How to create a process map? Learn now in 4 steps!

Every organization is required to perform business processes: requiring lists of ordered tasks with the objective of delivering a product (or part of it), information or a service to a customer. The end client or internal.

Process mapping is a management tool that allows us to examine and improve each production process by understanding the operation of each of its stages.

And what else?

It is nothing more than a step by step control of the company. Understanding how these processes work and checking that they meet their goals.

Through this, it’s possible to establish improvements in existing processes or through the implementation of new strategies.

But how to create a process map?

A good start is to follow the 4 steps that we will detail below.

4 steps on how to create a process map

Step 1: Defining Stakeholders

Stakeholders are any individual, group or people that may be affected or affect the company during the production process.

Make a list of who are your stakeholders: customers, suppliers, shareholders, community, partners, employees, enforcement agencies, etc.

Depending on the nature of the organization, it’s worthwhile formalizing them in the process mapping steps, although it is also sufficient to include “customers and stakeholders”.

In the case of a university, for example, it may be relevant to differentiate some stakeholders, such as parents, students or graduates, depending on whether or not there are unique processes for each stakeholder.

This will be vital when creating a quality management system.

Step 2: Defining the types of processes found in the Company

Steps 2 and 3 of how to do process mapping are developed simultaneously.

Since it makes sense, you define the processes.

After all, understanding the order of tasks on your map is critical.

You need to clearly define the sequence in which they are performed and which supplies must be made for the next task to start without delay.

The types of processes commonly used in companies are:

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 drive or pool the efforts of everyone else to achieve the organization’s goals.

The decisions that are made have a major impact on other processes, starting with defining mission, vision and policy.

Mission Processes

They are the raison d’être of the organization, in other words they are processes that incorporate the product or service and are directly related to customer satisfaction.

They are also called key processes.

Support or support processes

These are processes that provide support or support other processes to achieve the desired results.

There is no way to map processes without understanding the differences between these types of processes.

Step 3: What are the processes that make up your organization?

Pay attention to these questions:

• What happens when a customer or potential client places an order?
• How does the company act?
• How is the product or service generated?

These questions allow us to identify the mission process of an organization and thereby meets its task.

See possible answers to these questions:

• A customer or stakeholder request has been generated;
• Contact with the customer is made;
• After the transaction is completed there is a way out;
• Consequently a new entry for another process.

The result of the interaction between a support process and a mission process is a service or product.

As we have seen already, strategic processes are those that provide guidance to others.

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

Through all of them working together they will bring greater efficiency and productivity to the business, hence the importance of knowing how to do a well-integrated process flow map.

Step 4: Draw the Process Flow Map

Once the processes have all been defined, it is time to finally generate the process flow map.

So as to make life easier, there are several online tools for process mapping in order for you to create and edit.

Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) notation is best suited for this.

The Benefits of Process Mapping

Now that you know how to do process mapping, let’s take a look at the top 10 benefits for your business application:

• View more than simply individual processes. Observe the interactions between them;
• Adoption of performance indicators, evaluate criteria and consider the ongoing process evaluation;
• Establish specifications, tolerances and minimum requirements for the execution of processes;
• Identification of the need for procedures, documented procedures and the sequence of activities necessary for the execution of the processes;
• Identification of human resources training needs, knowledge levels and staffing needs;
• Identification of waste, non-productive times, redundancies, unnecessary customer returns and time-saving opportunities;
• Provides a common language for participants to address organizational processes;
• Makes decisions about flow and processes visible, allowing them to be discussed;
• It forms the basis of an implementation plan by helping to design how total flow should operate. Have you considered building a house without a floor plan?
• Helps identify processes that add value, time and process duration.

Does that clarify how to create a process map?

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