In my last post, The Importance of Processes, we looked at why it is critically important for your business to have standardized processes. By clearly defining those tasks which make up key business activities, we can become more competitive by improving our delivery, make it easier to grow the business by creating consistency, and increase profitability by highighting opportunities to increase efficiency . But how do you go about creating and implementing processes?

1. Identify the activities that you perform on a regular basis. Consider your favorite local coffee shop: a key activity might be "Fulfilling beverage orders". You can see a process diagram for this activity below.
2. Describe each task within that activity. Include what is done and who does it, and reference any existing models or templates that are used. In the case of the coffee shop, tasks such as taking the customer's order are performed by the cashier, ordering the coffee is performed by the customer, and making the beverage is performed by the barista. Each of these tasks (among others) must be completed in order to complete the activity "fulfill beverage orders".
3. Number each of the tasks in sequence. A visual representation of the activity's process can be achieved by creating a box for each task and connecting them with arrows to indicate the flow of tasks.
4. For tasks where templates or models currently exist, reference the template and, if possible, create a link to it for quick reference. In our coffee shop example, a template may be as simple as the order form printed on each cup, which is completed by the cashier to tell the barista the specifics of the drink order.
5. Determine who performs each task. Rows, or "swimlanes", can be created, one for each role responsible for tasks in the process (it is best to identify the role rather than the individual responsible for the task. In practice, a single individual might be fulfilling multiple roles, or multiple individuals might be sharing a single tasks - valuable information to be aware of). Task boxes are placed in the appropriate swimlane to show which role is responsible for each task.

In the coffee shop example, the completed process map might look like this:

Now that the process has been defined and documented, make it accessible to your employees, so that everyone understands how things should be done (better yet, solicit employees' input when defining the process - they may provide insights and ideas only possible through their front-line viewpoint). Processes that have been defined in this way can be evaluated and improved, and improvements communicated consistently to all stakeholders.

Investing time in process documentation will save you time and money and help you improve your business' chance of success.