What is a process map

Definition

A process map is a diagram that shows the steps of a process in order, who performs each one, the decisions along the way and the points where work passes from one person to the next. ASQ describes process mapping as an organized way to record all the activities performed by a person or machine, with a customer or on materials. Mapping usually starts with the as-is map, the process as it runs today, and then draws the to-be map, the way it should run. There are several types. A SIPOC (suppliers, inputs, process, outputs, customers) gives the high level view and is most useful before a detailed map. A swimlane map, described by Geary Rummler and Alan Brache in Improving Performance (1990), gives each person or team its own lane, so every handoff shows as an arrow that crosses lanes. A value stream map, set out by Mike Rother and John Shook in Learning to See (1998) from what Shook learned at Toyota, adds the time work spends waiting between steps. The idea goes back to Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, who presented the flow process chart to ASME in 1921. ASME standardised a set of symbols in 1947, and ISO 5807 (1985) is today's reference for flowchart symbols.

Why it matters

A process map makes hidden delays, duplicated work and handoff errors visible, and the handoffs are where work most easily falls through the cracks. The most useful thing to measure on the map is the waiting time between steps against the time spent actually working, because waiting is where delays hide. With the as-is map in front of them, business owners can spot which steps add value, which are waste and where the bottleneck sits, and then design the to-be map.

Directly related: Business Process, SOP, Bottleneck.

Improvement tips

• Start by mapping the actual process as it runs today, the as-is, not the idealized version you wish existed.
• Begin with a one page SIPOC, then map in detail only the part you want to improve.
• Use swimlanes to show exactly when a task moves from one person or department to another.
• Write the waiting time next to each arrow and compare it with the time spent working on each step.
• Color-code value-adding steps versus administrative overhead to target areas for simplification.

Common mistakes

• Adding too much detail to the first draft, which makes the map difficult to read and analyze.
• Drawing only the to-be map, so nobody sees how the current process really runs.
• Failing to act on the inefficiencies and bottlenecks revealed by the completed map.