IowaStateUniversity

DivisionofUniversityServices
FacilitiesPlanningandManagement
FacilitiesPlanningandManagement

FP&MWorldClassJourney
ProcessMapping
WhatisProcessMapping?
Processmappingisaworkflowdiagramtobringforthaclearerunderstandingofaprocessorseriesofparallelprocesses.

Mostorganizationsthatwanttomove"upanotch"areprocessmappingusingoneormoreofthefollowing:Deming'sTotalQualityManagementmodel,International
StandardOrganizationcriteria,Goldratt'sTheoryofConstraints,BaldrigeCriteriaforExcellence,ortheBalancedScoreCard.

ConstructingaProcessFlowchart
Step1:DeterminetheBoundaries
a.Wheredoesaprocessbegin?
b.Wheredoesaprocessend?

Step2:ListtheSteps
a.Useaverbtostartthetaskdescription.
b.Theflowchartcaneithershowthesufficientinformationtounderstandthegeneralprocessflowordetaileveryfiniteactionanddecisionpoint.

Step3:SequencetheSteps
a.Usepostitnotessoyoucanmovetasks.
b.Donotdrawarrowsuntillater.

Step4:DrawAppropriateSymbols
a.Startwiththebasicsymbols:
i.Ovalsshowinputtostarttheprocessoroutputattheendoftheprocess.
ii.Boxesorrectanglesshowtaskoractivityperformedintheprocess.
iii.Arrowsshowprocessdirectionflow.
iv.Diamondsshowpointsintheprocesswhereayes/noquestionsareaskedoradecisionisrequired.
v.Usuallythereisonlyonearrowoutofanactivitybox.Ifthereismorethanonearrow,youmayneedadecisiondiamond.
vi.Iftherearefeedbackarrows,makesurefeedbackloopisclosedi.e.itshouldtakeyoubacktotheinputbox.
Step5:SystemModel
a.Drawchartsusingsystemmodelapproach.
b.Inputuseinformationbaseduponpeople,machines,material,method,andenvironment.
c.Processusesubsetsofprocessesinseriesorparallel.
d.Outputuseoutcomesordesiredresults.
e.Controlusebestinclassbusinessrules.
f.Feedbackuseinformationfromsurveysorfeedback.

Step6:CheckforCompleteness
a.Includepertinentchartinformation,usingtitleanddateforeasyreference.

Step7:FinalizetheFlowchart
a.Askifthisprocessisbeingrunthewayitshouldbe.
b.Arepeoplefollowingtheprocessascharted?
c.Dowehaveaconsensus?
d.Whatisredundantaddwhatismissing.

Thepurposeofprocessmappingistousediagrammingtounderstandtheprocesswecurrentlyuseandaskwhatisexpectedofuswhatshouldwebedoingto
providebettercustomerfocusandsatisfaction.Itwillidentifywhatbestpracticesweneedtoincorporateandfindappropriatebenchmarksformeasuringhowwecan
arriveatbetterwaysofcommunicatingourservices.AsDr.GeorgeWashingtonCarverputit"Itissimplyservicethatmeasuressuccess."

SampleFlowchart
 ChrisAhoy,AssociateVicePresident
FacilitiesPlanning&Management
IowaStateUniversity

FromFacilitiesNews,September1999

FacilitiesPlanningandManagement
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