What needs to be finished first
A concrete process needs to be documented, improved or handed over (for example onboarding, complaint handling, release).
At least one Gemba Walk has taken place so the map is based on real observations.
What needs to be ready before start
Whiteboard or Miro with swimlane layout; symbol set (activity, decision, document, start, end); stickies with activity names; stopwatch or time tracking.
One facilitator; process owner; one employee per role in the process; one scribe; optionally customer or recipient of the output.
Process trigger, end and main steps; known problems; cycle times or waiting times if available; tools along the process.
2-4 h
Swimlanes per role. Trigger on the left, end on the right. Activity stickies with verb for each activity (for example check receipt). Decisions as diamonds. Rule: employees describe steps, managers listen.
The one question this method answers
How does the process actually run, who does what, where do waiting times and handoffs occur, and where are improvement opportunities?
Marker: Phase
| Step | Duration | Action | Hint |
|---|---|---|---|
1Phase 1: Clarify trigger and end | 15 min | What starts the process, what ends it. Who is the customer of the output. Expected output in writing. | If trigger or end are unclear, the map sprawls. A very tight definition at the start sharpens focus. |
2Phase 2: Main steps | 60 min | Step by step from left to right. Per step: activity, owner role (swimlane), tool, duration. Handoffs as arrows between swimlanes. | Employees describe reality, not the desired process. If there is a gap between should and do, mark both. |
3Phase 3: Decisions and variants | 30 min | Add decision points as diamonds. Capture branches. Estimate frequency per variant (% of volume). | If five variants exist and no volume data, the map becomes unclear. Separate main path and rare special cases. |
4Phase 4: Pain points and waiting times | 30 min | Mark pain points in red: waiting time, rework, handoff friction. Draw waiting times on arrows. Add data where available. | Pain points make the map action-relevant. At least three pain points are mandatory. Waiting time between steps is often the biggest lever. |
5Phase 5: Improvements | 30 min | For each top pain, define improvement idea. Owner and deadline. Mark quick wins separately from structural changes. | Maximum three improvements per workshop. More spreads energy. If everything is urgent, nothing is urgent. |
What comes out at the end
Process map as swimlane diagram with activities, decisions, handoffs, waiting times and pain points. Accompanying list with step details, volume per variant and improvement actions with owner and deadline.
Separate version per iteration with date. Keep current state and future state separate. Document changes with rationale. For larger changes, create new entry and archive predecessor.
Compact working template for Process Mapping with process boundaries, handoffs, bottlenecks, and improvements.
Make the flow, handoffs, bottlenecks, and improvement opportunities visible.
When and for what do we use this method?
Which data, observations, decisions, or materials are available?
Owner, date, and success signal.
Concrete filled scenario, fictional example
Concrete filled scenario, fictional example
Trigger: Client reports booking problem (email, chat, phone). End: Client confirms solution or refund is posted.
Swimlanes
Main steps (excerpt)
Current lead time: 4-7 business days. Target: 2 business days.
Improvements
Recognize symptoms and steer against them
Map shows how the process should be; reality differs.
Employees speak, managers listen. If there is a discrepancy, draw both versions. Real state first, future state later.
Map becomes more complex with every edge case variant, and the main path disappears.
Main path first (80% of volume). Special cases in appendix or sub-maps. If special cases dominate, split the process first.
Map shows activities, but not idle time between them.
Waiting times on arrows are mandatory. If unknown, estimate and plan follow-up measurement.
Steps without swimlane, responsibility diffuses.
Swimlane required. Clear role per step. If no role can be assigned, responsibility in the real process is unclear.
Long pain-point list, no concrete action.
Action with owner and deadline per top pain. Maximum three. Put other pain points into backlog with re-review.
Done signals checkable in under a minute
Go to the profile for purpose, similar methods, and sources or continue to the next method in the catalog.