Flow charts - Show Me Yours! Systems Approach - Process Mapping

[pga_gold]

We have gone the route of an integrated system for process links, flowcharts, and work instructions. Attached are two flowcharts. "Resins Business Process Overview" acts as the gateway to the rest of our QMS documentation. It shows the links between our COPSand identifies our SOPs. If you click on any of the processes, it will bring up the specific process flowchart. This page also contains hyperlinks to our Quality Manual, an electronic copy of the ISO/TS standard (half our business is TS), and to our intranet page. The intranet page contains our Level II and III documentation.

I'm also attaching our flowchart for our Manufacturing process. Along with the flowchart, this page also contains links to work instructions, lists the related records, and lists the process metrics.

[pga_gold]

Pete,
I really like the layout of the flowchart. It contains all of the necessary detail, yet is still "easy on the eyes." I wish I had seen beforehand.

[isogeorge]

These forums are great for information exchange. Its great to see all the different styles and formats of flow charts.
Thanks to all!!

[Steve Prevette]

Attached is my standard flowchart for continual improvement using SPC.

[Wes Bucey]

In Reply to Parent Post by Steve Prevette

Attached is my standard flowchart for continual improvement using SPC.

I can see why it is "continual" - once you get into the loop, you never get out!

[Marc]

In Reply to Parent Post by Douglas E. Purdy

I have submitted this flow before when I was working on My First 2000 System (Process-Based Approach). I am on my Second System and using the same flow charting method. The amount of detail has proven to be of benefit, especially if one is not generating procedural documents to correspond with the flow. I am utlizing Guideline Blocks to provide that procedural information and try to place them near where the activity is occuring.

Nice one. High level, yet lots of details.

Tom W - I really like your format as well - especially the inputs and outputs. I would expect something like that will make audits easy. Back int the "show me where and how you comply' days, I loved cross-reference matrices - the standard in one column and the relevant procedure in another column. With the change, you format makes a lot of sense. It's also something that is obvious and clear to every functional responsibility particularly with regard to what data their system is suposed to be generating.

This is turning out to be a good thread! Any more examples, folks?

[Steve Prevette]

In Reply to Parent Post by Wes Bucey

I can see why it is "continual" - once you get into the loop, you never get out!

True. Early versions of the flowchart had an exit path for "this project is over" but really didn't add anything. Do note that once you get the indicator to an acceptable level, the only loop you are in is a monitoring loop, and action is only required if you get a trend in the wrong direction.

[Claes Gefvenberg]

In Reply to Parent Post by Steve Prevette

Attached is my standard flowchart for continual improvement using SPC.

Good one Steve, and I cannot help but noticing that with only minor changes it would make a good generic continual improvement flow as well...

/Claes