What is business process mapping?

At its core, business process mapping is a technique to outline and illustrate a diverse selection of processes. Efficiency and clarity are key goals, with the different types of maps creating visual guides that simplify intricate workflows, foster greater understanding among workers and encourage improvements.

Business process mapping can be traced back to the early 20th century. The 1920s and 30s saw both unprecedented economic prosperity and the crash thereof. Leaders and thinkers in commerce were consistently looking for ways to improve productivity and efficiency, and of course, profits. During this period, pioneers such as Frederick Winslow Taylor introduced science-based management principles to streamline various industrial processes.

Building atop these foundations, industrial engineers and husband-and-wife duo Frank and Lillian Gilbreth introduced the flow process chart in 1921. Their ground-breaking business tool was a result of a career-long obsession with upscaling efficiency. This passion even extended into their private life, later inspiring two of the Gilbreth children to write the semi-autobiographical novel, Cheaper by the Dozen. Frank and Lillian were not solely concerned with profitability in the workplace but also believed employees would benefit from their methodology, with reductions in stress and fatigue.

A century later, business process mapping has evolved far beyond the humble flow chart, though that early style still remains popular in modern business management. The digital age brought us new ways of creating process maps using software, and in the future, the proliferation of AI tools could see the dawn of a new era for the practice.

When and why should you use business process mapping?

Organisations of all sizes can reap benefits from business process mapping, from start-ups and family-run enterprises to international corporations. These visual solutions are ideal to turn to when tackling multi-step or complex processes, especially ones involving interaction between different teams or departments. They can also serve as handy reminders of more simple processes. Examples of these could be a restaurant kitchen with flow charts on the wall to remind workers of the end-of-day cleaning procedures or a warehouse with a poster detailing the steps to take when fulfilling orders.

The advantages of using business process maps are manifold. Let’s take a look at a few.

• Clarity: Visual aids provide transparent representations of workflows. Employees can find it easier to understand their roles and responsibilities and see how those fit into the organisation as a whole.
• Chance to spot inefficiencies: The process of breaking workflows down into steps offers the opportunity to identify problem areas and potential improvements.
• Standardisation: When it comes to complicated workflows, consistency is vital. This is especially true for organisations with large teams or multiple branches.
• Training: Whether your business is onboarding new employees or providing upskilling or refreshers for existing ones, well-structured business process maps can assist trainees in getting to grips with what is required of them more quickly. This can help reduce the learning curve and minimise confusion.
• Enhancing the customer experience: Using tools such as business process maps that prioritise efficiency, as well as communication between the different sectors of your organisation, has a positive knock-on effect on the product or service the customer ultimately receives.

What types of business process maps are there?  

There are several map styles you can use, depending on your needs and the complexity of the workflow you’ll be illustrating. Let’s look at some common examples.

1. Flow chart

The most simple and well-known type of map, flow charts can be used in many situations. Some of these include:

• Outlining existing processes
• Project planning
• Showcasing ideas or brainstorming
• Problem-solving

While flow charts are often used for basic processes, you can also turn to them for more complex situations by adding plenty of detail or creating a value stream map – a more intricate sub-type of flow chart. A value stream map typically represents a series of events. An example would be tracing the process of receiving an order through to the delivery of the product to the customer.

2. Value chain map

A value chain map may visually resemble a value stream map, but its purpose is to showcase an organisation or project’s main activities. This type of map is not detailed but provides an overall view that is easy to understand.

3. Swim-lane flow chart/diagram

This style of chart breaks processes down and arranges them into horizontal or vertical ‘swim lanes’. The lanes typically assign steps to different people, roles or departments and can help encourage collaboration and communication between teams. These are also known as cross-functional maps.

4. SIPOC diagram

SIPOC is the acronym for suppliers, inputs, processes, outputs and customers. These maps represent an overview of a team’s processes. They can be used to identify different elements, measure improvements and detail complex workflows.

What are the steps to creating your own business process map?

So, you’ve decided to create a business process map. How should you begin? These five steps will help you get started.

1. Determine what process you wish to outline or a problem you’d like to solve. Make sure you clearly define your goals so that everyone involved will understand.
2. Decide which type of map you’ll be using. You might want to do additional research into some of the styles we covered or other types of business process maps.
3. Plot your start and end points, then all the steps between them. During this stage, it’s recommended that you collaborate with others at your organisation for a broad spectrum of ideas and to ensure you aren’t missing anything.
4. Draw up your business process map. You’ll find it easier to do this if you can use purpose-built software.
5. Once you’ve created your map, liaise with your team and any relevant stakeholders to finalise the details. You’ll also want to check that you aren’t missing any vital information and that the map follows a logical and accurate path. Finish by testing your outlined process to determine if it delivers maximum efficiency or if it can be improved in any way.

Business process mapping tips

• Familiarise yourself with the typical symbols used in diagrams. Business process maps employ a standardised set of symbols that give them universal utility. These include ovals, rectangles, diamonds, arrows and connectors, among others.
• Use software to create diagrams quickly and professionally. Process mapping software also makes it effortless to change and tweak your design as you trial the workflow and identify any problem areas. Some of the most popular software are Lucidchart, Microsoft Visio, Bizagi Modeler, Creately and Gliffy.
• Stay flexible. It’s normal that your workflows will evolve over time, and the corresponding process maps should be regularly assessed and revised to keep them up to date.
• Begin with a broad overview before honing in on the finer details. If you’re new to business process mapping, you can avoid overwhelm by outlining your key ideas and the ‘big picture’ of an operation or project, then adding more details as you go along.
• Prioritise collaboration and feedback. This includes regular communication with the employees and teams that your diagrams relate to as well as any relevant stakeholders. Suggestions and ideas from employees and testing out the documented workflows in the real world will help you identify areas for improvement to reach maximum efficiency.

Whether dealing with intricate processes or simple ones, the practice of business process mapping can act as an operational compass. When done well, it will help you navigate new procedures and projects and streamline operations. Enhanced efficiency and better transparency across different departments can give every team member a better understanding of their unique roles. From the boardroom to the warehouse, these visual guides can lead your organisation to maximise its profit potential and increase satisfaction among both employees and customers.