7 steps to a successful process documentation

General information about the process description

There are different forms of process descriptions. They can be rough or in a very detailed form as workflow or process description, including process diagram.

They provide a general overview and a uniform perception of what, who in the company does how and the way in which the activities are linked with each other - in a transparent and goal-oriented form.

The process description in a uniform language such as the BPMN standard is a part of the fundamentals for further process automation.

How best to proceed?

First of all, determine the current status by conducting an in-depth research. Go through the process step by step yourself or in a team, or observe other employees carrying it out. Review existing documents or interview your colleagues to get the information you need.

Next, identify the best processes most relevant to your organization and gather all the necessary information - depending on the outcome of the analysis, prioritization and purpose.

Describe the following:

1. How does the process start? Who or what event triggers the process?
2. What tools, people, competencies and information does the process need, and what should be handed over to it? What will be made available? What resources are needed?
3. Who will provide you with the information you need? Who are your stakeholders, and what are their functions? Is it a responsible, consulting, processing person or a person to be informed?
4. What is executed in which step and in which order are the individual steps run through?
5. How long does the entire process and the individual process steps take?
6. What output is generated by the process, and what is the result?
7. Who is the result directed to for triggering the next step and what process is initiated next?

To ensure that you can make your processes transparent and comprehensible to all relevant stakeholders, we recommend the use of supporting software such as ADONIS. These tools help you maintain an overall view. Visualize dependencies and discover unnecessary bottlenecks for more efficiency in your work environment.