A Process Mapping Canvas is a tool we developed that helps us quickly map out a process in a group setting. It helps the group understand who is doing what in a specific process. This gives us a baseline of who the stakeholders of the process are, what is it that they do and what the how complex and large the process is.

How to use the process mapping canvas?

We describe below how to use a process mapping canvas to quickly map out a process in a team setting. Start with the process mapping template like the one below. You can either draw it on a large piece of paper or print it out from here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ypstJtG8QzlFUsJa2vyMOXo0jEYEao4z/view

on to a large sheet of paper – A1 or A3 size is usually good.

1. Fill in the details of your process. In the example below we are mapping out a travel requisition process. We’ve set the date of when the process was mapped out, when it will next be reviewed, the divisions that this process applies to and who was involved in the mapping.

2. Take the green sticky notes and write down the roles of every stakeholder that is involved in a process. The rule is to have one sticky note per role. 

3. Take the yellow sticky notes and write down what tasks each stakeholder does. Place these tasks directly below each stakeholder.

4. Take the blue sticky notes and write down what the efficiency and effectiveness metrics should be for the process. 
   1. The formula for efficiency is total output / total input (usually time or effort). E.g. If your process is outputting Permits then your efficiency metric could be total # of processed permits / total time taken to process permits. For more information on the theoretical framework for this you can look into efficiency formula
   2. The formula for effectiveness is total desirable (or undesirable) output / total output. E.g. If your process is outputting Permits then your effectiveness metric would be total # of approved permits without violations / total # of approved permits. For more information on the theoretical framework for this you can look into confusion matrix 

5. When completed you should have something like the image below. This is the process mapping canvas for a travel requisition process (i.e. staff requesting to travel).

Extensions

The following are additional activities you can do to extend the process mapping exercise further.

1. Number each task in order of execution
2. Indicate with blue sticky dots which tasks are done electronically (i.e. with a computerised system)