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Contents of This Page

Process Maps

The Purpose of Process Maps in ActionMap
Map Example
The Most Important Change in Perspective
Choosing the Starting View
Two General Types of Processes, Same Map Format
- 1. Distinct Separate Process
- 2. Area of Interaction
General Map Format
Working with Maps in the ActionMap Toolkit
Map Panel Header Controls
General Map Format
Map Part Definitions
Standard Map Build Sequence
Interleaving Mapping and Evaluating
Adding, Moving and Editing Map Parts
Navigating Between Map and List
Map Sets

Process Maps

The Purpose of Process Maps in ActionMap
Process maps provide many values in ActionMap Sessions, including:

Focus of attention
Process maps provide a visual focus for individual and group attention.

Objective Facts
Process maps show the objective facts of the situation.

Anchor for subjective information
Process maps provide an anchor for judgments, opinions and feelings about the process.

Focus on the shared process, not each other
Process maps provide a way for the group to focus on the process instead of individual performance or behavior.

Revealing the transactions - points of change
Process maps show the major transactions of the situation. Changing the process will involve changing these transactions.

Common-sense cause and effect logic
The process maps support cause and effect thinking: if there is an output, there must be an input. If there is an input, where does it go?

Overview of the big picture
Process maps can start with a high level view. This overview helps to ensure that nothing is left out when considering how to improve or change the situation.

Drill down into detail
Process maps show detail along with the big picture. Process maps can also be divided into smaller process maps with even more detail to increase insight and understanding.

Shared understanding of the whole process
Process maps provide a way to cross-train people in the Session about what each person does, so that the whole group sees the importance of each role.

Sense of workload
The number transactions on a process map can show the complexity of the process and the distribution of workload. Some parts of the process may perform many more transactions than others.

Map Example

An example of a process map is shown below:

The Most Important Change in Perspective

The most important change in perspective in using Maps
is to shift from focusing on the effects of individual transactions
to thinking about the overall activity that produces those transactions.

Choosing the Starting View

There are always several major views of a process, including:
▪ How the process is now (Current State or "As Is")
▪ How the process will be in the future (Future State or "To Be")
  ▪ Actions for changing the process (Plan)
  ▪ Management versus Main Operations versus Support
  ▪ Major value transaction flow versus secondary transaction flow.
  ▪ The activity of evaluating the process versus the actual operation of the process
  ▪ and so on.

In most cases, unless there is a specific reason to choose otherwise (and there may very well be) it is most useful to start with:
  ▪ Current State
  ▪ Main Operations
  ▪ Major Value Workflow.

Two General Types of Processes, Same Map Format

There are two general types of process, that are both mapped using the same format.
▪ Distinct Separate Process
▪ Area of Interaction

1. Distinct Separate Process

A "Distinct Separate Process" is an area of activity where people, groups, systems, etc. interact in a structured way, and a lot of the details are known.

In a Distinct Separate Process, the side parts talk to the Central Process.

2. Area of Interaction

An "Area of Interaction" is an of activity where people, organizations etc. interact in a unstructured way, the details may not be clearly known.

In an Area of Interaction, the side parts talk through the
Central Process.

Both types of processes are use the same mapping format. The differences show up in the content of the Map as it is constructed.

For more detail, see this link: "How to Name the Central Process".

General Map Format

Process Maps have a standard set of parts, that go in standard locations:

The application automatically enforces these locations.
▪ If Map Parts are added via the List, they are automatically added to the Map in the appropriate location.
▪ If the Maps are added via Drag and Drop, the can only be moved to certain locations

Map Part Descriptions

The Individual Map part types are described below:

Central Process
Boundaries
Stores
Flows
Sub-Processes
Sub-Processes in the Side Columns

Central Process (or "Focus Process"): the column in the middle ▪ This is the area of Activity that is targeted for close review or change		Key word = "Focus"
Boundaries: the boxes on the side (single rectangle) ▪ These are entities (A person, partnership, organization, or business) or systems that interact with the Central Process. ▪ They are outside the Central Process; they are not part of the Central Process. ▪ They communicate with the Central Process using transactions (Flows). ▪ Boundaries are generally outside the scope of what the group can change or intends to try to change.		Key words = "Limit" and "Less Controllable"
Stores: another form of side box, with a double left side ▪ Used to represent storage units.		Key words = "Hold", "Store"
Flows: the arrows ▪ The arrows represent the flow of "stuff": goods, energy, information, money or services and so on. ▪ They move the real "stuff" between the Central Process and the side parts (Boundaries or Stores).		Key words: "Move Stuff"
Sub-Processes: the rounded rectangles within the Central Process ▪ These are sub-activities within the Central Process ▪ Sub-processes can also be on the sides of the Map		Key words: "Change", Transform"

Please see "How to Use Map Parts" for more detail on Map construction guidelines.

Standard Map Build Sequence

The "standard" sequence of map building activities is to add parts to the Map by type, in the sequence shown below.
There is also an Activity that allows all parts to be added at the same time
(Add / Edit / Comment On All Map Parts).

Working with Maps in the ActionMap Toolkit

Map Panel
Header Controls

Select Map

The Select Map sub-panel allows you to navigate to any Map within that Map and Plan Area.
Clicking on the Map Select control shows a list of Maps that the user can select from.
Selecting a Map changes the Map Panel to show that Map.

Map Panel Header is shown below with notes on the controls:

Size

Changes the Map size between Standard, Small and Large.
Standard is default, and shows the full width of the Map; it can be scrolled up and down to show the entire Map
Large shows one side of the Map and the Central Process; it can be scrolled left and right and up and down; it is used to increase visibility of Map Parts
Small shows the entire Map height (or nearly so); used rarely

Map Part Drag Add Shapes

Drag these shapes onto the Map in order to add parts to the Map.
Please see Map Drag and Drop for more detail on this.

Map Help Button

Provides access to this Help article that you are looking at now.

Interleaving Mapping and Evaluating

The activities in the Main Cycle Mapping Stage go back and forth between mapping and evaluating,
▪ Evaluating adds energy to the mapping, which can become too analytic (i.e. dry and boring).
▪ The Maps provide structure to the evaluating, which can become too subjective (i.e unfocused and argumentative).

This "interleaving" of mapping and evaluating occurs at several points during Map construction, in order to keep a balance of energy and structure.

Adding, Moving and Editing Map Parts

There are two ways to add and move parts on the Map. These are covered in the following separate Help Pages:
▪ Map Drag and Drop
▪ Add Map Parts, Plan Parts and Comments to the List

Editing the names of Map Parts is always done through the List, as described in the above topic.

Navigating Between Map and List

▪ Single and Double Clicking on Row Selectors and Map Parts
Suppose you are looking at a Map part and you want to locate the associated List row, or you are looking at List row and you want to locate the associated Map part.
▪ Single clicking on a Map part or List row selector causes the associated List row or Map part to scroll into view, and opens the List row Action Menu.
▪ Double clicking on a Map part or List row selector causes the above scrolling and highlighting without opening the List row Action Menu.

Map Sets

Release Note: In the initial release of the application there is only one type of Map, called simply "Map". Top Maps, Sub-Maps and Map Sets will be introduced in a future release.

The large majority of ActionMap Toolkit Group Sessions can produce successful results with only one Map.

Many of the features described in "Map Sets" can be achieved using simply multiple Maps.

For more information on Map Sets, please see this link: Map Sets.

Suggested Next Pages

How to Use Map Parts
Add Map Parts, Plan Parts and Comments to the List
Help Table of Contents

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