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There are several types of process maps varying in their objectives and detailing. SIPOC, swimlane, value stream maps are some of them. If you had to suggest a sequential series for process mapping in an organization with increasing level of detailing, what will your suggestion be? 🔹Best Answer: Click here to jump to the best answer

The reasons why the humble flow chart evolved into the powerful process map lies in the analogy between the process map and the geographical map. Just as a location on a map is referenced by its latitude and longitude, a process step in a process map is referenced by a combination of (say) the person / team doing that step and the stage of the process in which that step occurs. The references could be also be different – for example, a timeline could be one of the references. These references or the facility to reference a process step constitute the life of a process map. Now that this facility to reference is here to stay, swim lanes, be they horizontal, vertical or both are also an inseparable part of the process map. It does not matter as to which position in the sequence of detailing the process map is. Swim lanes make the process map easier to read and use. Therefore, it would be advisable to create and update one full set of swim-lane process maps from L0 to L5 levels. In the ITeS sector and in a typical BPO scenario, would use the following sequence of increased detailing. Level Description Details L0 Entity Level Customer, Supplier, Other External Parties L1 Sub-entity Level Different Departments of the Customer and Supplier, Other External Parties L2 Process / Sub-process Level Interactions of different processes or sub-processes with hand-ins and hand-outs L3 Activity Level Activities done by different stakeholders at different stages of the process L4 Task / Sub-task level Various tasks or sub-tasks that constitute activities L5 Field / Key-stroke level Absolute detail of every field touched or every key struck This set of process maps for every process is valuable as a training tool, as a real-time guide or SOP and as a trigger to identify improvement opportunities. To augment the above, would also use an enhanced SIPOC that contains apart from the usual Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Output and Customers, related information like process step times, who does what step, the team size and distribution across shifts, the average volumes of these transactions, the qualifications of staff for this process, the training required and so on. Other maps can be used to explain a specific perspective or to support a specific initiative. A turtle diagram or alternatively a Relationship Map can be used to understand at a glance, interlinks and dependencies. A value-stream map could be used to identify opportunities for leaning out a process by crashing lead-time. Overall, a simple, situation-based approach to selection of process map types for use would help in optimal utilization of this wonderful tool.