Glossary · Process map
What is a process map?
Definition: A process map is a structured picture of how a process is carried out: its steps, who performs them, which systems are used and where delays occur.
The map sets out each step of the process in order, the person or team responsible, the systems and documents involved, and the decisions that split the flow. It is often drawn as a swimlane diagram, with one lane per participant, and may follow a standard notation such as BPMN. A good map adds data: volume, time per step, errors and waiting time.
It is built by listening to the people who do the work every day and reviewing the systems they use, not from the written procedure, which often fails to reflect reality. In a business, it is the foundation for any improvement: it shows where time is lost, which data is duplicated and which steps could be simplified or automated before investing in technology.
In quality management, the term is also used for the high-level diagram that classifies all of an organisation's processes as management, core or support processes. The two uses complement each other: the high-level map places each process, and the detailed one explains how it works inside. For automation, the detailed map is what matters, because it captures the rules and exceptions.
Example: the map of the invoicing process shows that the same order is keyed into the CRM, the ERP and a spreadsheet, and that half the total lead time is spent waiting between departments.