The 5 Levels of Process Mapping: Your Guide to Business Optimization (with examples)

To achieve efficiency and success in your business you need to understand and optimize your processes. From my experience, one of the most effective (and easy to use) tools for doing this is through business process mapping. With process mapping you’re able  to visualize the steps involved in a certain process. This allows you to identify areas for improvement and streamline your operations.

But here’s the thing; there are different levels to process mapping with each level providing a different degree of detail. To better understand this, I’ll be breaking down these levels for you and providing examples to help you apply these concepts in your own business. 

Let’s dive in 🚀

Level 0: High-Level Process Map

The first level is the high-level flowchart of a process. It’s the bird's-eye view of your process and it shows you the start and end points of a process. It also includes the main steps involved to complete it as well as the sequence of those steps. Think of it as a roadmap that guides you from point A to point B without detailed steps. This is a great starting point for you to quickly understand and communicate a process to your team without getting lost in the details.

For example, a high-level process map for “developing a project plan” might include the following steps:

1. Identify project objectives

2. Define tasks

3. Assign tasks

4. Develop timeline

5. Review and finalize plan

Level 1: Detailed Process Map

The next level of process mapping is the detailed process map. This goes a step further than the high-level process map and provides more information about each step in the process. This might include who is responsible for each step, what inputs and outputs are involved, and any decision points.

If we take the example of developing a project plan process, we’ll be adding more detail to each step: 

1. Identify project objectives

1. Meet with stakeholders

2. Define project scope

2. Define tasks

1. Break down project into smaller tasks

2. Estimate time and resources for each task

3. Assign tasks

1. Identify team members' skills and availability

2. Assign tasks based on skills and availability

4. Develop timeline

1. Sequence tasks based on dependencies

2. Develop initial project schedule

5. Review and finalize plan

1. Review plan with stakeholders

2. Make adjustments as needed

3. Finalize and distribute plan

Level 2: Deployment Flowchart/Swimlane Diagram

The third level of process mapping is the deployment flowchart or most commonly known as a swimlane diagram. This type of process map includes information about the roles or departments involved in each step of the process. As you see in the example below, each "lane" in the diagram represents a different role or department to show who does what and when. This is a great way to understand how tasks are distributed across your organization and where there might be opportunities for process optimization.

For the “ developing a project plan” example, these are the two lanes and steps involved in each lane:

• Project Manager: Identify project objectives, Define tasks, Develop timeline, Review and finalize plan

• Project Team: Assign tasks

Level 3: Detailed Flowchart

The fourth level of process mapping is the detailed flowchart. This level provides a very detailed view of the process which includes: all steps, decision points, inputs, outputs, and any rules or conditions that apply. You can use this level for detailed analysis and to start with process improvement efforts. 

For our project plan example, this is how we would bullet-point these details and draw the flowchart:

1. Identify project objectives

1. Input: Project proposal

2. Output: Defined project objectives

3. Decision point: Are objectives clear and measurable?

2. Define tasks

1. Input: Defined project objectives

2. Output: List of tasks

3. Assign tasks

1. Input: List of tasks, Team members' skills and availability

2. Output: Task assignments

4. Develop timeline

1. Input: Task assignments

2. Decision point: Is the schedule realistic?

5. Review and finalize plan

1. Output: Final project plan

Level 4: Work Instructions (SOPs)

Finally, we reach the fifth and most detailed level of process mapping which is work instructions, also known as Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). SOPs are a set of step-by-step instructions that are documented and compiled to help teams carry out complex routine operations. They're like a detailed manual guiding your team on how to perform specific tasks or activities. In simpler terms, they're the "how-to" guides of your business that ensure everything is done correctly and consistently.

Here’s how the step-by-step instructions for the “develop project plan” process might look like (bearing in mind that this is a very simplified version of SOPs): 

1. Identify project objectives

1. Schedule a meeting with stakeholders

2. Discuss project proposal

3. Define project scope

4. Write down project objectives

5. Check that objectives are clear and measurable

2. Define tasks

1. Break down project into smaller tasks

2. Estimate time and resources for each task

3. Write down tasks and estimates

4. Check that all tasks are necessary and feasible

3. Assign tasks

1. Identify team members' skills and availability

2. Assign tasks based on skills and availability

3. Write down task assignments

4. Check that all tasks are assigned

4. Develop timeline

1. Sequence tasks based on dependencies

2. Develop initial project schedule

3. Write down schedule

4. Check that the schedule is realistic

5. Review and finalize plan

1. Review plan with stakeholders

2. Make adjustments as needed

3. Finalize and distribute plan

4. Check that the plan is acceptable to all stakeholders

Whether you're looking at the big picture with a high-level process map or diving into the details with work instructions, each level of process mapping has its own benefits and uses. It’s always good to remember that the level of detail you choose for your process map should depend on your goals and the needs of your audience. A high-level process map might be sufficient for some purposes but in other cases a more detailed map might be needed.

The goal of process maps at the end of the day, whether they’re detailed or high level, is always the same: process optimization. By understanding your processes and identifying areas for improvement you can make your business more efficient and successful. 

If you’re looking to start your journey into process optimization, don’t hesitate to reach out to me or book a time in my calendar. We can sit down and discuss your goals, challenges and options to streamline your process together, increase efficiency, and drive your business forward.