Skeptical about whether process mapping is really worth your time? Here’s the answer!
Do you need to create a process map for a project but have no idea what it looks like, what the point is, or where to start?
Process mapping is a great tool for any project, and it really doesn’t have to be complicated. There are simple ways to create process maps that will really aid you in your projects.
Why Process Map?
Process mapping is a great visual tool for a variety of purposes. Here are a few reasons you might want to consider process mapping:
- To understand existing ways of working. Understanding existing ways of working is important on projects so you ensure you don’t miss out on critical activities if you’re implementing something new.
- To understand future ways of working. This is important on projects so that you can understand potentially what you’re going to do and can put a plan against that framework.
- To identify areas of improvement. Identifying areas of improvement is important for projects where you’re looking to streamline and remove issues that are impeding organizational goals.
- To create training documents. Creating training documents is important for projects because you’re usually implementing something new or a change. Documenting a process will make for a solid guide to create well-rounded training documents that are going to help the end user who’s using the project deliverable.
The Biggest Process Mapping Challenge
There are some challenges when it comes to process mapping that you should be aware of. One challenge that people often are not prepared for is knowing how deep you should dive when process mapping.
This is a big issue for many organizations who make process maps too high-level which can create issues. The opposite is making process maps that are too detailed, where every single nuance is captured, and it becomes overwhelming.
How to Create a Process Map
Now it’s important to get to the real stuff:
How do you actually create a process map?
I’ve created a video for you on exactly that, complete with examples of real process maps I’ve created so that you can understand how to create both simple and detailed process maps.
Head over to YouTube with me and I’ll show you!
Meanwhile, if you really are committed to mastering your next project, do consider taking my SLAY Project Management online course where I show you step-by-step how to successfully manage a project, plus you get access to every template you will need, along with detailed video instructions on how to fill them out.
-Adriana
