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HOW TO IMPROVE PROCESS VISUALIZATION

Reading time: about 6 min

According to Psychology Today, your brain is more of an image processor than a
word processor. That’s why it’s generally easier for you to understand and
remember visual information than written information. This is known as the
pictorial superiority effect (PSE), which basically means that we remember stuff
better when it includes pictures.

In this article we’ll talk about how to improve visualization, even if you are
not a visual presentation expert. When you map out business processes, data
flows, systems, and so on, improved visual designs can help your team to more
easily diagnose issues, communicate across departments, and build or update
systems.


WHAT IS PROCESS MAPPING?

Process maps are visual representations of the stuff your company does. A
process map can represent software development, product manufacturing, IT
infrastructure, employee onboarding, and more. These maps show you the specific
steps, task owners, and expected timelines.

process map example (Click on image to modify online)

The idea is to help team members, management, and stakeholders to more clearly
understand the process flow, who does what, how it gets done, and when it gets
done. In addition, process mapping helps you to improve current processes and
develop new ones. And process maps can help you when training employees,
assigning tasks, staying in compliance, etc.

Process mapping is helpful when your company decides that changes need to be
made. Mapping current processes gives stakeholders and team members an overall
view of how things are done in your organization. This encourages everybody to
think through workflows and to see how everything fits together. Looking at
current processes objectively and getting input from multiple interested parties
helps you to see where improvements can be made so you can work more efficiently
and get products to market faster. 


WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PROCESS VISUALIZATION?      

Process visualization is important because it gives you the opportunity to
learn, analyze, improve, and standardize processes. Other benefits include:

 * Brings everybody together: Creating a process map is not a one person job.
   Bringing together everybody involved helps you to see things from different
   perspectives, which gives you better insight into how things are done in your
   company. This helps everybody to see the big picture so they can see how
   their work fits in the overall process and affects others. Bringing everybody
   together can also increase employee morale by helping team members feel like
   they are making meaningful contributions. 
 * Effectively communicates insights: Seeing the big picture gives you a better
   idea of how everything works together. This gives the team insight into how
   things are done in the company, which helps them to make better decisions and
   look for ways to improve processes and procedures. 
 * Simplifies the complex: Because a process map gives you a bird’s-eye view, it
   makes complicated processes easier to understand. It also helps you to more
   easily identify and fix problem areas.
 * Documents best practices: The process of creating visualizations helps you to
   refine and streamline processes and makes it easier to spread the information
   throughout the company. This is especially helpful for new members of your
   team who are trying to understand their roles and how they fit into the
   process.
 * Better organization and efficiency: Process visualizations can help your
   company to be more efficient and organized as you streamline processes and
   define best practices.  


HOW DO YOU IMPROVE VISUALIZATION?

Every process map will be different and will focus on different things. This can
take some time and should take some consideration. But you shouldn’t overthink
it or make it more complicated than it needs to be. The goal is to produce a
document that is easy to read and understand so it will be used by its intended
audience. Following are a few tips to help you get started.


IDENTIFY THE START AND END POINTS 

It helps to know where the process begins and where it ends before you start
identifying specific steps in the process. This helps you with setting limits
and finding the fastest and most efficient route from the beginning to the end.
Knowing the start and end points also helps you to identify what is really
important.


SIMPLE IS BETTER

Keep your process maps as simple as possible so that they can be easily read by
anybody in your organization. Overly complicated visuals are hard to read and
understand and likely won’t be used by the people who need them. 


REMOVE UNNECESSARY AND REDUNDANT INFORMATION

Leave out any unnecessary or redundant information, excessive color, obscure
jargon, or anything that distracts and takes focus away from important
information. Also, realize that your process visualization will never be
perfect. Instead, aim for a level of detail that is necessary to make the
process understandable. 


USE COLOR

While you shouldn’t use too much color, you do need to use some color. While a
black and white map is better than text alone, it looks static and does not draw
the attention that color can draw. Color can be used to represent specific
symbols, steps, or data. And color helps you to categorize, organize, and
highlight important information. Consistent use of color makes it easier to
understand what the information is telling you at a glance.


USE SHAPES AND SYMBOLS 

There are standard shapes and symbols that should be used when creating specific
types of maps and charts. Be consistent when using shapes and symbols so you
don’t confuse your audience. For example, some of the simplest shapes include:

 * Ovals or circles to represent process start and end points
 * Rectangles for tasks and activities
 * Diamonds to represent decisions that need to be made in the process
 * Arrows to indicate the process flow


INDICATE HIERARCHY

The use of color, the order of different elements, and sizing can indicate the
importance of different tasks and procedures in the process flow. It can also be
used to highlight dependencies between tasks.


USE PROCESS MAPPING SOFTWARE

Software like Lucidchart includes templates and libraries of standard shapes and
symbols to keep your visuals simple and consistent. It also lets you draw maps
and charts quickly and encourages collaboration and input from all team
members.   


GROUP DATA 

Grouping data into logical categories improves readability and helps your
audience to see and digest the information they need easily and quickly.


USE PROCESS MAPPING ONLY WHERE APPROPRIATE

Not everything your business does can or should be mapped. Process mapping
should only be used in situations where it can help you improve processes and
procedures or where it will likely drive desired results. 

After you have created your process map, you’re not quite done. You need to
implement the process, monitor it, manage it, and make improvements where
warranted. 

Ready to make your own process map?



Learn how here


READY TO MAKE YOUR OWN PROCESS MAP?

Learn how here


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ABOUT LUCIDCHART

Lucidchart is the intelligent diagramming application that empowers teams to
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intuitive, cloud-based solution, everyone can work visually and collaborate in
real time while building flowcharts, mockups, UML diagrams, and more.

The most popular online Visio alternative, Lucidchart is utilized in over 180
countries by millions of users, from sales managers mapping out target
organizations to IT directors visualizing their network infrastructure.




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