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Process Mapping and the Route to Improvement

By Ed Bones

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Published: 01Nov2008
Word count: 471
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Defining and understanding business processes is the key to improvement of these processes and hence to improving business performance - whatever the nature of the business. Process mapping is essential to this understanding, and in every business the time spent on this mapping task will demonstrate that few if any members of the organisation fully understand the operation of their business as it is being conducted.

When our business first engaged with clients to introduce Quality Management systems (ISO9001) it was common to advise clients to 'say what you do' - 'do what you say'. This theory was fine so long as those defining (saying) what was to be done actually knew what should happen, but they seldom did, and the consequence was a management system that was seldom operated in the manner defined by the procedural documents. Our approach from the outset was to 'map' the processes prior to documenting them - a simple task you might think. We set about this activity by seeking as many views of each process operation as we could find, and developing the process map through individual interviews with these people. We identified one 'absolute of process mapping', the further you get from the people who actually perform the task, the less people really know about how the business works. We consider this method of mapping to be a key activity because it establishes what actually happens. From here it is possible to determine if that is what needs to happen, and can it be improved.

Process mapping since we first started to employ it has developed into what some might think of as a specialist activity, with articles, books software and courses being offered for what is essentially an information gathering exercise. Like so many management related tasks, it is more a social as opposed to a technical activity. Persuading people that you are interested in their view of what actually happens and not trying to catch them out is the key to success, and here we were clearly successful. This is not to say that the tools on offer today will not work, merely that in the absence of a culture of co-operation between the parties success will be more difficult.

Having generated a process map that is a consensus of the views of all interested parties, the opportunities for improving the process(es) should be clear, but again how this is carried out is important. The views of all involved in the original information gathering should again be gleaned to ensure that the revised process can actually be operated in the manner intended, and not become another documented process imposed by management who have failed to understand the basics of the business.

The best advice to managers, here as elsewhere - be careful what you ask your people to do, they might do it!

Ed Bones formed Meon Consulting to assist clients with managing their businesses in a manner compliant with ISO 9001/14001. Ed had earlier held a number of senior positions with big companies in the UK, Europe and the USA. He has written and delivered lectures on quality improvement and TQM. http://www.rent-an-auditor.co.uk. Please visit http://www.rent-an-auditor.co.uk/contactus.html to obtain your FREE copy of the Presentation.

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