Process Map (Flowchart)
Detailed depiction of the actual process flow — foundation for the Measure and Analyze phases of DMAIC.
Also known as: process map
A process map (flowchart) depicts the actual flow of a process step by step — activities, decisions, wait times, hand-offs between roles. It is the detailed follow-on to the coarse SIPOC in the Measure phase.
- Basic flowchart — rectangles (activity), diamonds (decision), arrows (flow)
- Swimlane diagram — with rows per role/department; shows hand-offs and ownership
- Value Stream Map — Lean extension distinguishing value-adding vs. non-value-adding times
- As-is vs. to-be — the current process is documented first; the target process is a deliverable of improvement
See also
Used in
Sources
- Damelio, R. — The Basics of Process Mapping, 2nd Edition, Productivity Press, 2011
- Rother, M. & Shook, J. — Learning to See: Value Stream Mapping, Lean Enterprise Institute, 1999
- Pyzdek, T. & Keller, P. — The Six Sigma Handbook, 5th Edition