Process mapping is an essential part of business improvement, as it provides an effective way to identify and assess the processes of an organization in order to improve them. As-Is process mapping is a technique used to understand the present state of an organization’s processes, uncover potential areas of improvement, and identify opportunities for process optimization. As-Is process mapping can help determine how well an organization is performing and where processes can be improved. It allows organizations to identify any bottlenecks, inefficiencies, or redundancies in their processes and helps them streamline their processes to achieve maximum efficiency and cost savings. By using as-is process mapping, organizations can create an accurate, up-to-date view of their processes and develop plans to improve them. In this blog post, we will explore what As-Is process mapping is, its benefits, and the steps needed to implement it.
Benefits of as-is process mapping
As-is process mapping has efficiency as its main objective, but it can also offer the following advantages:
Optimized workflow
Businesses can optimize a variety of systems and operational processes by using as-is process mapping. Better performance, better results, and greater efficiency for staff and other systems are supported by optimization. A business can find time and money savings by measuring the effectiveness of their workflow with as-is process analysis. It can increase decision-making transparency and enhance upcoming operations.
Increased standardization of roles
As-is process mapping examines each process’s participants and records each participant’s specific roles in the process. The company can work on standardizing everyone’s roles and responsibilities by analyzing and outlining each participant’s responsibilities. This clears up any earlier misunderstandings and raises awareness of the duties assigned to each role within the company.
Easier identification of flaws in the process
Every stage of every process is recorded and examined when a process map is being created as-is. When combined with information from stakeholders, the business is better able to pinpoint any weak points or flaws in each process. Finding the workflow’s weak points can help advance current and upcoming procedures. Additionally, this documentation can make it easier for the company to spot flaws and fix them in the future.
Improved team performance
Process mapping as-is can enhance group performance and boost employee satisfaction. Employees may be hampered by inefficient procedures, which could lead to frustration. Employees can contribute ideas to process optimization brainstorming sessions that may help employers overcome workflow obstacles. Clarified requirements, streamlined procedures, excess resources eliminated, or improved resources are some examples. Businesses frequently benefit from higher employee satisfaction because it lowers turnover costs and may even boost revenue.
Shorter learning curve
The company can use these maps in the training process after creating and perfecting maps for each process. Process maps can be added by management to new hire training materials to give them a thorough overview of their new responsibilities. Veteran workers and new hires can assist trainees by following the same steps for each process, and trainees can watch the veterans perform each process as shown on the map, which can help shorten the learning curve for each position.
What is as-is process mapping?
As-is process mapping is a technique for examining how things are right now. These flowcharts show how a company’s current processes work, from beginning to end. They look at things like time management, document organization, record keeping, and other business functions. Before setting a goal, such as improving the processes of a team, department, or the entire company, businesses frequently conduct as-is process mapping as an evaluation. Then, businesses examine the process maps to find ways to function better, like increasing operational or financial efficiency.
Although there are five different types of process maps, as-is process maps frequently use a flowchart to illustrate the steps of a process. Deployment maps show how teams are related to one another and where processes are concurrent or overlapping. Process maps that are in-depth look at a single process’s incremental steps and subprocesses High-level process maps, also known as value chain maps, display a process’s overall flow through an organization. Process maps that have been rendered display the present or predicted state as well as potential improvement areas. Value stream diagrams show the steps that must be taken from development to user.
Elements of an as-is process analysis
As-is process analysis involves identifying and assessing an organization’s current set of processes using process management techniques. This process analysis concentrates on the road map for each objective, whether it be workflow improvement across the board or overall business optimization. An as-is process analysis may have a number of objectives, including reducing costs, boosting customer and employee satisfaction, improving current procedures or developing new ones, enhancing business coordination, and modifying procedures in response to a change in the company’s operations. A current process analysis can help the company create process maps in the future. Here are some elements of an as-is process analysis:
Research
When conducting an as-is process analysis, research is crucial. The research team uses direct observation, surveys, in-depth interviews, and group meetings to collect data on various processes in order to create a process map. The team gains insight into how individuals complete each process through interviews with process participants and surveys, as well as their own observations and opinions about how the process works. The group can gather information about the procedure and how each step fits through direct observations. The research team gains a better understanding of participant interpersonal communication and how this may impact process completion through the group meetings.
Documentation
The team gathers their information and starts to map each process into the process map as it is. Software for mapping can help standardize the map and facilitate team collaboration throughout the process. The customer journey, documentation processes, systemic support functions, detailed descriptions of process performance, and all process outputs are frequently included in the process map and analysis. Most businesses use the standard flowchart, but other formats may be appropriate depending on the information and objectives of each one.
Identification of weak spots
Process flaws or vulnerabilities are all described by bottlenecks, gaps, and weaknesses. The business can make specific improvements for present and future processes by investigating these weak points, identifying their causes, and finding solutions. A bottleneck stalls processes and slows their progress. Minimizing the number of participants can help solve a bottleneck because bottlenecks can occur when too many people participate in a process.
The desired performance or outcome of a process is hampered by process gaps. Gaps occur when the process lacks necessary participants or steps, and the remedy frequently calls for the addition of another action or person. When the necessary steps are taken, weaknesses prevent the flow from continuing. Using better communication or handoffs between participants can improve weaknesses.
Process improvements
As-is process analyses look at each piece of the information gathered about the process steps, efficiency, and vulnerabilities to see where improvements can be made. These advancements frequently increase efficiency, cutting down on the time and expense required to complete each process. Businesses can test proposed solutions, assess their success or durability, and revisit the issue as needed after doing so.
How to use an as-is process map
An as-is process map can be created and used in the following ways:
1. Establish goals
Choose your area of focus before listing the processes to evaluate. Common areas of focus include a specific team, department, or the entire company. Start by deciding which processes you want to map, including their beginning and ending points, within that focus area. For instance, you could map the sales process from account research to the customer making a purchase.
2. Create the team
All levels of your business operations are involved in the creation and analysis of an as-is process map. Form a research team with representatives from all departments with daily operations, senior management, direct management, and any other positions with particular expertise. It is possible to gain a more thorough understanding of the procedure by soliciting feedback from all positions involved in the entire cycle of operations.
3. Gather data
It’s crucial that your team compile an exhaustive and detailed record of the information pertaining to each process in this step. Interview stakeholders and document each interview. Examine any systems involved, including performance metrics or system health. Identify the steps in the process, including who does what, when, and how. Make notes as you watch processes in action about each step and the overall process. The research team can develop a thorough understanding of the procedure by initially collecting a lot of data. The data can be filtered later in the mapping process.
4. Create the baseline
Your team can use the data to establish a baseline, which will later aid in the formation of the map. Your team can include notes about the overall workflow, the tasks involved in each process step, the flow of tasks and steps, how these connect to one another, the events that cause each step to proceed, and the participants in each step when creating the baseline. The baseline may list the smaller tasks that make up the larger process components when defining a single process.
5. List steps in sequence
Now that your team has done its research, it can document each process and list each process step sequentially. Subheadings for subtasks and substeps should be used if an outline is being used. Consult the key players in each process to get their opinion on any steps that aren’t there or are in the wrong place. Adjust as necessary for accuracy, as this basic framework aids in creating the process map as-is.
6. Draw the map
You can decide which map format fits the data the best based on the data gathered and process outlines. Reduce the number of details to just those required for the structure, such as step names or time spent, if you decide to use a flowchart. Businesses can create process maps using a variety of flowchart templates, which can help maintain consistency across various maps. Use standard flowchart symbols to indicate different aspects of a process.
7. Verify the map
After that, you should present the map to those involved in the various processes to allow them to review and confirm the relevant information and procedures. Following consultation, you can make any necessary changes and win the parties’ final approval. Your team can begin the analysis once the map has been finished.
8. Complete the analysis
Finding weaknesses or vulnerabilities in the processes will serve as the foundation for the as-is process analysis. This includes gaps, bottlenecks, weaknesses or even unnecessary steps. The team evaluates areas that could use improvement after identifying the weak points and makes notes about potential fixes for each area. Then, they decide which techniques appear to have the best chance of making long-term improvements to the procedures, and they add those solutions to the map. The group also searches for additional opportunities for optimization that could cut down on duplication of effort or time and expense.
9. Improve the process
After the team completes the map analysis, they begin putting the improvements into practice. This may entail holding training sessions, revising training manuals, producing reference materials, updating systems, and providing participants with access to the process map. The team tracks and keeps track of the development once staff members start utilizing the enhanced procedures. It is possible to assess which solutions were successful and which required further investigation by developing a tracking system that tracks how each process improves following the initial optimization.
Process Mapping
FAQ
What is the difference between as is and to be?
Process mapping helps businesses and organizations become more efficient. Process maps give teams insight into a process, aid in idea generation for process improvement, improve communication, and provide documentation of the process. Process mapping will identify bottlenecks, repetition and delays.
What are the four steps of process mapping?
The Basics of As-Is and To-Be Processes The “now” state of a process is its as-is state. Before you make any changes or improvements, you must understand how the process works. On the other hand, the to-be process is the state of the future.
What is as is and to be process mapping how will you do it?
- Step 1: Defining Stakeholders. …
- Identifying the various processes used by the company in Step 2
- Step 3: What are the organizational processes that make up your business?
- Step 4: Draw the Process Flow Map.
