Hi Everyone,
I have a question regarding process flow modeling. I'm required to create a process flow diagram for a process that has multiple starting points. So far, I've identified 8 ways the process may begin. Do you have any opinion regarding how the process flow should be designed? Should I create a process flow identifying the beginning tasks for each different scenario and then jump to a new page which displays the point in the process where the tasks converge? Does anyone know of a website that contains an example of a process that can have multiple starting points?
Thank you for your help.
A couple of comments that might help;
1. Where to start?
I would generally start a process map with a customer. By the customer I mean the person who the process is there to serve. That may mean an end user customer, a marketing manager or a user of a help desk. The process should generally end with the same person.
2.Multiple start points
This might be the scenario where there are multiple types of custimer or a customer starts a process for a number of reasons. This partuicular complexity os why Use Cases are often uperior to proces mapping for developing requirements. Things aren't always linear.
In this case you can make each start type a different page or box - or whole new processes. From my perspective it doesn't really matter how you document the process as long as the intended audiences wil be able to understand the message ou are trying to convey.
I have somemore views on process mapping here. (This is the fist of four blog posts. To read them all in order follow the "newer post" links.)
While in an informal setting you can have a process with multiple starting points it is not a best practice to have such models. A process generally has a definite starting point. It would help to have your example in order to better help you out but here are a couple of thoughts:
Hope this helps!
- Adrian
When Adiran wrote about sub processes, he was right.
I am a BA and me and my team worked on 500 processes and we use this sub process technique several times. It removes redundancy and make process readable and understandable..
Good Post Adrian!!
I am a BA and me and my team worked on 500 processes and we use this sub process technique several time. It remove redundancy and make process readable and understandable..
I think this scale is quite common when new workflow systems are being implemented. Business units and teams develop their own local processes and the things breed like rabbits. Because all the business SMEs deal only with their local activities people lose sight of the fact that there are only really a handful of processes with many variations.
Regardless, you still need to go through documenting them all as a part of the "as is" analysis before going on to design the future proesses for your new system. This is so all variations (and constrainst and special requirements) can be identified. Otherwise when you roll out your new workflow system a whole lot of extra-system process workaround are required.
Have fun with them.
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