The material was initially planned for use in a series of administrative planning conferences to be conducted by the bureau of budget.  The widespread interest in process charting shown by Federal agencies has led to prior publication, however, as one of the series of Bureau of the Budget Management Bulletins.

The multi-column process chart described here is particularly useful in analyzing procedures involving more than one unit or section of an agency organization."

The multi-column chart may be recognized by some readers as what is more commonly referred to today as a swimlane chart.  Also, take a look at the form distribution chart on page 4 - this is a precursor to the current multi-line flowchart.

View the pamphlet (1024k pdf)...

Spotlight On...
Foley Equipment
by Vince Sheridan

The Fluid Analysis Process for us at Foley Equipment involves interacting with an oil lab that provides interpretations which we then distribute to our customers.  We had a feeling that there was room for improvement in the manner in which we managed and distributed these sample results, but we really weren't sure what our process improvement would yield.  Using the Graham Work Simplification methodology, we mapped our current process and then analyzed all the steps involved.  We identified several steps that we were performing that could be performed by the oil lab.  While we didn't reduce a significant number of steps in the overall process, by relocating and reassigning them, we streamlined the process to where we not only reduced the amount of time to execute the process but the costs as well.  Mapping such a familiar process showed us that we do many things simply because that's the way we have always done them, regardless of whether they offer the most value.  The across the board increase in sample processing efficiency will net higher gross margin for us for many years to come!

 Our manufacturer, Caterpillar, made a major change in how information is distributed to its dealers.  The old process consisted of paper document mailing to many people and the new process was an e-mail notification to just a few.  We tried to continue using the old steps of the paper bound process and quickly discovered that we were trying to adopt the very costs that the manufacturer's new process was trying to eliminate.  Reproducing that process while accommodating the recent manufacture's changes was not only extremely inefficient but also costly.  We created a map of the old process to identify the features, benefits, vulnerability's and pitfalls that it represented.  Once we had this 29-step process displayed in front of us, it didn't take long to realize that there was little in it we wanted to re-use.  We defined the original intent of the process and then we asked how we could fulfill that objective using the new method of notification.  Our new process consists of 6 steps and is far more efficient and effective than the original paper method.  We didn't just reduce the process by 23 steps; we replaced them with 6 simpler steps that had far more reach than ever before.  Although the objective of this process improvement wasn't to reduce cost, a by-product of this change was a reduction of expense of $6800.00 per year to our company.  This was a great example that shows process improvement isn't simply making a map, rearranging some symbols and calling it a success.  By using the disciplines of the Graham Work Simplification methodology, we created a process that we never would have envisioned when we first started on this project.

Feature Column
Integrity Pays – Using Detail Process Charts for Business Process Transparency and as a Catalyst for Improvement

When our processes become transparent, it is difficult to not see the problems.

 Today, many organizations are taking a hard look at their business processes – for improvement (BPI, BPR, Six Sigma, Lean…), for certification (ISO), and by government mandate (Sarbanes-Oxley).  While most methods or prescriptions for understanding and analyzing business processes state the importance of identifying the current process, few specify how to do it.  It would be to the advantage of anyone promoting an improvement methodology (or certification requirements) to offer guidelines that will help people accomplish this essential first step successfully.  There are many flowcharting tools available.  Few provide the detail necessary to really understand a process.   We can choose to get by with high-level process maps or we can make things better with detail process charts.  If we want transparency, if we want to be able to make informed process decisions, we need to understand the detail – we can do this with detail process charts.

It would be silly to chart our business processes to satisfy an audit, regulatory or certification requirement, and not make the obvious improvements which become apparent. If we are going to document our processes, we should strive to get real value from the task by reviewing them to make them better. 

The charting method should be easy to use and easy to understand.  There are a lot of tools available that provide symbol sets.  But if the symbols are not wrapped in a methodology, then the charter has to invent one.  (Collecting the data, stringing the symbols together, handling rework…unusual situations…)  Fortunately, the work simplification charting method has made this easy with a small, well thought out symbol set and methodology that provides elegant structure to the ominous task of process charting.  The fact that the work simplification symbol set was adopted as the ANSI and ASME standards for Process Charting fifty years ago is testimony to its fundamental simplicity.  It has flowed through a half century of new technologies and constantly changing processes with the grace of an alphabet…because it is fundamental.  It is basic.  It gets to the roots of our processes.  It speaks the language of process.

 The fact that this symbol set (and many others) are included in a number of diagramming packages with little instruction on how to apply them correctly is unfortunate.

Detail charts may be intimidating at first glance.  However, the chart is a reflection of the process. If the chart is complicated, the process is complicated.  If it is a challenge to understand complicated detail process charts, imagine the difficulty of understanding the process WITHOUT a chart.

We need to instill into our organizations a discipline to become masters of our processes and not slaves to them.  Learning the language of process – detail process charting – will help us get there.

 Process Improvement Workshops 
We have three public workshops scheduled this year in Dayton, OH...Each will include two days of working through the methodology followed by a day of working with the software.

March 24-25 Methodology March 26 Software
June 23-24 Methodology June 25 Software
October 6-7 Methodology October 8 Software

To register for this workshop, call us at 800-628-9558 or download our fax registration form.

Process Improvement Discussion Forum
If you have any questions or comments about process improvement / work simplification or Graham Process Charting software, post them to our discussion board.
www.worksimp.com

or call us at 800.628.9558

Business Process Charting 6.0
www.processchart.com

Did you know you never need to use the line segment pointer to connect objects?  Simply click on the object to the right and the line will draw in automatically!  Here is a quick reference to help beginners place and delete symbols and conventions. (softwarebasics.pdf). 

I wish you the best with your improvement work.

Ben B. Graham
ben.graham@worksimp.com

If you know anyone who may be interested in our process improvement material, please forward this email to them.  Thanks.