Objective: Identify all elements of a process (to assist with mapping and improving the process).
Format: PDF document
What it does: This tool assists development of the key components of a process. It looks at each process from end to end to ensure all major elements are captured.
How to use:
- Download the tool and save it to your PC
- Gather participants (include representatives of supplier and customers where possible)
- Identify the process boundaries (start and end process steps) and key activities
- Keep it at a high level – 6-8 steps
- Although you want it at a high level if this is your 1st time write all steps down then summarise
- Keep it at a high level – 6-8 steps
- Identify the outputs & their Customers
- Brainstorm outputs & Customers
- Identify the inputs & their Suppliers
- Brainstorm inputs & suppliers
- Identify what is critical to achieving the right quality
- Brainstorm across; inputs, process, and outputs
Best Practices
- Don’t keep it a secret – use this to discuss gaps with staff, confirm if they agree and explain why you see the gap.
- TIP: Be honest, positive (about improvement), and flexible e.g. if they disagree, agree a pan for you to understand the “real” situation.
- Support – this is all about adding support to develop people – it is useless if you do not provide adequate support for people to improv
- Set your process objective – really understand the ideal final result from the process
- The general practice approach is to start with the process and work outwards. Personally I find it easier to start at the outputs and work backwards. There is no right or wrong way!
- An easy 5 step process here: https://sipoc.info/sipoc-diagram/
- Suppliers can be internal (other areas within your business) or external
- Customers can be internal (other areas within your business) or external
- The final customer should always be considered as the highest priority
- Review with staff
- Include people that feed information into the process (Suppliers) where possible
- Include people that represent outputs from the process (Customers) where possible
- Process – include all actions that must be performed whether by human or machine
- If there is a decision that is a process step
- If something changes form/shape or location that is a process step
- If something adds value it is a process step
- Although this designed for high level understanding I think it is useful to list all process steps as you do the exercise and then group steps where a higher level view is desired.
- Have fun – make it a fun group session.
- Explain there is no right or wrong approach/answers
- Draw the grid on large paper or whiteboard
- People take turns to write up their information
- Encourage people to talk
- Gage understanding/alignment with your process objectives
- Encourage all to participate/facilitate especially the shy ones