Process Map of Document Control - Review wanted (Visio)

[starfish]

Could I please ask for some kind people to have a look at my process map for Document Control please. It is based on a template that I got from the site, and revamped to enhance the process to suit the company and people I work with.

Reviews are very much welcome

[somashekar]

In Reply to Parent Post by starfish

Could I please ask for some kind people to have a look at my process map for Document Control please. It is based on a template that I got from the site, and revamped to enhance the process to suit the company and people I work with.

Reviews are very much welcome

It will help many to see, review and comment if you can attach same as an .xls file or a .pdf

[Peter Fraser]

Some initial thoughts...
What is the purpose of the diagram? Who will use it? Does it give them the information they require in the best format? Can they easily find the parts that affect them?
What triggers the process (it is not clear who can suggest a change)?
"Document Creator": is this a person or role? (If a role, the person may not have been the creator)
Not sure that I see some of the "Inputs" as anything other than "useful notes".
A number of the "Inputs" and "Outputs" are tasks, which I would expect to see in the middle column.
Passive tense is to be avoided!
Who is the "Author"?
I had a go at the first part (as attached) - I think that it helps to make the steps clearer, and also highlights who is responsible (and who else needs to be involved) for each step - and makes it easier to fix if it is wrong!

Hope this helps.

[starfish]

Hi Peter

Many thanks for your comments and the suggested format, the flow chart is to be included in a document control procedure that specifically relates to Adminstration staff that are not familar with DC steps, and I wanted to show the process in a step by step approach, and able to reference the procedure when required for more details. Your suggested format was a good help, are you able to send me this so I can work with it? Thank you

[Peter Fraser]

You can set it up in Excel (or even Word) - but it gets unwieldy if you are defining a number of processes this way. We use our own software (I'll send you a private email with more details)

PS might a flowchart in this detail not be able to replace the procedure?

[cgmpman]

Two things to share. First, to share with others who may not have Visio installed, just copy the entire drawing and paste it to a PowerPoint slide. Or do the same thing to a properly oriented Word doc. Secondly, there's always the challenge about how much to include in a flowchart. My opinion is that a flowchart should be a reasonably high level document (somewhat of a aerial view) so that one can see the basic steps. To this add the critical inputs, the approvals, and the end product. If the latter makes the flowchart unweildy, the use the multi-chart approach: one high level flowchart that describes the major steps and supplement each off-page reference with an appropriated deailed flowchart. From a high-level perspective, looks like you have identified the critical steps.

[BTRAP]

Peter. I am in the process to develop a similar project as StarFish. I really liked the flowchart format you sent. You mentioned that this was done using your own software. what software is that. Can you help me?

[Peter Fraser]

In Reply to Parent Post by BTRAP

Peter. I am in the process to develop a similar project as StarFish. I really liked the flowchart format you sent. You mentioned that this was done using your own software. what software is that. Can you help me?

Glad you like it - it is almost a standard format in UK North Sea oil and gas (they used Excel and Powerpoint about 20 years ago, but then realised that it was difficult to maintain an integrated set of process descriptions), but not well known in other sectors.
See http://www.promanade.co.uk/basic for the edition that creates printed (or pdf) output, and http://www.promanade.co.uk/our-software for the version that generates a complete electronic (html) management system.

Let me know if you want more details.