain your process design artifacts and deliverables is to document your assumptions and decisions for each type of artifact and deliverable. Assumptions are the facts or conditions that you take for granted or consider true in your process design. Decisions are the choices or judgments that you make in your process design. Documenting your assumptions and decisions will help you justify, explain, and validate your process design artifacts and deliverables. It will also help you avoid misunderstandings, conflicts, and errors in your process design. For example, you can document your assumptions and decisions in a separate document, or as comments or annotations in your artifacts and deliverables.

5 Review and update regularly

The fifth step to maintain your process design artifacts and deliverables is to review and update them regularly. Reviewing and updating your artifacts and deliverables will help you ensure that they are accurate, complete, and relevant to the current state and needs of the process. It will also help you identify and address any gaps, issues, or changes in your process design. You should review and update your artifacts and deliverables at different stages of the process design lifecycle, such as during the analysis, design, implementation, and evaluation phases. You should also review and update your artifacts and deliverables based on the feedback and input from the process owners, users, and stakeholders. For example, you can use a checklist, a peer review, or a user testing to review and update your process design artifacts and deliverables.

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?