processmapping

P ROCESS M APPING Continuous Improvement Community of Practice

LEAN Culture is one of inclusivity where everyone has the opportunity to participate in making processes better.

Denise Williams, Office of Strategy Management 12/1/2018

12/1/2018

PROCESS MAPPING What is process mapping and why do we do it?

A process map is a visual representation of each step of a process. It has a clearly defined beginning and end.

A process map brings the people together who have a stake in a process. By having all stakeholders participate in the making of a process map, there is agreement on the process. There is more understanding of how the process affects each person that works within it. At the same time, problems or opportunities for improvement are discovered by everyone at the same time.

There is agreement to improve the process. When everyone agrees, change is easy.

To get started, you will need:       

The people who work in the process regularly.

Large wall space Large piece of brown paper Post it notes Markers A sense of humour Agreement on scope – where the process begins and where it ends.

How do you do it?

1. Determine who is involved in the process and invite all to participate.

2. Gather your supplies and find a space to meet.

3. Determine the beginning and end of the process – write each of these in an oval shaped post it note and put them on the large paper 4. Guide the team in filling in the steps in between.

5. Walk your process map together. You may have someone else walk your process map to see if it makes sense.

6. Have the team agree that the process map is an accurate representation.

You will need to know the following shapes: The oval marks the beginning of a process and the end of a process A square (post it note shape) is a step in the process A diamond shape marks a decision point (example: yes or no)

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Simple Process Map:

12/1/2018

Swim Lane Process Map: A swim lane process map is useful when a process is handed off between people or work groups.

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