There are many process mapping software tools available to help you create and manage your business processes. However, what they don’t do is help you with extracting information from people’s heads. So, how do you get started? What questions do you ask? And just how do you go about structuring and organising your processes?
Here are some of our tips for a successful process mapping facilitation session:
- Keep facilitation sessions to a maximum of 8 participants if possible. If you have an assistant, make them responsible for documenting the process stages and notes while you focus on questioning and facilitating discussions.
- Set the scene for the session by telling your participants the objectives, checking their expectations and discussing what will be covered in the session.
- Ensure your participants understand the difference between ‘process’ and ‘instructions’. A process is a series of stages, events or tasks with a definite output or result. Instructions are steps that a person carries out to achieve a particular outcome. Instructions are sometimes called procedures, work instructions, or actions.
- Introduce a ‘Parking Lot’ for issues outside the scope of the session and for process stages that can’t be decided on straight away.
Over the years we have helped many clients to map their business processes. The results were so successful that we developed a short process mapping workshop to pass on our knowledge. The workshop focuses on developing your process facilitation skills and giving you structuring techniques which work on their own or in conjunction with any process mapping software.
Find out more about our Process Mapping workshop or talk to us on 0800 50 50 56 or email us.
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