What Is Business Process Mapping?

Business process mapping, a part of Business Process Management (BPM), is a framework used to create visual representations of work processes. Business process maps show the relationship between the steps and inputs to produce an end-product or service, such as when a product goes through packaging or when an employee’s leave is approved. This process of documentation is concerned with what a business does, why it does what it does, what the standard is for success, who is responsible, and when and where different steps will occur. Business process mapping promotes transparency, not only for those within the company but for all stakeholders, especially those involved in compliance. They can be expressed in flowcharts and in Business Process Modeling and Notation (BPMN) symbols.

Business process mapping is often mistaken for business process modeling. When professionals perform business process modeling, they are more interested in how the processes are performed, and who (or what department) is performing them. In this way, they focus on analyzing and optimizing the business process architecture through reviewing the processes and considering the company’s goals and requirements. A business’s process architecture details the entire enterprise’s set of processes. Often termed a “blueprint,” the architecture is typically used to align the company’s processes with their objectives. Modeling is more about how processes flow, while mapping is about what is in existence. For more information on business process modeling.

The Scope and Purpose of Business Process Modeling

Business process mapping is part of project planning for a range of project types, from improvement projects to more intensive business process re-engineering projects. Business process reengineering is the drastic redesign of the entirety of the enterprise’s processes. Some businesses chose to map their processes because they are conducting strategic planning or are developing metrics for reporting.

Process maps inspire professionals to consider how to make their organization more effective by thinking through their workflows. When you map a process, you must diagram it out in a way that achieves a shared understanding. The scope of business process mapping will show end-to-end activities, inputs such as materials or labor, and the linkages. A process map can cut across different departments and teams and could even include external partners. It all depends on the process.

Organizations use business process modeling for different reasons, but primarily it’s a formal approach to quality management. Overall, businesses want to become more effective, so when all of the company objectives are measured and compared, it becomes possible to align them with your company’s values and capabilities. With aligned objectives, your organization can behave as a single entity with interconnecting parts, which significantly increases the value of your end-product or service. Other purposes of building business process maps include:

• Process standardization
• Employee on boarding and training
• Process improvement
• Communication

The Reasons Why We Map Processes

There are many reasons that companies choose to map their business processes. The benefits, especially today in the age of software development, are numerous. The following are some reasons your organization would want to map processes:

• Enables everyone to see the process in the same way.
• Decreases errors of procedure.
• Builds understanding between areas that are cross-functional.
• Helps everyone to see the “current state.”
• Enables development of metrics.
• Decreases waste by identifying gaps and excess.