How should I define a process-The use of the Active Voice

[tahirawan11]

Hi,

This might sound a dumb question but i want to know is there a common practice for the 'language' used during process mapping. For example when I am making a process map; how should i define a process, 'Prepare raw material' OR 'Raw material preparation' should I use Verb or Nouns, the reason why i am asking that is that during brain storm sessions when we are making PFMEA or Control plan, what part of speech we use can affect engineer's thinking and it can lead/mislead in a particular direction of thinking, so if you don't use a proper language during Process map / PFMEA; can result in good / bad document. Personally i prefer to use 'Prepare raw Material' in Process map and use 'Raw material preparation' during FMEA preparation.

Is it only i who is thinking this way or other people have also experienced that.

cheers

[Stijloor]

Originally Posted by tahirawan11

Hi,

This might sound a dumb question but i want to know is there a common practice for the 'language' used during process mapping. For example when I am making a process map; how should i define a process, 'Prepare raw material' OR 'Raw material preparation' should I use Verb or Nouns, the reason why i am asking that is that during brain storm sessions when we are making PFMEA or Control plan, what part of speech we use can affect engineer's thinking and it can lead/mislead in a particular direction of thinking, so if you don't use a proper language during Process map / PFMEA; can result in good / bad document. Personally i prefer to use 'Prepare raw Material' in Process map and use 'Raw material preparation' during FMEA preparation.

Is it only i who is thinking this way or other people have also experienced that.

cheers

Use active voice, present tense.
Keep titles short.

Stijloor.

[AndyN]

When I was taught Process Mapping (by a couple of Brits, so nothing was lost in translation) the preferred method was to use 'verb/noun' relationships.

So typically, you'd use:

"Reviews Customer Order", or "Issues PO", "Approves Requisition", and so on and so forth.

I've found it very useful to do this when coaching a session, since if the job can't be described this way, it may be covering up some non-value-added stuff which neds exposing and re-engineering out of the system.

[Ajit Basrur]

Originally Posted by tahirawan11

....... Personally i prefer to use 'Prepare raw Material' in Process map and use 'Raw material preparation' during FMEA preparation.

On a linguistic note, do you "prepare"

How about "Assemble Raw Materials"

[SteelMaiden]

Originally Posted by Ajit Basrur

On a linguistic note, do you "prepare"

How about "Assemble Raw Materials"

I think this would depend upon the process/ end product.

[AndyN]

Originally Posted by Ajit Basrur

On a linguistic note, do you "prepare"

How about "Assemble Raw Materials"

Preparing might mean a whole slew of things like "cutting to length", "weighing a quantity", etc. Not just bringing them together........

Ah, the power of the English language..........

[Paul Simpson]

Surely everyone uses the standard format "The organization shall ...."

Only kidding .... please write in the language you use (leaving out the expletives of course.)

[tahirawan11]

Originally Posted by AndyN

Preparing might mean a whole slew of things like "cutting to length", "weighing a quantity", etc. Not just bringing them together........

Ah, the power of the English language..........

Hi Andy,

Yes you are right, in my case 'Preparing' means a lot of things, 'Prepare raw material' is part of the 'High level Process map' and when I move to its sub-level process; Prepare means lots of activities, such as 'correct mixing ratio', 'connect fibre rolls' and so on. so i guess i should use a general terms to describe them all so i don't make my High level process more complex.