Process mapping: how low do you go?
I am somebody who loves consulting, and client service in general.
But between us, if there is one thing about consulting that is kind of boring, it’s process mapping.
Sure – they’re an inventive way to codify and manage human behavior, but trust me… these types of workshops are just as hard on the facilitator as they are on the attendees.
So if you’re leading an initiative that hinges on process mapping, you want to do only as many maps as are needed to achieve your objective.
Where this gets tricky is process maps multiply. Once you step down into the next level of detail in any process, there are dozens of other sub-processes that you could be tempted to map, continuing in perpetuity.
Maps beget maps.
To minimize the number of process maps you do, you have to know when to stop.
Too few maps, and you risk oversimplifying and your conclusions are unimplementable.
Too many, and you overcomplicate the matter and waste a lot of time getting there.
What you’re looking for is the Goldilocks zone.
There are plenty of ways to look at the different levels of process mapping, but here is a quick overview of the levels and when you should stop at each:
Before you start, the first thing you need to do is ensure you’re targeting the right ‘level’ based on your goal. If you aren’t sure what level you should be focused on, it likely means the objective of your exercise isn’t clear enough.
A quick rule of thumb is to use the audience the output is for, to determine the level to stop at. If you’re talking with the CEO, you likely don’t need to go much lower than L1. If you’re working with individual contributors, you’ll need to start much lower in the process for it to be meaningful.
Even with this clarity, it’s easy to get lost in all of the sub-layers and off-ramps that crop up as you go through your process.
The ‘goldilocks’ zone can be a tricky place to find, and there are no definitive rules to identify when you’ve found it.
To help, here is a simple barometer that I use to determine whether I’ve hit the right level of detail in my process-mapping projects:
There is plenty more that can be said about how to do mapping efficiently and effectively, but to take my own advice, I’ll stop at this level of detail for now.
If you know somebody in your organization about to go through a similar exercise, share this with them so they can find the goldilocks zone!
