Process Mapping Information

When implementing complex business applications, we find using process mapping yields the business a number of benefits including:

• Detailed understanding and documentation of business processes
• Identification of process owners and stakeholders
• Defined process & functional boundaries
• Agreed interlock of process and business functions
• Identification of non value-add & redundant processes
• A functional map to ensure all business processes and variations are addressed
• Basis for implementing a quality system and achieving certification
• Pre-requisite for a turn key / process driven business

We refer to three levels of process mapping being:

• Level 1 - High level business processes - e.g. Payments (Supplier, Contractor, Employee)
• Level 2 - Functional level business processes - e.g. Supplier Payments
• Level 3 - Work level business processes - e.g. Weekly supplier payment run

We use a methodology developed and tested within large businesses (such as BT, Barclays Bank and Cable & Wireless) by our consultants which incorporates 'swim lane' diagrams by functional role documenting the process against a time line (such as weekly, monthly, ad-hoc) and backed up by process descriptions.