Processes are all over Meredith. Staff and faculty use them every day and may not even consider what we’re doing as a process.
But when we sit down to really look at these processes is when we can make them smoother with the best outcomes for everyone. That is where process mapping comes in.
Here we will outline the basic steps and considerations for mapping and improving processes. This is not all-encompassing. You may have different questions to consider for your specific area, but the steps are repeatable for almost any process you need.
1 – Identify a process to map
Almost any process can benefit from mapping, but you may want to start with processes that can have the most impact:
- most important process
- a process you know need improvement
- an undocumented process
- a process involving multiple stakeholders or touchpoints
- a process that annoys you the most
Now, an annoying process may not seem to be the best place to start, but if it induces rage every time, there is probably something wrong. Personal processes mapping goes through the same steps, but for now, we’ll be focusing on team or department processes.
2 – List the activities in the process
List every step or activity in the process. You can just create a simple list or write each one on a sticky note to arrange in step 3.
Don’t worry about the order yet. Just make sure you have the steps and any details that may be relevant:
- description of what the step/activity entails
- who is in charge
- how relevant documents, information, etc. are transferred between offices
- how much time it takes
3 – Write out the steps in order and create a flow chart
Now put all your steps/activities in order. Again, for a simple process, this could be a simple ordered list in a Google Doc.
You could also use a free tool like MindMup (mind mapping addon for Google Drive) or Zoom Whiteboard to create a flow chart. Both of these options can be easily shared for step 4.
4 – Share with team and stakeholders
Share with everyone who owns a piece of the process. Store the process outline or flow chart in a known, easily accessible location. A hidden process does not help anyone.
5 – Collaborate for improvements
Now that the process is visualized and shared, improvements can start!
Remember that the best efficiency and improvements for processes depend on the goal of your process. If your goal for the process is to have as many student touchpoints as possible, you would make different choices than if your goal is to make the process time as short as possible.
With your process goal in mind, assess these questions for process improvement.
- Is the process already meeting your goal?
- Could any steps be eliminated?
- Is there another person/department that should be involved with this process?
- Are there bottlenecks in the process?
- Are there any gaps in the process?
- Does anyone need additional training to make steps go faster?
- Does anyone involved in the process not understand the step before or after theirs?
- Could any steps be digitized?
- Does Meredith currently have tools that could do this or would a new one be required?
- If there are any steps with a long wait, could other steps be done in parallel to reduce overall process time?
- Are there complex steps that can be broken down into smaller pieces or worked on by more people?
- What are the contingencies for each step?
- If there is only 1 person who can approve a step, who responsible when they are unavailable?
- If a student cannot complete a certain step, what is the alternative?
Now you’ve got your newly updated process! Don’t forget to review the process regularly because these steps can be used over and over.
If you have questions about using tools that may help your process improvement, please contact IDAT Services.