Quickly create a process map in a team meeting

Process maps are a great way for teams to see the work they’re doing and find bottlenecks to eliminate or areas to improve. Teams can use the colored tabs or the Post-It-Notes method to create a simple step-by-step description of how to do their process. Using a pen or marker, you can also use the steps below to develop a high-level process flow diagram or more detailed workflow.

Start by writing every step team members can think of in the process on an index card or sticky note turned widthwise or widthwise (also known as landscape style).

After members can no longer think of any new steps, begin to organize the steps so that they flow through the process in a horizontal path. Processes with less than 10 steps can be arranged in a vertical path if desired. With chips, lay them out on a table. If you’re using post-it notes, it’s helpful to stick them on a dry-erase marker board so arrows can be drawn between them using the right kind of markers.

Once the steps are in order, check to see if a step is missing before the first or after the last written. Add cards or notes for the missing steps. Then look at all the other steps in sequence and determine if there are any steps missing between any of the steps to add those as well.

Determine if there are any decisions to be made during the process. If there are, add them as a decision point on a card or note. If you use index cards, select a different color for decisions and/or turn the card where it is taller and thinner than the others (also known as portrait style). If using post-it notes, select another color for decisions and/or rotate the note where it is diamond-shaped or taller. Decision points should be written as short Yes/No questions (preferably less than 6 words). Have the Yes steps come from the top of the card or diamond and the No steps from the bottom if using a horizontal path. If you’re using a vertical process path, have the Yes continue down and the No out one side of the diamond.

Once all the steps and decision points are in place, the process map can be turned into a better looking document using dedicated software or a plastic template to draw the process map. Connect the steps and decisions using arrows to indicate the directional flow of the steps. If the team needs to take the cards out of the room to make them into a single document, write a number on each one to indicate the sequence in which they should appear as steps in the final document.

Teams can use the steps above to create a process flow diagram or detailed workflow. This method can be used by any team and only requires index cards or Post-It notes and something to write with to create a step-by-step chart of how to do anything related to that specific team.