Map the Process Before You Fix It
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The Documented Process Is Rarely the Real One
Ask three people how an order moves through the business and you will often get three answers. The written procedure describes the intention; the spreadsheets, side channels and personal checklists describe reality.
What to Capture
Sit with the people doing the work rather than the people who designed it. Record every step, every waiting period and every point where information is re-entered by hand.
- Who touches the work and in what order
- Where it waits, and for how long
- Which steps exist only to fix earlier steps
- What breaks when someone is on leave
“You cannot improve a process you have only ever seen described.”
Then, and Only Then, Redesign
A map built from observation makes the decision obvious. In most engagements, the steps worth removing become visible within the first week, long before anyone proposes new software.
