Main Cycle Overview (Session Activity Cycle)

Contents of This Page

Session Activity Cycle

• Main Cycle Overview
  
  • Six Stages in the Main Cycle
  • Map / Evaluate / Prioritize
  • Main Cycle Stage Activities
  • A "Standard" Session
• Main Cycle Quick View
• Quick Look at the Main Page
• Stages of the Main Cycle - More Detail
  • Focus the Group 
  • Mapping Stages
    • Stage 1: Build Process Maps
    • Stage 2: Evaluate Process Maps
    • Stage 3: Prioritize Evaluations
  • Planning Stages
    • Stage 4: Capture Proposed Changes
    • Stage 5: Build Action Plan
    • Stage 6: Assign and Schedule
• Work Product Progression in the Main Cycle 
  

Main Cycle Overview

The ActionMap Main Cycle is a simplified process improvement cycle that is used in the ActionMap Toolkit method and software.  It can be represented in a linear graphic as shown here:

  

Six Stages in the Main Cycle The Main Cycle has six primary Stages with an initial starting Stage 0. Session Start 1. Build Process Maps 2. Evaluate Process Maps 3. Prioritize Evaluations 4. Capture Proposed Changes 5. Create Action Plans 6. Assign and Schedule

ActionMap Main Cycle

Each of these Stages produces specific "people results" and "Work Product results"
In doing so the Main Cycle systematically develops:
▪  strong shared understanding, agreement and commitment to take action, supported by
▪  high quality process Maps, Evaluations and Action Plans.

Map / Evaluate / Prioritize

Please note that in many situations strong results can be achieved with just the Mapping Stages:  The Mapping Stages by themselves can create strong shared understanding of: how the Map works  stakeholder interests with respect to the process (Evaluate) the important areas for change (Prioritize). These results together create motivation and direction for change. The Planning Stages can be added if there is further opportunity in the situation to: brainstorm change ideas (Capture Proposed Changes) identify specific actions that the group agrees on (Create Action Plan) capture commitment to take those actions (Assign and Schedule

Main Cycle Activity

Each of these Stages is divided into Activities.   The detailed work of the Group Session is performed in these Activities. Throughout the Main Cycle the software: ▪  guides the sequence of Activities,  ▪  provides explanations of the Map and List items, and ▪  compiles the List items into the successive Work Products.

In particular: ▪  The Operator controls how the Session moves from one activity to the next. ▪  There is a standard sequence through the activities. ▪  In most cases the operator simply pushes the "Go to Next Activity" button when the participants have finished working in an activity. ▪  The Activities can also be performed in a flexible sequence to meet the needs of the session participants.

A "Standard" Session

A "standard" Session consist of one pass through Main Cycle Stages.
Sessions can also include multiple and/or partial performance of the Main Cycle.
▪  That's part of the reason the application is called the ActionMap Toolkit. 

Notes:  

▪  Strong group results can often be obtained by performing only the Map and Evaluate Stages.
▪  The activities generate a continuous connected set of Work Products, as show in the diagram at the end of this page titled "Work Product Progression".

 Main Cycle Quick View

 0. Session Start

Capture information that describes the overall Session scope, focus and motivations.

 1. Build Process Maps

Construct a diagram that describes the major elements of the Process.

 

2. Evaluate Process Maps

Capture Goals, Issues and Change Ideas associated with specific Map Parts. Also capture factual Notes about the Process, again associated with specific Map Parts Important note:  The Main Cycle Activities go back and forth between Mapping and Evaluating,  Evaluating adds energy to the Mapping, and the Maps provide structure to Evaluating.

 

3. Prioritize Evaluations

Identify which of the Evaluations should be worked on first. Only carry the High Priority Evaluations forward.

4. Capture Proposed Changes

Used focused brainstorming to identify actions that could help implement the High Priority Evaluations and that might be taken.  Present these as proposals that should be considered. Then Prioritize those ideas, and only carry the High Priority ones forward.

  

 5. Create Action Plan

Translate the High Priority brainstorming ideas into specific Action Items that will be taken.

 

6. Assign and Schedule

Identify specific people to perform the actions and specific due dates for when progress should be reviewed.

  

Quick Look at the Main Page

ActionMap Main Page - Schematic

All of the Main Cycle activities are performed on the Main Page.  The Main Page has two primary panels: ▪  Map (left side) ▪  List (right side), ▪  Discussion  a smaller panel that is used for side notes (lower right).  As seen the in schematic here

 

ActionMap Main Page - Screenshot

Notes on Map Format

The Map is a variation of what is technically called a system activity diagram or data flow diagram. 
Its purpose is to reveal the major groups, systems, transactions and Sub-Processes that are needed to perform the Process.

The List is an outline of "parts" that make up the Map and the Plan for the situation that is being reviewed in the Session.
▪  The List is configured differently for each Main Cycle Activity.
▪  This allows the List to be used for capturing different types of information, including:
    ▪  Map Parts
    ▪  comments about Map Parts
    ▪  Priorities
    ▪  Brainstorming ideas 
    ▪  Action Items. 

The Main Difference Between the List and the Discussion

▪  The List is about the Map and Plan Area - the area of interest that is being looked at in the Session.
    ▪  the List builds the process Map and the Plan and captures comments on the Map and Plan
       ▪  comments in the List are closely tied to the Map or Plan
▪  The Discussion is for comments about the Session as a whole.
      ▪  the Discussion can also be used to capture information for participants that are not sure how to use the List.

Stages of the Main Cycle - More Detail

Focus the Group

Stage 0: Session Start

Overview:

▪ Define the area of interest by capturing the names of:
   ▪  The general area of activity that the Session will focus on (the "Map and Plan Area")
   ▪  The primary process that the Session will focus on (the "Central Process")
▪ Refine the scope of the Central Process
   ▪  Type:  Job, Organization, Project, Area of Interaction, etc.
   ▪  Time Frame:  Past, Present, Future
   ▪  Filter/View:  Exclude or focus on specific parts of the process
   ▪  Operators:  Who is inside the Central Process, driving it (if anyone)
▪ Capture major change drivers for the process, that people are aware of at the start of the Session
   ▪  Major Goals, Major Issues, Major Change Ideas 

Mapping Stages 

Stage 1:  Build Process Maps

Stage Activity Summary

▪ Add graphics ("Map Parts") to the Map.

Overview

▪  An example of the ActionMap process Map format can be seen in the image of the Main Page, above ▪  All ActionMap process Map page follow this same basic format:

▪  Again, this format is a variation on what are called system activity diagrams and data flow diagrams.
▪ ActionMap process Maps are intended to strike a balance between flexible drawings and rigorous analytic diagrams.
    ▪  Measures and sequence numbers can be added to the Map Part labels or to notes about the map parts.
    ▪  For more information on this please see Variations in How to Use ActionMap Process Maps.

Important Note on Map Arrows

▪  An important feature of ActionMap process Maps is that the arrows should ONLY represent the movement of "stuff": information, goods, money, etc. 
▪  That is why the arrows are called "Flows".
▪  Arrows do NOT represent "go to" or "do next". 
▪  There are several reasons for this including:
▪  "flow of stuff" can be further analyzed; i.e. broken into smaller pieces.
▪  "flow of stuff" is more directly tangible;  "go to" and "do next" are more abstract.
▪  "flow of stuff" can be reacted to more clearly, in terms of identifying goals, issues and change ideas within the process
▪  "flow of stuff" can also be used for flow of control signals, effectively substituting for "go to"/"do next".

Adding and Moving Map Parts

▪  Map parts can be added or moved either through Drag and Drop or by adding and moving rows the List.
▪  Map parts always also appear on the List where they can be edited and commented on.
▪  The software provides detailed guidelines and constraints where Map Parts can be added - it cannot be done "wrong".
▪  The standard Main Cycle activities provides a standard sequence for adding Map Parts to the Map. 
    ▪  Or, Map Parts can be added in any sequence.

More Detail on process Maps can be found on this page:  Process Maps - Purpose, Format and Construction.

Stage 2: Evaluate Process Maps

Stage Activity Summary

▪ Add Evaluations to Map Parts - goals, issues and change ideas that are linked to the Map Parts ▪ Add notes to Map Parts and Evaluations - additional facts, measures and comments that are linked to Map Parts or Evaluations Evaluations consist of phrases that describe: ▪ Goals - things to move toward ▪ Issues - things to move away from ▪ Change Ideas - general ways to make change to happen Evaluations allow the expression of subjective judgement, personal experience, and stakeholder interests. They provide the motivation and indicate the direction for process change.

Interleaving Mapping and Evaluating In detailed execution, the Main Cycle activities go back and forth between mapping and evaluating,  ▪ Evaluating adds energy to the mapping, which can become "too analytic". ▪ The Maps provide structure to the evaluating, which can become "too subjective" (including argumentative.) This "interleaving" of mapping and evaluating occurs at several points during map construction, in order to keep a balance of energy and structure.

Stage 3: Prioritize Evaluations

Note on Creating "People" Results	Up to this point, the group has: ▪  developed shared understanding of the objective situation by creating the Maps ▪  developed shared understanding of people's interests, concerns and ideas by capturing the Evaluations At this point, the group develops agreement on which Evaluations should be carried forward for possible action.
Stage Activity Summary	▪ Vote to prioritize the Evaluations ▪ Vote to select the High Priority Evaluations
Overview	▪  Each participants enters a priority (or requests the operator to enter a priority) for each Evaluations.  ▪  Priorities indicate level of interest in taking action on the Evaluations. ▪  Priority values are A, B, C.  The standard meanings of the priority values are:     ▪ A - act on this now     ▪ B - do this after the A's     ▪ C - maybe do this never

Notes:

▪ Only Evaluations are prioritized; notes are not prioritized. ▪ The Session Operator can poll participants in order to capture counts of Priority votes for each evaluation. ▪ Priorities are added up and scored to determine which Evaluationsare "High Priority" ▪ The formula for scoring is:  A = 6, B = 2, C = -1. See "Voting to Prioritize Evaluations and Proposed Changes" for more detail and examples.

Planning Stages

Stage 4: Capture Proposed Changes

Note on Creating "People" Results:		Up to this point, the group has: ▪  developed shared understanding of the objective situation by creating the Maps ▪  developed shared understanding of people's interests, concerns and ideas by capturing the Evaluations ▪  developed at least partial agreement on what is important in the situation by identifying the High Priority Evaluations At this point, the group begins to focus on more concrete steps that might make a difference and that might actually be taken.
Stage Activity Summary		▪ Add Proposed Changes that could be taken in response to the High Priority Evaluations. ▪ Vote to prioritize the Proposed Changes. ▪ Vote to select the High Priority Proposed Changes.
Overview:		▪  The High Priority Evaluation sare used as starting points for capturing Proposed Changes. ▪  Proposed Changes are general ideas for "what to do" to respond to the Evaluations. ▪  Capturing Proposed Changes is a type of brainstorming.    ▪  (Brainstorming happened first in the Evaluate stage.  This stage needs creative thinking, however it should be focused on "do-able" ideas for specific Evaluations.) ▪  Proposed Changes are also prioritized after they have been captured.

Notes:

▪ The term "Proposed Changes" is used instead of "Brainstorming ideas" because; ▪ It emphasizes that these are "proposed", not "planned" ▪ It emphasizes that these are "changes", things that might actually be done, not just "change ideas"

Stage 5:  Build Action Plan

Note on Creating "People" Results:	At this point, the group creates the final elements that are needed to develop strong commitment to take action: ▪  well-defined Action Items ▪  assignments to specific people ▪  specific target due dates
Stage Activity Summary:	▪ Add specific Action Items that would fulfill the High Priority proposed actions ▪ Organize the Action Items into an outline.
Overview:	▪  High Priority Proposed Changes are used as starting points for capturing Action Plan Activities. ▪  Action Items are more specific, concrete and directive in terms of making change happen. ▪  Action Items can be commented on and arranged in sequence of execution.

 

Stage 6:  Assign and Schedule

▪ Add the names of people assigned to perform the specific actions
▪ Add target completion dates for the specific actions

In the last stage of the Main Cycle, participants assign Action Items to specific people and given specific target due dates.

 

Work Product Progression in the Main Cycle  

The Activities within the Stages produce an interconnected series of Work Products, as show in the diagram . Please note:this diagram is provided for background understanding only.  This view does not need to be shared with Session participants and does not need to be thought about when operating Sessions;  the software takes care of these details.

 
  

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ActionMap "How It Works" Video
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