How Process Mapping Helped Me Fix a Never-Ending Work Bottleneck

Ever had a process so inefficient that it felt like running in circles?

That was exactly what happened at a company I worked with. Their purchase order (PO) approvals were a nightmare.

? Requests took weeks to get approved.

? No one knew where things were getting stuck.

? Stakeholders blamed each other for delays.

Step 1: Understanding the Chaos

I gathered key players and asked a simple question: “Walk me through the PO process from start to finish.”

Turns out, no one had the full picture! Everyone only knew their piece of the puzzle.

Step 2: Process Mapping

I put on my Business Analyst hat and did what we do best—created a visual process map.

After mapping everything out, we found shocking inefficiencies:

• 4 different approval levels (when only 2 were needed).
• A manual email chain that caused long delays.
• Some POs were being reviewed twice by the same department! ??

Step 3: Implementing Change

With leadership buy-in, we simplified the process:

• Cut approvals from 4 to 2 levels
• Automated PO tracking with an internal dashboard
• Set clear approval timelines to avoid bottlenecks

The result?

• Approval time dropped from 3 weeks to just 4 days!
• Stakeholders had full visibility into the process.
• No more back-and-forth email delays.

Lesson Learned: Process mapping isn’t just a tool—it’s a game-changer for continuous improvement.

Have you ever fixed a broken process using mapping? Share your story below! ??

#BusinessAnalysis #ProcessMapping #ContinuousImprovement #Efficiency #ProblemSolving #CareerGrowth