How Process Documentation creates a high performing business

Businesses often consider process mapping, business process management, and associated improvements as ‘big business’ solutions that are either inappropriate or simply unaffordable for most smaller companies. This couldn’t be further from the truth. 

Companies of all sizes cannot only benefit from documenting their business processes but receive immediate rewards for doing so.

Understanding exactly how your key business processes are performed can provide great insight into how the overall business operates.  Acting on those findings can actually be easier in a smaller company that is more agile in its decision making and subsequent actions. Specialist mapping software has also become far more affordable, offering the opportunity of ‘big business’ solutions to organisations of any size.

The most immediate benefit from documenting your processes is to create clarity and begin to instill consistency in your ways of working.

Process maps allow you to find out how tasks and activities are truly executed within the business. This is because how people think they are performed, how they should be performed, or even how you want them to be performed rarely align with the current real-life way of working (also known as the “as-is process”). If the as-is process has not been examined and documented, there is a risk that assumptions are being made that distort the true picture of operational efficiency and risk.

This understanding of the current state helps to inform and create consistent ways of working. Inconsistent business processes lead to unmanaged risks, the provision of unbilled services to customers, and inefficient decision-making, to name but a few of the challenges that arise. Consistent working methods eliminate confusion, ensure that risks are correctly managed, and help customers receive the same product/service no matter who is providing it.

Meaningful process documentation shouldn’t just be about boxes and arrows, or text-heavy documentation that simply gathers dust. Process documentation is the gateway to delivering tangible improvements in your business. Process management helps businesses to make quicker, informed decisions as they can base them on facts and not anecdotal evidence or unfounded assumptions. With that in mind, let’s look at some of the other ways it can help drive transformative outcomes in SMEs:

Remove key person dependencies.

This is where processes are only ‘mapped’ in the heads of a number of key employees. If they become ill or leave the company suddenly, that knowledge is not only inaccessible but may have been lost permanently.

Identify inefficiencies and duplication of effort.

With documented processes, opportunities for streamlining them become evident. Duplication of effort and the presence of non-value adding activities are swiftly identified and eliminated.

Reduce processing costs.

Many businesses do not know what it costs to deliver their service or product. Transparent business processes allow you to calculate that cost, as well as address the cost of errors and other inefficiencies.

Understand and manage risk points.

By understanding where risk exists, you can also ensure the relevant controls and escalations are put in place. Risks that may not otherwise be apparent can remain uncontrolled and unmitigated.

Build a base for change.

The availability of accurate, up-to-date process documentation can have a hugely beneficial impact on project management. A lack of clarity around exactly what is being changed can lead to missed information – or misinformation – with workarounds required once the project has finished and in extreme cases, fail to deliver the intended benefits. 

Create effective staff training

Having agreed, accessible processes in place quickly builds up a resource that forms part of a new starters training. They can also be used to drive cross-training within a business, allowing additional cover in instances of staff absence or busy periods for teams.

Prepare for sale.

Our research shows that businesses without clearly defined processes in place may expect a reduction in valuation of up to 20%. In the worst cases, it can result in the business owner not being able to exit within their desired timescale, because buyers want to buy the business, not the knowledge of one or two individuals.  

This is not an exhaustive list but highlights some of the challenges we are most often asked to address as well as some of the opportunities that come from simply having effective process documentation.

About Map Your Process

Many businesses either lack the specific expertise or find it difficult to regularly free-up resources from the day-to-day business requirements to look at process improvement. At Map Your Process, we work with our clients to help them identify and deliver these opportunities to create high performing businesses. A typical engagement often starts with us helping them to document their processes. Our independence means that we can approach this objectively, and quickly create a clear view of their ways of working. If a client already has quality documentation in place, we will work with this and help them to begin to drive out improved ways of working. Our clients have ranged in size from three to over a hundred employees, as well as being across multiple sectors.

If you would like to find out more about how we can help your business, then please contact us at 

enquiries@mapyourprocess.co.uk  or on 01403 458138.