#221 Processes As A Tool For Simplicity And Structured Improvement

Jun 25, 2025

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The process approach is recommended by all Management System Standards, and effective implementation is key to drive continual improvement.

Processes outline the basic steps needed to complete a task or achieve a certain outcome, and serve to keep things running smoothly and consistently. For those new to ISO Standards, it can be quite daunting to understand what this means in practice.

In this episode Ian Battersby explains what a process is in the context of Management systems, how to map processes and the different ways you can visualise a process for communications.

You'll learn

· What is a Process?

· Why are processes needed in Management Systems?

· Why should you document your processes?

· How do you map a process?

· How can you display a process?

Resources

· Isologyhub

· ISO 9004

In this episode, we talk about:

[02:05] Episode Summary – Ian explains the importance of processes in Management systems, how you can effectively map processes and how you can visualise them for further communication.

[03:00] Why are processes so important for Management Systems? As ISO 9004 (Quality management - Quality of an organization - Guidance to achieve sustained success) states:-

"Organisations deliver value through activities connected within a network of processes. Processes often cross boundaries of functions within the organisation. Consistent and predictable results are achieved more effectively and efficiently when the network of It processes functions as a coherent system."

It doesn't propose a type of process. All organisations are different. But what it does say is that they should be viewed as a system rather than in isolation.

It's a key principle of Quality Management and of business, allowing an organisation to manage and control the way it delivers its activities, with predictable results.

[05:30] What is a process? Put simply, a process is a set of activities which achieve a specific outcome. Or, to put it another way, it's a series of detailed steps describing how to do a job.

[05:40] We should you document your processes?:

· To show how to repeat tasks consistently, getting the same result every time

· It guides people in how to do their jobs

· To allow you to measure that outcomes are as expected

· To provide for a structured approach to improvement

· To help mobilise new contracts, products services of a similar type which supports business growth.

[08:15] How to map a process – There are many different ways you could do this, but a popular method is with process map or process flow.

A process map is a series of boxes on a page or screen. Each box represents an activity. The activities are then linked in a sequential order, using arrows.

As an example, let's say you have a process which repeats a task until you get the right outcome. The first box would be 'Start job', this then points to the next box called 'Perform task'. In turn this points to a third box, which is a question, 'Did it achieve the desired outcome?'.

This would lead to two options: yes and no. So. there are two arrows out this time. If no, we need to learn from it (another box). When we learn from it, we point back to 'Perform task'. If yes we end the job, which would be another box.

Using a diagram such as this, it makes it a lot easier to visualise and follow a process. Many processes will likely be more complicated than this example, but the principle remains the same.

[11:40] Keep things simple – Ian's had experiences of companies that insist on bloated process maps that contains hundreds of boxes and arrows that end up making the whole diagram very difficult to follow. This defeats the purpose of process mapping.

If you have a lot of complicated processes, it's better to break these down into manageable chunks.

[12:30] Process overview: If you're struggling to start, you may want to consider a process overview. This focuses on the main steps on how you run your organisation, so this could be marketing, sales, production and delivery services.

From there you can look at each area and focus on the more detailed activities which can be mapped and linked to each other.

The ones dealing with the process overview include subject matter experts, departmental heads, functional leads, Senior Management ect…

They will help shape the process mapping to ensure the overall delivery is in-line with the organisations' direction.

[14:00] A collaborative task: Process mapping shouldn't be done by one person. One person is hardly going to know how each and every aspect of your organisation works.

Don't just leave it to your Quality Manager. Leaving this task to someone who's not fully involved in the part of the organisation where the process originates will only end in disaster.

They will likely not be aware of small yet vital steps, such as key communication and authorisations.

So make sure you involve multiple parties, and key people involved in the areas you're mapping process for.

[17:05] Process mapping across departments: Think practically about how you deliver products or services. How people actually do their jobs. This is a very important aspect of processes.

Then visualise how each process works: draw it with pencil and paper; throw some Post It notes on a flipchart; put it on a whiteboard and take a photo; even write it out in a Word document. Make it clear.

Make it documented: This is essential. This unleashes the power to measure and improve. Documenting something allows you to compare the way things are done to what you expect and to establish whether the outcome is as you expect.

[12:30] How processes link with other areas of ISO Standards: Processes are very useful in helping people do their job, but they can also assist with:-

Assigning roles and responsibilities.

Each box (activity) can be measured for success, performance indicators can be established at individual activity level, or for a process overall. You can see if the process is successful in delivering its intended outcome. The results can then form part of your monitoring and measuring regime as required by Management System standards (clause 9 is all about evaluating performance).

You can use them as a basis for audit, which is all about assessing whether you get what you expect.

They are also useful in explaining how you deliver to external parties; or demanding how others should do things.

Standards also specify that process performance be included in Management Review (9001 9.3.2 c) 3)) – so it really is an unavoidable step towards ISO certification!

Lastly, it can also help with clause 10, which is all about improvement. What-if scenarios can be performed by moving activities, lines, adding new ones deleting and predicting the outcome of the overall process.

Whichever way you wish to document your processes, by documenting them you have the power to improve them

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