Process Mapping

A simple approach to improvement

by making a process visible

An article by Dr. Mike Bell C.Sci., C.Chem., F.R.S.C.

Simple Improvement Ltd.
mike.bell@si8.co.uk
www.simpleimprovement.co.uk

www.simpleimprovement.co.uk

info@simpleimprovement.co.uk !

Page 1 of 11

Process Mapping
A simple approach to improvement by making a process visible
1. What is Process Mapping?
All work can be described as a series of individual tasks or steps. The point of mapping these
steps is to make them visual, making the connections and feedback loops obvious, with the
aim of improving the overall process.
If you cant describe your work as a process, you dont know what you are doing
W. Edwards Deming

Mapping a process simply entails drawing a box for each step and connecting the boxes to
show the Jlow of the work. An example makes it easier to see; when cash machines were Jirst
introduced, the banks Jigured out quite quickly that it was costing them lots of money to
replace lost cards. Looking at a process map, it is obvious where the problem was

Process Map - Money from the Cash Machine

The initial sequence of steps involved getting the cash out of the machine before the card was
returned. Most people were focussed on the money, so, once they had the notes in their hand,
they turned away, leaving their card still in the cash machine. Simply by reversing the order of
those two steps solved the problem - people had to remove their card before they got their
money.

www.simpleimprovement.co.uk

info@simpleimprovement.co.uk !

Page 2 of 11

The majority of organisations need nothing more complicated than a basic process map.
Although there are many more sophisticated variants out there, this article will stick to the
process mapping within the Practical Process Improvement (PPI) program and based on
these principles1
Logical simplicity
Practical tools and methods
Involve everyone
Process maps become useful in driving improvement when they are simple and visual,
allowing everyone to understand them and see possible ways to do things better. In my
experience it is best to start with a simple map that everyone can follow and use that to build
on successive layers of detail; e.g. value stream maps show not just the process steps but the
material and information Jlow, along with the people required at each stage. Jumping straight
to a complex map (and most people do not understand value stream maps), misses the
opportunity to involve everyone and beneJit from their ideas for improvement. And you will
Jind only a few cases where the additional complexity is needed. Keeping process maps simple
leads to the best improvement ideas.

1.1 The 30,000 foot view

It is best to start with a high level map of your process. Ed Zunich deJines2 this as the 30,000
foot view; i.e. imagine that you are in a plane cruising at 30,000 feet and are looking down a
the ground below. You can see a town all the way down there but can only see the general
topography, not the detail. But this view allows you to focus on the big picture, how the town
is laid out, where the railway is and the river, the main roads etc. It is really important to get
this overview before descending into the detailed view.
Start by drawing out the 30,000 foot view for your process. Initially, you need to limit the
map to only 4-7 steps. Almost everyone is tempted to add additional detail but it much better
to restrict the steps to 7 at the most (less than 4 shows you very little). As a general rule, the
best people to map and improve a process are the people working in that process (not the
managers or supervisors).
There are only 3 symbols used in a simple process map or
Jlowchart

An oval to signal the start and stop of the process

A rectangle for each process step
A diamond for a decision

Ed Zunichs PPI (Practical Process Improvement) program, see www.ppiresults.com and

www.simpleimprovement.co.uk
2

See PPI 2020 p96 by Ed Zunich for more information on flowcharts

www.simpleimprovement.co.uk

info@simpleimprovement.co.uk !

Page 3 of 11

Here is a simple example of a 30,000 foot process map, showing how to boil a couple of eggs
for breakfast...

30,000 foot Flowchart - Eggs for Breakfast

1.2 The 500 foot view

Once you have completed the 30,000 foot view, it is time to tackle the more detailed view, the
500 foot process map. The concept is that you strap on your parachute and jump out of the
plane, descending down to the 500 foot level. Now you can see a lot more detail. You can see
the houses in the town, the streets, the intersections, the cars, some people etc. Having gained
the overview, you can now understand how people would get to the railway station or cross
the river. However, it is critical to stay at the 500 foot level and not to descend down to the 1
foot view, where the level of detail is overwhelming. Continuing the analogy, this would be
like crashing down in your parachute into a small forest on the edge of town, where you
literally could not see the wood from the trees.
Usually the folk who know the process can map the 30,000 view while sat in a training or
meeting room, after all it is only 4-7 steps. However, once you descend into the detail,
mapping becomes much easier if the team goes and walks the process, talking to the
individuals involved in running it and tries to Jind out how things actually operate. The idea is
to map the process as it is currently, warts and all, not how we would like them to be or the
sanitised version written into the standard operating procedure. Once all of the information
has been collected, get the team together around a large empty wall space and have plenty of
Post-it notes to hand. Mapping at the 500 foot level takes quite a bit of time, so it may be
necessary to break it down into sections and give the team plenty of breaks.

www.simpleimprovement.co.uk

info@simpleimprovement.co.uk !

Page 4 of 11

Here is a 500 foot view of the same eggs for breakfast process that was shown at 30,000 feet.
There is a lot more detail, but not so much that the process is hard to follow. This type of view
is commonly used in procedural training, particularly for workers new to a process.

500 foot Flowchart - How to Boil Eggs for Breakfast

There are a couple of ways to move from the 30,000 foot view down to the 500 foot level. You
could just map the entire process at 500 feet or you could map each of the 30,000 foot steps at
500 feet. Both ways work, but you may Jind one better in one situation, whereas the other
approach works in a different process. Using Post-it notes allows changing between the two
without too much additional work. Taking photos at regular intervals allows you to look back
and see how the Jinal view developed.

1.3 Deployment Flowcharts

It can be useful to transfer your 500 foot basic Jlowchart onto the swimlanes of a deployment
chart. This adds a little more complexity but does give a different and often useful view. Select
the parties responsible for the steps in the process; this can be individuals, departments or
even including the supplier and customer. Draw lanes for each grouping, either horizontally
or vertically, and simply move the task into the correct lane. Joining the tasks together shows
the Jlow of the work from one area of responsibility to another.
Here is a supply chain for apples mapped using a deployment Jlowchart..

www.simpleimprovement.co.uk

info@simpleimprovement.co.uk !

Page 5 of 11

Deployment Flowchart - Apple Supply Chain

1.4 RACI Charts

A further layer of detail can be obtained by drawing up a RACI chart, showing who is
Accountable, Responsible, Consulted or Informed. First, list the tasks down the side of the
page, mirroring the order from the 500 foot Jlowchart. Then along the top of the page list all
the possible job functions involved in the process, including suppliers, customers and
management, as appropriate. Completing the RACI chart should be done as a team activity and
does take some time. For each task the team needs to decide who is Accountable (one person
only, the buck stops here), Responsible (who actually does the task, can be several people),
Consulted (prior to the task being done) and Informed (told speciJically about the task,
everyone gets general information). This can be a very valuable exercise in building team
consensus and clarity around the work they do.
At the end of this process mapping, everyone will have a clear overview of the process
(30,000 foot Jlowchart), the detailed steps (500 foot Jlowchart) and the responsibilities of all
roles (deployment Jlowchart and RACI chart).
www.simpleimprovement.co.uk

info@simpleimprovement.co.uk !

Page 6 of 11

2. Aim of the System

The mapping exercise gives a good picture of how the processes are operating at the moment ,
the warts and all view, and provides an excellent starting point for process improvement.
Every system should have an aim; i.e. what is it trying to achieve. Write this down in simple
terms that everyone can understand (avoiding nonsense terms such as shareholder value or
customer excellence etc.). Then get the team to assess the process against this aim. If this is
the Jirst time the end to end process has been mapped, it will look like a mess. Do not worry,
all processes get this way over time simply through entropy. It is no-ones fault, so do not be
tempted to criticise individuals. Look at the convoluted, tangle Jlow as an opportunity for
improvement

2.1 Strategic, Core and Support

Up until now, we have considered only a single process. However, an organisation should look
at all their processes and see how they link and interact, to ensure correct prioritisation of
limited improvement resources. Also, any gaps or overlaps in the processes become obvious.
It is helpful to categorise the processes and into Strategic, Core or Support.

An organisation would have, typically, between 5 and 10 processes. If you come up with less
or more than that, it might be worthwhile revisiting the list.

3. VariaKon
All processes exhibit routine variation. It does not take the same amount of time to get to
work each day, due to the weather, slow vehicles, road works, trafJic lights and a whole host
of other possible reasons. Therefore, the commuting time is variable. And this is true for all
the processes that we use at work. It is very useful to capture and show this variation on the
process maps and we do this by recording the times for each step. For example, the time to
approve a document can be 1 hour but sometimes takes 3 days. This highlights an opportunity
for improvement. What do we need to change to ensure that document approval always
happens in one hour?
This is an example from a PPI project team looking at urgent blood tests from an Accident and
Emergency ward (Currently, urgent blood tests take too long). Looking at the 30,000 foot
Jlowchart we can see immediately where some of the issues are.

www.simpleimprovement.co.uk

info@simpleimprovement.co.uk !

Page 7 of 11

Doctor defines
test

Request for patient

information

Boundary

Sample request
form

Specimen drawn
from patient

6-9 mins

3-8 mins

10-90 mins

Deliver specimen
to lab

18-128
minutes
Total
67-300 mins

Results received
in ward

Lab testing

30-65 minutes

Boundary
Clinical decision based
on test results

30,000 foot Flowchart - Urgent Blood Testing

The variation in the delivery time of the blood sample to the testing lab is between 18 and 128
minutes. Highlighting this variation so visually on the process map makes it easy for process
teams to see these improvement opportunities.
Therefore, the recommendation is that all process maps should show this time variation,
where possible. But remember that process maps represent the current state, so go to the
work area and capture the actual times (not some idealised timings from an SOP). Talk to the
people carrying out the process, explain what you are doing and ask them to record the times
for you (standing with a clipboard and a stopwatch will make anyone nervous!).
It is often easier to add the times to the 30,000 Jlowchart by adding up all the individual times
from the 500 foot chart.

Value Added Work and Waste

In addition to the timings, each step should be marked as value added (green) or waste (red).
The concept of the 7 Wastes comes from the Toyota Production System (TPS) and is a
fundamental part of lean thinking. An easy way to remember all 7 is to use the acronym
TIMWOOD
Transport involves moving things or information around. This could be
blood test samples in a hospital, or loaves of bread in bakers or electronic
customer orders. Reducing this waste can be achieved by moving work
areas closer together or reordering steps in a process.
Inventory is found not just in the warehouse, but also in desk drawers,
computers and all the way through any process. As a general rule of thumb,
everyone stores excess inventory. And someone will insist thatit is counted,
re-valued and obsolete items disposed off. The customer does not want to
pay for this.
Motion is a people waste. It involves walking, turning, reaching for things
and while many of these movements may seem small, they add up to
something very signiJicant over a day or a week or even a year. The concept
www.simpleimprovement.co.uk

info@simpleimprovement.co.uk !

Page 8 of 11

is to supply what ever it is that people need in a process directly to their

Jingertips.
Waiting hardly needs any explanation. But remember that it is most often
not the people that wait, they are very busy, but material and information
waits.
Overprocessing is doing too much and usually a sign of lack of trust in a
process. Incoming goods tests are done even though the sample was made
by another part of the company and they did a test before despatch. The
form has 5 signatures for approval. A manager has to release this particular
batch.
Overproduction is making too much or making something too soon. This is
the worst waste of all because it generates many of the other wastes. If
more is produced than is needed right now, then you have to move it
somewhere and store it and probably count and test it. However, this is
probably the hardest one of the 7 Wastes for people to accept. How can it be
a problem to get ahead, do things early because we will need them later?
Defects are things that the customer does not want and generates rework
or scrap very expensive in any process.
For a step to be value added, it must pass all three of these tests
1.
The customer is willing to pay for it
2.
The item being worked on physically changes
3.
It is done right the Jirst time
Here is the urgent hospital blood process map at the 500 foot level and the quantity of steps
coloured red show the amount of waste in this process and, hence, the opportunity for
improvement.
Y
Sample request
form (paper)

Pholobotomist
available?

Attach sample
tube to form

Take blood
sample

Porter
available?

N
Other samples
ready?

N
Y

Find nurse to take

sample

Sample urgent?

Find sample
container

Put out tanoy call

for porter

Apply label to
sample and form

Print bar code

identifying labels

Receptionist logs
sample into lab
computer

Place samples in
reception bucket

Take lift to
basement

Analyst exits lab to

check for samples

Urgent and nonurgent samples

enter lab

Check samples
against computer

Check which test

is required

Separate out
urgent samples

Collect other
samples and
paperwork

Wait for lift

(no samples by
stairs)

Take samples
down to lift

Y
Wait for analyst to
collect samples

Wait for analyst to

collect samples

Y
Centrifuge
required?

Centrifuge sample

Sample results
wait for checking

Take sample
result print out for
authorisation

Print off results

from LIMS

Results recorded
in LIMS computer

Remove sample
tubes from
analyser

Lab Supervisor
checks results and
signs print out

Lab Supervisor
updates LIMS

Approved print off

put into out-tray

Analyst moves
print off to
reception out-tray

Porter
available?

Run blood test

Prepare sample
and inject into
analyser

Collect batches of
similar samples

Porter carries print

out back upstairs

Test result goes

into ward in-tray

Test results wait to

be picked up

Nurse takes test

results and goes
to find doctor

Test results
entered into
patient record

Nurse leaves ward

to check in-tray

N
Put out tanoy call
for porter

Key

Call lab to clarify

results

Waste

Results clear?
Value Added
Clinical decision made
based on test results

Doctor checks
results

500 foot Flowchart - Urgent Blood Testing

www.simpleimprovement.co.uk

info@simpleimprovement.co.uk !

Page 9 of 11

4. Metrics
It is critical to measure the performance of your processes, to check that everything is running
well or to track improvements. KPIs are preferable to KRIs
KPI - Key Performance Indicators give information in real time about the process;
e.g. new sales orders for export
KRI - Key Results Indicators give information about how things ended up and are
often an amalgamation of several different factors; e.g. proJit

5. Step by Step Guide

Gather lots of Post-it notes and book a meeting room with plenty of free wall space
Assemble a team of people who are familiar with the process
Outline the mapping process and the three symbols used
DeJine the aim of the system (this could be the Mission Statement for the
organisation)
Prioritise the processes to map at 500 foot level (this can take a lot of time)
Add the times to the Jlowcharts and mark the value add and waste steps (green
and red, respectively)
DeJine metrics for each process, preferably KPIs

www.simpleimprovement.co.uk

info@simpleimprovement.co.uk !

Page 10 of 11

Remember that the aim of making a process visible to everyone is to drive improvement.
Therefore, the Jinal stage is to identify problems within the process maps and establish
project teams to solve those problems.

6. Mistakes Made
Too detailed, too early - start with the 30,000 foot view, in 4-7 steps, and do not
move on until you have agreement that this represents the process
Mapping what you want to see - it is critical that the process map represents the
current situation, not some idealised view or what is written in the procedure. So
talk to the people involved, get their input as to what really happens. It is
impossible to map a process correctly from a meeting room (you might get away
with this at the 30,000 foot level, but not at 500 feet)
Leaving Post-it notes on the wall and assuming that they will still be there in the
morning. Post-its are not sticky and have a habit of falling off, so take plenty of
photos at every stage in the mapping
Creating an electronic version of the maps and failing to post these where people
can see them - anything in a computer is hidden
Failing to drive improvement - process mapping takes time to complete, but this
will be wasted unless the maps are used to highlight areas for improvement and
action is taken

7. Summary
Keep process mapping simple and visual and it can be a catalyst for improvement in any
organisation, any work environment. It is probably the best way to engage a team and make
sustainable improvements. All a leadership team has to do is map the process at 30,000 feet
and ask their teams to map the detailed view at 500 feet. Reviewing the results and deJining
the areas of opportunity are made much easier by the simple view, meaning that beneJits can
be realised very quickly. A small investment of time can afford incredible results.

Dr. Mike Bell runs Simple Improvement Ltd. a continuous improvement training
and coaching business based in Scotland. He uses Ed Zunichs Practical
Process Improvement (PPI) program to help organisations establish a simple
continuous improvement system where they can realise quick results and build
an in-house capability to train and coach their own staff.
www.simpleimprovement.co.uk or e-mail at info@simpleimprovement.co.uk

www.simpleimprovement.co.uk

info@simpleimprovement.co.uk !

Page 11 of 11