How to do process mapping

When we think about the growth of many companies, we can see that, most of the time, it does not happen in a straight line. Most grow, gain market share, hire more people… but keep operating without clarity about how their processes actually work.

This is more common than it seems. In the rush of day-to-day work, tasks get done, flows form organically and, before you know it, bottlenecks, rework and waste start to appear, directly hurting results.

That is exactly when a fundamental question comes up: how do you do process mapping?

Process mapping is a management tool that lets you examine and improve each production process by understanding how each of its steps works.

Every organization needs to practice process managementopens in a new tab: sequences of ordered tasks aimed at delivering a product (or part of one), information or a service to a customer, final or internal.

That is because understanding how to do process mapping is essential to gain control over operations, ensure efficiency, improve communication between departments and, above all, prepare the company to grow in a sustainable and scalable way.

But how do you map processes?

In this article, you will understand what process mapping is, why it is so important and, of course, you will learn how to do process mapping in just 4 steps. Keep reading!

What is process mapping?

Before learning the 4 steps of how to do process mapping, it is essential to understand what it is and why it matters for the efficient management of any company.

Simply put, process mapping is the technique that lets you see, clearly and in an organized way, all the steps that make up a process in your company. That includes identifying each activity, who is responsible, which resources are used and how tasks connect to deliver a final result.

What does that mean?

It is nothing more than tracking the company’s step by step, understanding how these processes work and checking whether they meet their goals.

With that, it is possible to define improvements to existing processesopens in a new tab or the rollout of new strategies. That clarity is essential to detect failures, eliminate waste and make sure the whole team is aligned in the same direction.

When a leader or manager understands how to do effective process mapping, they create a solid base to simplify routines and speed up decision-makingopens in a new tab. In addition, this mapping helps create a more collaborative work environment by making the connections between departments visible and reinforcing each team’s responsibility.

In short, knowing how to do process mapping is a strategic tool and the first step toward improving productivity and the quality of results, preparing the company to keep growing, but now in a sustainable, long-term way.

A good start is to follow the 4 steps of how to do process mapping that we detail below.

Also learn: Swimlane diagram: what it is and how it works

4 steps to do process mapping

Step 1: define the stakeholders

Stakeholders are any individual, group or population that can be affected by, or can affect, the company during the production process.

Make a list of who your stakeholders are: customers, suppliers, shareholders, the community, partners, employees, regulatory agencies and so on.

Depending on the nature of the organization, it will be relevant to formalize them on the process map, although it may be enough to write “customers and stakeholders.”

In the case of a university, for example, it may be relevant to distinguish some stakeholders, such as parents, students and graduates, depending on whether or not there are processesopens in a new tab exclusive to each stakeholder.

This will be vital when creating a quality management system.

Step 2: define the types of processes found in the company

Steps 2 and 3 of how to do process mapping are carried out at the same time.

You are the one who defines the processes, as long as they make sense. After all, understanding the order of the tasks on your map is essential.

You need to clearly define the sequence in which they happen and what deliverables must be produced so the next task can start without delays. Identifying failures and problems that are already happening can be a starting point for your analysis.

There is no way to do process mapping without understanding the differences between types of processes. The ones commonly used in companies are:

1. Management or strategic processes

This is the captain of the ship. It is the process that sets the course and makes important decisions.

Processes at this level lead or bring together the efforts of all the others so that the organization’s goals are reached.

The decisions made have a big impact on the other processes, starting with the definition of the mission and vision.

2. Core processes

They are the reason the organization exists, in other words, processes that embody the productopens in a new tab or service and are directly related to customer satisfaction.

They are also called key processes.

3. Support processes

These are processes that provide support so that the other processes reach the desired results.

Step 3: which processes make up your organization?

Pay attention to these questions:

• What happens when a customer or stakeholder places an order?
• What action does the company take?
• How is the product or service generated?

See possible answers to these questions:

• A customer or stakeholder order was generated;
• Contact is made with the customer;
• After the action is completed, there is an output;
• And, consequently, a new input for another process.

These questions will let you identify the organization’s core processes, that is, the ones that fulfill its mission.

The result of the interaction between support processes and core processes is a product or service.

As we saw, strategic processesopens in a new tab are the ones that provide guidelines to the others.

For example, audit and management processes are examples of strategic processes, because they set the direction for all the other processes.

All of them working together is what will bring more efficiency and productivity to the business, hence the importance of knowing how to do well-integrated process mapping.

Step 4: draw the process map

After all the processes have been defined, it is finally time to create the process map. To make your life easier, there are several online tools for mapping processes that you can use to create and edit.

BPMN notation (Business Process Model and Notation) is the most recommended for this.

If you want to know more about how to manage your projects, download our free e-book (in Portuguese): 10 best practices for project managementopens in a new tab

The benefits of understanding how to do process mapping

Watch the video below (in Portuguese):

Now that you have learned how to do process mapping, let’s look at the 10 main benefits of applying it in companies:

• See more than just individual processes. You can see the interaction between them;
• Adoption of performance indicators, evaluation criteria and consideration of permanent evaluation of processes;
• Setting specifications, tolerances and minimum requirements for carrying out processes;
• Identifying the need for procedures, documented procedures and the sequence of activities required to carry out processes;
• Identifying the needs for training of human resources, knowledge levels and headcount needs;
• Identifying waste, non-productive time, redundancies, unnecessary customer returns and opportunities to save time;
• Provides a common language for participants to discuss organizational processes;
• Makes decisions about flow and processes visible, allowing them to be discussed;
• Forms the basis of an implementation plan by helping design how the whole flow should operate (Ever thought about building a house without a blueprint? Exactly…);
• Helps identify value-adding processes, process time and duration.

Next steps

Is it clear to you how to do process mapping?

We know that implementing process mapping can seem complex. That is why Siteware developed a software, Stratwsopens in a new tab, that helps your company make decisions, engage employees, manage the project portfolio and reach results.

When looking for a solution that helps centralize, organize and track all processes in one place, it is impossible not to mention our platform. With it, it is much easier to make sure the mapping does not stay on paper and turns into continuous improvements and effective deliveries.

Having a system that centralizes process mapping brings countless benefits: it promotes collaboration between departments, makes strategic alignment easier, improves internal communication and speeds up the identification of bottlenecks and improvement opportunities.

In addition, managing the mapped processes must be continuous. It is important to review the steps periodically, listen to feedbackopens in a new tab (in Portuguese) from the teams and adjust whatever is needed, creating a culture of constant improvement and adaptation to market changes.

To take the next step and learn how to do process mapping and make sure your company evolves in a sustainable way, talk to an expert.

Transform your company’s management with Stratws!