Process Mapping - Session OneNorthwest Vista College

Marlene Masten, instructor

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Welcome!

A valuable tool An investment by your employer 4 hours with break(s) – get back on time! Instructor-led discussion, audience participation,

activities, exercises Participant’s Guide – left margin for notes Glossary and Appendices – back of Guide

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Your Instructor

Marlene Masten Former teacher, past and current

professional education and training Industrial engineer, project and personnel

manager, consultant – more than 21 industries and 14 countries

Current local business consultant and animal rescue volunteer

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Getting to Know You

Name? What department are you with? How long have you been with NVC / ACCD? What do you want out of this class?

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Course Objectives

After this portion of the class, you will be able to:

Understand the benefits of process mapping. Identify different levels of processes (detailed

versus high-level). Understand how to collect the data necessary

for basic mapping – no small task!

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Course Objectives Achieved Through:

Your instructor’s skill and experienceHands-on experienceGroup and independent exercisesGuide for referenceQuestions and answers

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Course Agenda

First Session Introduction and overview Defining what is a process and what is process

mapping Mapping benefits Getting started Collecting data

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Course Agenda

Your Guide continues with: Opening the process mapping toolbox Choosing the right tool for the task at hand Analyzing the process Documenting findings

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Why Do All This?

Get a better understanding of your department’s processes.

Focus on core processes and identify ways to improve. Enable all departments to use one tool and one

consistent, continuous process when looking at how they provide services to meet their clients’ expectations.

Focus your attention on wasted time and energy.

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Overview of the “Process Approach”

Enables client satisfaction and consistency Formal and disciplined – to identify,

understand, manage the activities and elements required by clients

Meet requirements 100% of the time

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Process Management

Teams who use this method: Understand “who” and “what” and “why” Document Measure Implement and improve

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Today’s Focus

Documenting how work is done Allowing focus on core processes, enabling

identification of opportunities for improvement

Your Guide continues with more exercises & guidelines on two other mapping techniques.

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Define “process” (p. 5)

“A series of actions or operations which lead to an end” (Webster’s Dictionary)

Example: What process is used to drive a car?

Open door, sit, close door, foot to brake, seatbelt on, insert key, disengage parking brake …

Are there any alternative steps or methods?

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Define “process map” (p. 6)

“A graphic representation of a process, showing the sequence of tasks, using standard

flowcharting symbols”

Standard, so anyone who picks it up can understand it.

Document:– What is really done– What takes time– What uses resources

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“Typical” Map

How can people get to work? Alternate paths possible?

Government Bldgs

LEGEND

Railroad

Schools

Broadway

Franklin St.

Utopia Rd.

Winding Way

Firs

t S

t.

Post Office

City Hall

Police Station

Elementary School

Middle School

Johnson’s Creek

Thr

id S

t.

Library

High School

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Benefits of Process Maps (p. 6)

Objectively describe how activities are done Document control points (like intersections)

Show where variation exists (how many routes are possible)

Investigate where problems may occur Highlight “handoffs” (go from one city to another)

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More Benefits of Process Maps

Train others on processes Develop process thinking Logically identify areas that need to be

improved (and with proof!) Identify best practices Monitor and update the process when

conditions change

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Review – Process Maps

“A graphic representation of a process, showing the sequence of tasks, using

standard flowcharting symbols”

process map = “flowchart”

a “visual picture” of a process

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Example: Doing the Laundry

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Flowcharts show:

Process as a whole Sequence of steps Relationship between steps Beginning and ending steps – the boundaries

of the process

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Please answer the questions in your Guide, p.8-9

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Common Types of Flowcharts (p. 10-11)

Basic / Detailed (“Value Stream”) Swim Lane (“Deployment”) Spaghetti (“Transportation / Work Flow”)

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Flowcharting Highlights

The basic steps are the same no matter what type of map you use.

Strive for a level of detail that is useful to your project – no more, no less.

Example: “sort clothes” isn’t helpful to someone new. You’d get pink laundry.

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What to Map?

Series of activities or steps contributing to the final result or output

Start and end of a process (boundaries) Interfaces / transition points / handoffs Inputs & outputs “Ownership”

Applies to every organization.

Note that boundaries lead to interfaces.

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Process Ownership

Department? Individual?

Who is responsible and accountable for the results?

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Core, Sub, and Activity Level Processes

Possible to have one owner at each level Full definitions in Glossary

CORE PROCESS

SUB-PROCESS

TASK

ACTIVITY

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Please answer the questions in your Guide, p. 12-13

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The SIPOC Form

A process snapshot that captures information that will help you determine where that process

begins and ends.

Supplier

INPUT

Process

OUTPUT

Client

Suppliers (internal or external, vendors or another dept), inputs, process, outputs, clients (internal or external)

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Creating a SIPOC Form

Identify process boundaries and key activities at a high level

Identify key outputs and clients for each output

Identify inputs and suppliers for each input

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SIPOC Diagram Format

Supplier(s)

Input(s)

Core process

Output(s)

Client(s)

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Please answer the questions in your Guide, p.15-16.

Then discuss answers with the person next to you.

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GROUP ACTIVITY

Please close Guides.

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Group Activity Wrap-up

Answer the questions on p. 17 in your Guide. How did it feel to wear a blindfold? Thoughts and feelings as moved around: navigator

versus seeing impaired person? What did you wish your partner could have said to help

you: navigator versus seeing impaired person? What did the observers notice about the interaction

between the navigators and the seeing impaired persons?

What could have been done to alleviate the navigator’s thoughts and fears?

What could have been done to minimize the seeing impaired person’s degree of frustration?

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Group Activity Wrap-up

Navigators had information – their partners did not.

What does this exercise suggest about gathering information? Or even how to

interview people about their work?

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Interviewing

Before mapping, you need to: Interview and/or watch the people actually doing the

work Interview their supervisors and/or managers

Leaders clarify scope, involved areas, types of measurement, rationale, and related information.

But remember - NO JUDGMENT ALLOWED!

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Data Collection:Performing Interviews

Ride-along – observe an individual and probe for more details

versus Panel – get information from a group of

people all at once

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Data Collection Matrix

Required in interviewing “Process Activity” = work being done “Input(s)” = materials, equipment, info, environmental

conditions required “Output(s)” = product(s)/service(s) created or handed

off “System(s)” = digital information accessed or reviewed

to perform an activity “Reference(s)” = manuals, cheat sheets, etc., used to

understand how to complete steps

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Data Collection:Ride-along Interviews

DO: Observe Take notes Ask for clarification, more

detail Use Data Collection Matrix Watch for hidden steps (job

aids, cheat sheets, etc.) Check often for

understanding

DO NOT: Make assumptions Add detail when it is not

there “Correct” the process

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Data Collection:Panel Interviews

DO: Use checklist on p. 19 Facilitate by asking leading

questions Give everyone a chance to

participate Ask for clarification, more

detail Check often for

understanding Seek consensus Use Data Collection Matrix

DO NOT: Make assumptions Add detail when it is not

there “Correct” the process Get too caught up in the

format – most people haven’t been trained to use this technique

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Panel Interviews

Use post-it notes for each person to put on blank flipchart, whiteboard, or table.

Clean up – eliminate duplicates, combine similar ideas, agree on wording.

Use consistent level of detail.

Remember: You are only collecting information. NOT an audit, check for compliance - NO judgment

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Data Collection:Checklist

Planning ensures your time and your interviewees’ time is best spent.

Use the checklists (p. 18, 19, & Appendix D) to make sure all of your bases are covered.

Practice inquiry techniques (Appendix C)

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Review:Apply What We’ve Learned

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Review Role Play:Apply What We’ve Learned

Part One Get into pairs and turn to p.20 Choose an interviewee versus interviewers Introduce yourself and the project’s scope Use verbal walk-through to get information Complete SIPOC Form Collect data using Ride-along interview method

and the Data Collection Matrix Check for understanding

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Review Role Play:Apply What We’ve Learned

Part Two Record your group’s sub-process steps

on sticky notes and put on classroom wall.

Present your results to the class.

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1. Get box

MAKING MACARONI AND CHEESE

2. Readdirections on box

5. Get pan3. Have all

ingredients?

4. Stop

yes

no

6. Get cup7. Measure

water8. Put water in

pan9. Put pan on

stove10. Turn burneron to boil water

11. Wait

12. Checkpan

15. Addnoodles

13. Boiling? 16. Wait17. Check

pan18. Boiling?

yes

14.. Goto #11

no no

19. Getspoon

20. Stir every 3mins

22. Checknoodles

21. 8 mins?yes yes

no

23. Tenderbut firm?

24. Boil 1 moremin

no

yes

25. Getcolander

26. Drain waterfrom pan

27. Returnnoodles to pan

28. Get butter &milk

29. Measurebutter

30. Add butterto pan

31. Measuremilk

32. Add milk topan

33. Get cheesepowder

envelope

34. Add cheesepowder to pan

35. Get spoon36. Stir pan

contents37. Lumpy?

no

yes38. Taste

39. NeedsS&P?

40. Get S&P41. Add S&P

43. Serveno

yes

start/stop

decision

action

connection

Version 2.1, MM

42. Turn stoveoff

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Exercise Check

Inputs:• Pot• Stove• Water• Mac box• Butter• Milk• Spoon• Strainer• Plate/bowl• Measuring cup• Sink

Outputs:• Mac ready to eat• Empty box• Dirty pan• Dirty spoon• Dirty pot• Dirty strainer• Dirty measuring cup• Dirty water

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When Studying Any Process:

Define core process using SIPOC Form Interview / observe Complete Data Collection Matrix Map Analyze for accuracy

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Process Mapping Toolbox

CONSISTENCY All maps use the same basic steps. Flowcharts use symbols to represent

different kinds of process steps.

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Common Flowcharting Symbols

Direction of flow

Starting, stopping, or control point

Decision point

Processing

Input or output (optional)

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*As a class, review flowchart in your Guide.

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Decision Diamonds

Always pose a question – inspection or choice

Lead to two or more paths Are best if you can put into yes/no format Use objective criteria, not subjective

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Basic Flowcharts with Detailed Steps Show:

Sequence and relationship of steps Different types of actions with different

shaped boxes Decision points Steps taken when things go wrong

Most common type of flowchart

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Use Basic Flowcharts When You Need To:

Understand, improve, and standardize a process.

Show sequence and relationships in detail. Identify where people are doing things

differently Highlight decision points.

Use when a SINGLE organization or person is responsible for most steps in a process.

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Critical Components of Basic Flowcharts

Process name Date of creation or update (version)

Name of person or group creating it (contact)

Clear start and end points (boundaries)

Clear direction flow Consistent level of detail Numbered steps Key of symbol definitions

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Basic Flowcharts - Steps

Clarify purpose Decide level of detail Write down all steps Decide start and end steps Arrange steps’ sequence Check for completeness Identify decision points (diamonds) Develop alternate paths for decision points Add flow lines and arrows Number each step

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*Tips for Basic/Detailed Flowcharts

Walk the process. Draw first drafts manually. Use numbered reference sheets. Always date or provide version #. Maintain version control. Create a “parking lot” folder. Concentrate on process, not symbols. Ask lots of questions.

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More Tips for Basic Flowcharts

Avoid confusion Identify contact(s) and boundaries Follow the flow and spot problems Note reference points Be sure it is easy to interpret

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1. Check time &weather

Deciding the Best Way Home

2. Is weatherclear?

3. Is it before5 pm?

8. Take alternateroute A

4. Much trafficon primary

route?

9. Leave office5. Leave office

10. Take alternateroute B

7. Leave office

6. Take primaryroute

no

no

no

yes

yes

yes

11. Arrive home

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1. Tire needs air

Bicycle Tire Changing Process

2. Havepump?

3. Walk home

4. Inflate tire torecommended

pressure

5. Tiremaintainspressure?

6. Have sparetube?

7. Take wheel offbike

8. Take tire offwheel

9. Examine inside& outside of tire

for punctures

10. Find anypunctures?

11. Removecause of

punctures

12. Put tube &tire on wheel

13. Inflate tire torecommended

pressure

14. Put wheelback on bike

15. Have funbiking

yes

yes yes

no

no no

no

yes

Start/stop

Decision

Activity

Version 2.4 MM

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*Let’s Practice Once More

Using the steps in your Guide and examples given in class, create a detailed flowchart for how to pay your credit card bill with a check

(p. 29).

Follow along in your Guide, using the instructions and all forms provided.

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1. Receivestatemt

PAY CREDIT CARD BILL

2. Review statemt &"tickler" file

3. Review checkingbalance

10. Write currentdate in "date" field

4. Enoughto PIF?

5. Enoughto pay

minimum?

6. Enoughby duedate?

7. Make otherarrangements & file

in "tickler" file

8. Go to #1

no

no

no

9. Save money

yes

yes

yes

11. Write name ofcredit company on

"To" line

12. Write numberamt (to be paid) next

to "$" sign

13. Write text amt (tobe paid) on line undercredit company name

14. Sign name onlower right-hand

corner line

15. Write commenton lower left-hand

line, if needed

16. Write date, ck #,"To" name, amt in

check register

17. Subtract checkamt from avail

balance

18. Put check & statemtin return envelope,ensuring address isdisplayed on front

20. Purchase stamp 19. Havestamp?

21. Put stamp onenvelope

22. Label envelopewith return address

23. Put inmailbox

Start/stop

Step/task

Decision

Version 3.2 - MMasten

Flow

Can you find any errors?Hint - no dead ends allowed.

yes

no

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Detailed Flowchart Activity Debrief

It’s not easy to maintain a consistent level of detail.

It’s not always easy to show different paths. Steps often need to be moved as you get

clearer about the sequence. Numbering the steps is usually arbitrary.

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To Remember:

Selecting the start and end points provides boundaries for the flowchart.

It’s easier to follow when it has a consistent level of detail.

Be sure you make it clear where decisions are made in the process.

Sequence is shown by flow lines and arrows.

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How Much Detail?

The more detail you have, the more information you have about how a process actually works.

Lots of detail is necessary when it is absolutely critical the process be done exactly the same way each time.

Weigh costs and benefits – detail takes time. Don’t get bogged down … or your users!

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Analyzing the Process

Review the categories of:Who, what, when, where, whyPeople, material, machine, environment, methods

Map to see where can improve Have redundant steps? Do things in parallel? Reduce customer wait time or cycle time? Map to document how things are done here Get right level of detail? Is it accurate?

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All Good Flowcharts Should Have:

Process name Date of creation or update (“version”) Name of person or group creating it Clear start and end points Clear direction flow Consistent level of detail Numbered steps Key of symbol definitions “Parking lot” folder

See appendix checklist for reference.

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Remember the Steps

Review the process and its boundaries Identify chart type to use Have participants identify steps Use note/card per step, with chosen symbol Arrange steps in order Eliminate duplicates Determine and maintain consistent level of detail Number each step Transfer flowchart to paper or computer Check for completeness

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Wrap-Up

Final thoughts or questions?

Thanks for coming!