WHAT IS PROCESS MAPPING AND HOW MAPPING YOUR COMPANY’S PROCESSES CAN BENEFIT YOUR BUSINESS.
Process mapping is a term used to describe all activities involved in identifying what a company or department does, who is responsible for doing it, the standards by which it should be done, and how the results will be measured. This process is used in many types of businesses to help organizations optimize their production, increase profitability, reduce waste, and more.
The activities used for process mapping are part of the overall management of business quality. When done correctly, the process map will analyze the overall goals of the company to ensure that all work performed contributes to achieving business objectives. In summary, anything that does not contribute to the primary goals of a company is considered waste and, therefore, will be eliminated.
Why Map Your Business Processes.
When people think about process mapping, they often consider it a good way to document processes so that everyone knows how things are done. While that is certainly one of the benefits of this strategy, it is not the only one. Below are some of the many reasons why business process mapping is so important, and all companies should strive to implement it in their operations.
- Training – Process maps can be an essential component of new employee training. Providing maps to employees allows them to visually understand how tasks should be performed.
- Problem-solving – When there are issues in the process, it will be much easier to see exactly where they are occurring. This can help find solutions to problems much more quickly.
- Standardization – Standardization is an excellent way to eliminate waste and ensure consistency across all shifts, facilities, and any other areas where, otherwise, there might be variation.
- Overview – When a good process map is implemented, everyone can have an overview. This helps each individual department, or even each employee, to see where they fit into the overall scheme of activities/tasks.
- Conformity – A process map can be used to ensure that everyone is always in compliance with requirements. The map itself can even be provided to auditors/inspectors to demonstrate how things are done to prove compliance.
- Team Involvement – When creating a process map for a company, all employees need to contribute by working on the steps they are involved in. This team involvement can help keep people engaged and may even identify improvement opportunities that exist.
Your summary is accurate! Mapping all processes within a company is crucial for optimizing efficiency, boosting productivity, enhancing profitability, and reducing costs. It allows for a comprehensive understanding of operations, facilitating improvements and ensuring alignment with business goals.