Welcome to our guide to getting started with process mapping using AmpliFlow process charts.
Process mapping is a powerful tool to visualize, understand, and improve how your organization works. This module is fundamental for creating transparency in operations, meeting ISO requirements and ensuring efficient work processes.
In other words, process mapping is the first step you take to create a solid foundation for your continued improvement work and quality management.
This guide aims to help you:
• Understand the purpose of process mapping and how it supports your business and ISO certification.
• Efficiently set up, customize and use AmpliFlow's process mapping module.
• Ensure a clear process that meets relevant ISO process management requirements.
• Laying the foundation for continuous improvement and effective anomaly management.
Process mapping is closely interconnected with all other parts of your management system: Process maps describe how work is done, while other modules such as risk management, deviation management and competence management are directly linked to the processes. By following the steps and recommendations presented here, you will ensure that you meet ISO standards requirements for process orientation and continuous improvement.
Before you start working in AmpliFlow with process mapping, it is important to gain a basic understanding of what process mapping means and why it is so important to your organization. You can read more about this in the article”Process mapping 101“.
Process mapping is about systematically visualizing, analyzing and improving the processes that drive your business forward. It is the method we use to break down everything that the company does into smaller parts, analyze those parts and then visualize the whole process.
Process mapping and skills management are key components of this work, as:
• Process mapping describes how the work is carried out and what steps are required to achieve the objectives.
• Process maps clearly show who is responsible for which step and what resources are needed.
• Modern process maps serve as the backbone of the management system and connect other important tools such as risk management and anomaly management.
By combining process mapping with other modules in AmpliFlow, you get a clear picture of how the business works, where there are opportunities for improvement, and how you can systematically develop your organization.
Here we focus on the practical steps in AmpliFlow for setting up and using process mapping.
Already, a large part of the work is prepared in AmpliFlow: there are standard templates imported into your environment for how different process maps can look. But of course it is important that you adapt everything to your own business.
Below is a step-by-step guide to guide you through the process:
AmpliFlow's process mapping module provides a structured model with four levels. Below we explain the main levels and their purpose. In this way, it will be easier for you to structure the information correctly from the beginning.
More detailed information about this model can be found in the article”Process mapping 101“.
The overall process map shows the overall flow from customer enquiry through your main processes such as Business Development and Delivery to Customer Satisfaction, as well as the Management process (top) and supporting processes (bottom).
This is your organization's top-level workflow that includes:
It is important to include information about the management system, its scope and who is responsible for what in your overview as a complement to the visualization.
A process, e.g. Management, may consist of the sub-processes governance process, strategic business management process and operational business management process, as well as efforts and outcomes as well as what other sub-processes they check.
Now that you have defined all your processes at a high level in the overall process map, it's time to dive into what you see when you look at an individual process.
Each process, in short, contains a number of subprocesses.
For each individual process, you should also describe the inputs and outcomes of the process, key activities from process steps in the process subprocesses and company goals that relate to the process. In addition, selected extra-important risks identified further down the chain should be highlighted.
Sub-processes consist of a number of different process steps, key decision points and possible direct links to other sub-processes.
Each sub-process is visualized with several process-steps, decision points and text fields or links to other sub-processes. In addition to visualization, it is also wise to show links to relevant material (such as in-depth information, documents, templates or the like), who is responsible for what, which teams are involved and what risks exist.
Process steps consist of effort (s), important activities and outcomes, and possible links to checklists.
For each stage of the process, you now need to describe the activities which is part of the process.
Each stage of the process consists of:
Think like this: Activities can be performed using documented routines and checklists, and a process step collects a number of activities. Each task can be a key activity that is then rolled up at the sub-process level.
For inspiration, you will find below a more detailed example of a process taken from a “Sales Process”.
Overall Process Map (Level 1):
• Main Process: Sales and Customer Aquisition
Process (Level 2):
• Process: Sales Process
• Efforts: Customer Inquiry, Market Needs
• Outcome: Satisfied customer, closed deal
• Goal: Increase sales by 15% annually
• Sub-processes: Exploration, Qualification, Quotation process, Negotiation, Closing
Subprocess (Level 3):
• Sub-process: Quotation process
• Responsible: Sales Manager
• Teams involved: Sales, Technology, Finance
• Process steps: Demand analysis, Technical specification, Pricing, Quotation
• Risks: Incorrect pricing, technical misunderstandings
Process steps (Level 4):
• Process steps: Needs analysis
• Interests: Customer inquiry
• Key activities: Customer meeting, Requirements specification, Technical briefing
• Outcome: Documented needs analysis
• Responsible: Seller
• Risks: Incomplete requirements specification
• Links to checklists: Checklist for needs analysis
When embedding this process in the process mapping module of AmpliFlow, it is important that the information selected reflects reality. You also need to assess which processes are most critical to your business and start with these.
For more information on common mistakes to avoid, read the article”5 Mistakes to Avoid in Process Mapping“.
For in-depth information on process mapping within ISO 9001, see the article”Process mapping within ISO 9001“.
To understand how modern process maps work as more than just visualizations, read the article”Modern process maps“.
Before notifying your consultant or other internal stakeholders that the process mapping is ready for review, make sure that you have checked the implementation checklist in your AmpliFlow environment that ensures you meet the requirements and have done everything necessary.
You are warmly welcome to contact us for more information, questions and possibly further advice. Thank you for using AmpliFlow, and good luck with your process mapping work!
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• E-mail: support@ampliflow.se
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