FeatureThe Key to Good Process Mapping
There are three essentials that
must be handled well to assure good process mapping.
1. The operating people whose work is being mapped must supply information for
the map and must understand and support the reasons for the mapping.
2. The map itself must be organized in a way that enables everyone involved to
clearly understand the process.
3. The information that is assembled in the map must be valid.
...The real test of a process map is not that it makes sense to people who have
never done the work but rather that it makes sense to and is vouched for by those
who do the work.
Read the
complete paper...
Musing
But Do We Really Need the
Detail?
If you do a Google image search on 'process map',
you might think that people are NOT particularly concerned with understanding
the details of the processes they map. The fact that there are so many one-page
process maps is cause enough for concern. I think people who are studying
business processes want to understand what's going on...but many just don't know
how. They find an available tool (usually a general diagramming package), then
make a best effort guess at creating a flowchart - usually with a few boxes,
diamonds and arrows (After all, how hard can it be?). This is the level of
understanding we are giving to the life blood of our businesses.
What would you think of the doctor who gave the same level of attention
to understanding YOUR ailment. Or the attorney who attempted the same level of
understanding to YOUR case.
It seems that an entire
generation of would-be process mappers has been sent into battle armed with
superficial tools. Can a group of good people achieve good results with a
high-level process chart? Of course! But they have to dig in to find the
details that do no appear on the chart. They could get better results more
quickly if those details were laid out in front of them in an organized
fashion. Graham Process Maps were designed to do just that. What do you
think?
If you have comments or
thoughts you would like to share with our readers, send them to:
Here's a
thought...
On the Road to Mastery
Business Process
Mastery Workshops
Two more public workshops are scheduled this year in Dayton, OH...They will
include two days of learning how to understand and improve business processes followed by a day of
hands-on process mapping with Graham Process Charting Software the principal tool for understanding business processes.
US Workshop schedule
...Overview
Software
Graham Process Mapping 7.0 is available! If your organization purchased ANY
prior version of our Professional Edition software, you can upgrade for
just $89.00 US. If
your organization is a current Site License holder or if you purchased the Professional
Edition of Graham Process Mapping within the past year, you can expect to
received an upgrade in the next few weeks.
Are you ready to try out the best process
mapping software available? You can
download a fully-functional 30-day evaluation copy here:
Graham Process Mapping 7.0
Reading
Detail Process Charting:
Speaking the Language of Process
"I have a copy of Detail Process Charting - a very useful book."
Howard, London
I wish you the
best with your process work.
Ben B. Graham
ben.graham@worksimp.com
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