The rapid change in customer demands and supply chains brought on by COVID 19 has required many businesses to quickly adjust their processes to keep things on track. Changing the way you do business and getting everyone on board can be more easily accomplished with a Process Map.
A Process Map provides a picture of steps and decision points in sequential order to help you visualize your workflow from start to finish. The map can be used for a variety of purposes and in a variety of settings including manufacturing, administrative or service delivery.
To create a map gather a group of stakeholders/process owners to provide input and assign a facilitator to collect and organize input on a whiteboard. You don’t need fancy software to build a map. But you do need a talented facilitator who can engage stakeholders and ask the right questions to make sure all relevant steps and decision points are included.
Once built, process maps can be used to standardize workflow, pinpoint problem areas, train employees and identify improvements. By expanding your map to include owners, resource requirements, time frames and cost, you can get a pretty accurate picture of what it will take to get the job done right.
Additionally, the group activity used to build a process map enhances teamwork, communication and buy-in. It also increases ownership by helping everyone understand how they fit into the big picture, what they contribute and how they impact others.