Innovative process mapping

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Process mapping is a technique for making work visible. A process map shows who is doing what, with whom, when and for how long. It also shows decisions that are made, the sequence of events and any wait times or delays inherent in the process.

Process maps are good for streamlining work activities and telling new people, as well as internal and external customers, “what we do around here.” They also can help in the effort to reduce cycle time, avoid rework, eliminate some inspections or quality control steps, and prevent errors.

Once a process map is completed, the team that put it together will analyze it. There has probably never been a process map developed where someone has not said, “Do we still do that?” or “Why does X happen there?” or “Why are we doing it that way?” or “I did not realize….”

Also, ISO 9001:2000 clauses 4.1 a & b require that a company identify its processes and show their interaction. This is the first step required of any company adopting a “process management” approach, and a first step in implementing the new process-oriented requirements of ISO 9001:2000.

In fact you can process map just about anything:

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Have you used process maps in an innovative way?