1. Simple Process Mapping Techniques

2. Why Process Mapping? Process mapping: Process maps are good for:
Visually represents the work process
Identifies problem areas and opportunities for process improvement
Provides a common understanding of the entire process and specific roles and contributions of process participants.
Before you can improve a process, you must understand it.
Process maps are good for:
Streamlining work activities and telling new people, as well as internal and external customers, "what we do around here."
Helping in the effort to reduce cycle time, avoid rework, eliminate some inspections or quality control steps, and prevent errors.
Process maps are a great problem solving tool
Helps us determine what is the problem/what it is not

3. What is a Process?
A process converts inputs into outputs

4. How to Create a Simple Process Flow Diagram
Determine the start and stop points to your flow of process steps . The stop point is typically near the customer.
Walk through the flow, writing down the process steps as they exist now (Rule of thumb: Pretend your are the part). Make sure you use a verb to describe the process step.
You can be very general or very specific.
General: “Machine Part”
Specific: “Turn part, grind outside diameter, and deburr part”
At a minimum, record the process steps, decision points, and transportation methods
Once you have roughly mapped out the process, make it more formal by adding symbols.
Once finished, sign and date the flow diagram with a revision level.

5. What Can Be Included in a Simple Process Flow Diagram
Transportation methods
Start and Stop points
Decision points
Inventory/Storage points
How many operators at each process step
Process parameters for each step: Cycle time, throughput time, scrap rate, etc.
Responsibilities for each step

6. Process Flow Diagram Symbols
External Transportation
Decision Point
Inventory/Storage
Activity
(Process Step)
Start/Stop
Data Box
c/t
c/o
u/t
FTQ
Push Material
Data box for recording cycle time, first time quality and other process operating characteristics

7. Exercise for Process Map
Take a critical operation in your work place and map it with a simple process flow diagram.

8. A Deployment Flow Chart (Swim Lane)
Here a "department" or "agency" dimension is added horizontally along the top of the chart. You may use individuals, groups, departments, functions, etc. - whatever kinds of 'units' play major roles in the process.
Draw vertical lines to separate the functional boundaries.
When the flow moves from one function to another, a horizontal line denotes this.
Draw the sequence of activities from top to bottom.
Use the task and decision-making symbols as before and always connect symbols with arrows indicating the direction of flow.

9. Exercise for Deployment Chart
Convert your simple flow diagram into a deployment chart

10. SIPOC
Suppliers: The entities that provide whatever is worked on in the process (information, forms, material). The supplier may be an outside vendor or another division or a coworker (as an internal supplier).
Input: The information or material provided by the supplier and used by the process..
Process: The steps used to convert inputs into outputs. (some steps are value added and some are not value added)
Output: The product, service or information being sent to the customer. This is what the customer pays for. He/she wants output:
With good quality
Delivered on time
At a competitive price
Customers: The next step in the process, or the final (external) customers.

11. How To Create a SIPOC Diagram
Create an area that will allow the team to post additions to the SIPOC diagram. This could be:
A transparency (shown with an overhead projector) made of the SIPOC template
Flip charts with headings (S-I-P-O-C) written on each
Headings written on post-it notes posted to a wall.
Begin with the process. Map it in four to five general steps.
Identify the outputs of this process.
Identify the customers that will receive the outputs of this process.
You can add a sixth column and list the customer’s requirements (CR) such as a blueprint number, specification number, quality goals, and delivery goals.
Identify the inputs required for the process to function properly.
Identify the suppliers of the inputs that are required by the process. S I P O C CR

12. SIPOC Examples

13. SIPOC Diagram Exercise
Take your simple process flow diagram and use it to build a SIPOC diagram.

14. Other Mapping Techniques
Value Stream Mapping: Every lean event or initiative should start with a value stream map (VSM). In addition to showing the sequence of process steps, the map helps identify areas of process waste.