Suggested Length: Two Days

Mapping Your Agency’s Key Processes

Overview of Process Mapping

• What is a process map and why use it?
• How a process map can streamline processes and remove non-value added steps
• Use maps in continuous process and continuous quality improvement programs
• Using a process map as a blueprint for implementing a new or improved process

Step to creating a process map

• Keeping the customer’s perspective foremost in your mind
• Describing the current state of the process
• Determining the boundaries of the process
• Selecting the process start and end points
• Identifying the number of handoffs in the process
• Creating swim lanes (rows) for each process role
• Deciding on an “As Is”  or “To Be” strategy for the process map
• Converting key process steps, actions, and decision points into a process map
• Highlighting all the process queues – places where work can pile up
• Locating all the checking/reviewing/inspecting procedures
• Indicating where all the process forks occur
• How to calculate the total amount of process steps, time, and cost

How process mapping is used to add value 

• Questions to consider when designing your To Be process
• Determining the amount of non-value added work in your process
• Identifying operational value-added work
• Process steps required by reason of law, contracts, regulations or employee development
• Emphasizing customer-recognized value added steps
• Isolating steps involving rework (poor quality, rejects, returns)
• Examining the need for approvals, redundancy, bureaucracy and other non-productive time or work

Strategies for Reducing Waste

• Reducing the number of process steps
• Eliminating steps for correction of work
• Decreasing the idle work in-progress or finished inventory
• Reducing wait time and search time
• Rearranging steps for efficiency
• Combining steps (reducing total handoffs)
• Standardizing work methods
• Smooth out timing for continuous flow of work to the next step)

Putting your process mapping team together

• The value of using a cross-functional team to create your process map
• Asking the key questions needed to understand the process
• Key roles (individuals, departments) involved in the process
• Options for creating the map: using Post-it Notes, whiteboards, PowerPoint, project software, etc.