I'm having a hard time figuring out haw to start our process mapping. any steps or guidelines plus sample would be of great help. thanks.....

You might want to start by reviewing some of the existing threads and examples of process mapping such as Examples of Process Mapping and Quality Procedures (http://elsmar.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=6738) and Process Mapping - Process flow and interactions for ISO-9001:2000 (http://elsmar.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=10707)

I'm having a hard time figuring out haw to start our process mapping. any steps or guidelines plus sample would be of great help. thanks.....

Also ... be clear whether you mean drawing (i) process maps of individual processes, or (ii) a "map" of the whole system showing where processes fit together. Both these options are called "process maps" by some folk. To me, a process map / process flowchart / process definition chart is best done in deployment flowchart format, so that you define the steps and also make clear who is responsible for each step (and who else is involved).

As for the system map, I have never been convinced that you can show all the interactions in 2 dimensions, and most of the attempts I have seen fail to show them all. And sometimes there seems to be little point in showing the links since what is shown is so obvious that you don't need a diagram to explain it.

I'm having a hard time figuring out haw to start our process mapping. any steps or guidelines plus sample would be of great help. thanks.....


I have audited many process maps and find a common problem. The more detailed and accurate they are, the more complicated and unusable they are. If they need a lot of expalnation or deciphering, then hardly anyone will use them.

I have seen a simple format a number of times which I thought was detailed and useful. It begins with a simple high level view of the companies main processes, showing the general sequence and flow. Then, for each of the boxes on the highlevel view, a detailed flowchart and/or turtle diagram was made showing the particular details and flows for that particular process. Still showed all the detail, but was clear for everyone to understand and use.

Welcome to the Cove, leerpye :bigwave:
I'm having a hard time figuring out haw to start our process mapping.

Yes... We settled for graphic presentation very early on, but I have to say that we hesitated a bit before deciding on the format.

I have seen a simple format a number of times which I thought was detailed and useful. It begins with a simple high level view of the companies main processes, showing the general sequence and flow. Then, for each of the boxes on the highlevel view, a detailed flowchart and/or turtle diagram was made showing the particular details and flows for that particular process. Still showed all the detail, but was clear for everyone to understand and use.

We ended up with an interaction overview that is not very detailed. Speaking for myself, I use it mainly to show customers and new staff how we are set up. It seems to work, so I'm happy with that. It works

The process maps are more detailed, but clearly not as detailed as some I've seen. The main addition is areas of responsibility. I added one example:

/Claes

thanks for the reply.
we have started using the turtle diagram format for individual processes.
some areas are just confusing:
- with who (is this only the owner of the process or all the persons involved in such process)
- are the output of one process necessarily the input on the next?

thanks for the time.

regards:thanx: :