ProcessMappingOverviewDefinitionProcessmappingisatechniqueusedtogainadetailedunderstandingofaprocess.Itvisuallyexaminesthechronologicalflowofaprocessfromdefinedstartandendpointsandcaptureselementssuchasapprovals,exceptions,outputvolumesandcross-functionaltransfers.Processmapscandistinguishmanualprocessesandsystemprocesses;depicttheflowandstorageofcriticaldocuments;highlightdelaysbetweenprocesssteps;andsummarizethenumberofpeopleinvolvedateachstepoftheprocess.Boththeprocessandoutcomeofprocessmappinghelptheconsultantandclienttospotproblems,weaknesses,redundanciesanddelaysrelatedtoaparticularprocessoractivity.Processmapsaretypicallythegenesisfornumeroustypesofdetailedanalysis(e.g.,cycletimeanalysis,approvalcycleanalysis).ApplicabilityUsedintheearlierstagesoftheconsultingprocesstovisualizeandunderstandthestepswithinaprocesswhen:·Clientneedstoredesignaprocessbecauseofchangesintechnology,productspecificationsorcustomerexpectations.·Issueshavebeenraisedwhichindicatethatthestepsintheprocessneedtobeanalyzed.·Clienthasdecidedtorestructureitsoperationsandpeople.Businessprocessesmustberestructuredfirsttoensuretheappropriaterestructuringdecisionsaremade.·Benchmarkssuggestthatclientprocessissub-standardwithrespecttocost,qualityortimeliness.AnalyticalProcessProcessmappingisdividedintofourmainsections:·DecidingWhichProcessesToMap·SelectingAProcessMappingMedium·ChoosingProcessMappingTools·MappingTheProcessDecidingWhichProcessesToMapThefirstdecisionistodecidewhichprocessestomap.Thiscanbedeterminedinoneoracombinationofthefollowingways:Clientmanagement:Managementshouldalwaysbeconsultedinwhendeterminingwhichprocessestoanalyze.Amiddleorupperlevelmanagercanoftenprovidetheneededinputtodeterminewhichprocessestomap.Forengagementswithspecificpurposesintargetedfunctionalareas,theareastobemappedmaybeknownasearlyaspre-proposalanalysis.Activityforms:Activityformsareusuallycompletedbytheclientandconsistofalistofactivitiesperformedbyindividualworkersandtheirassociatedpercentageoftimespentoneachactivity.Processesthataccountforthehighestpercentagestendtobethosethatwarrantmapping.Groupinput:Processeswithinafunctionalareacanbeinventoriedinagroupbrainstormingsetting.Participantsthengroupactivitiesintoprocessesandreachconsensusonwhichprocesseswarrantfurtheranalysis(mapping).Theconsultanttypicallyplaystheroleoffacilitator;arecordermayalsobedesirable.ProcessMappingOverview(cont.)SelectingAProcessMappingMediumThenextdecisiontobemadeisthemediumusedtomaptheprocess.Thespecificsoftheclientsituationwillprovedcluesastothebestmappingmedium.Elementstoconsiderinclude:corporateculturalenvironment,complexityoftheprocess,numberofpeopleandfunctionsinvolvedandthedegreeofanticipatedchange.Traditionally,consultantshavecreatedprocessmapsviaoneorseveralclientinterviewswithsubsequentfollow-updiscussionstoverifyaccuracy.Thisapproachisstillappropriateforcertainsituations.Manyconsultantshavediscoveredthatinmanycases,themosteffectivemeansofprocessmappingisthroughgroupfacilitation.Thistechniqueinvolvesagroupofclientpersonnelthatareeitherdirectlyinvolvedintheprocessorastakeholderintheprocess(e.g.,customers,systemspersonnel,internalaudit,vendors).Useofsystemspersonnelisappropriateincaseswheretheprocessinvolvessignificantsystemsapplications.Internalauditinputisvaluablewheneverpotentialprocesschangesinvolvereviews,approvals,combini...
