09
Aug
Process Documentation & Improvement
Rahul Deodhar
In a lot of workplaces, particularly offices, the processes involved are not documented.
Therefore, best practices are difficult to identify and foster. This ebook provides a step‐by‐
step approach to document and thereafter improve the processes at workplace.
Rahul Deodhar

Process Documentation and Improvement Ebook
Introduction
Factory floors of large companies are embodiment of best allocation of people
and resources working at optimum levels on a consistent basis. Yet, offices often
lack the same regimen. They are more people‐centric and work processes are
more ad‐hoc. Some of the people and resource organisation techniques used in
factories have been tailored for office use. Office TPM and 5S have transformed
some cabins. The work‐processes, however, do not seem to get the same
attention.
In my work life I have attempted to identify and document the processes. Early
attempts were ad hoc and led to development of a strategy I outline below. I used
this documented strategy, modified versions actually, to identify and thereafter
improve office processes. The processes in question were often mundane like
emails to interested prospective clients, or ignored like process for selecting
dealers. In the three offices I have attempted these two were spectacularly
successful. In the other case the processes were documented but not improved, a
part success.
Without further ado, let me share with you the process itself.
License
The work can be shared for non­commercial use through proper attribution as
explained in Creative Commons Attribution­Noncommercial­Share Alike 3.0
Unported License
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Process Documentation and Improvement Ebook
Objective
The objective of this process is to assist the team in mapping the processes
effectively. This process lists out ways and means to explore, probe the current
practices prevalent in the team, and effectively document these.
Process Details
Item Details
Process Name Process Documentation Process
Process Owner Person driving this activity
Process Approver Team leader or decision maker
Validation Details
Date of Implementation
Date of Expiry
Date of Modification
Details of Modification
Item Modification Details
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Process Documentation and Improvement Ebook
Definitions
Following are some of the important definitions used in this document:
Process
Process is defined as:
• Human activities used to create, invent, design, transform, produce, control,
maintain, and use products or systems.
• A systematic sequence of actions that combines resources to produce an
output.
• A group of business activities undertaken by an organisation in pursuit of a
common goal.
Typical business processes include receiving orders, marketing services, selling
products, delivering services, distributing products, invoicing for services,
accounting for money received.
A business process usually depends upon several business functions for support,
e.g. IT, personnel, accommodation. A business process rarely operates in
isolation, i.e. other business processes will depend on it and it will depend on
other processes
Executor
Executor is the person who is actually following the process to achieve the
objective of the process. For a typical ‘write renewal letter’ process the person
who is writing the letter will be “executor”.
Players
Players are people who are involved in the execution but who are not the
executors of the process. They are not directly achieving the objectives of the
process. To achieve his objective “Executor” takes help from “Players”.
Resources
Resources refer to those resources that the “executor” and the “players” use for
executing the process. These could be databases, templates, standard documents
etc. This will help us arrive at the resources list that we need to keep updated
and use effectively to achieve the best result for the processes.
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Process Documentation and Improvement Ebook
Triggers
The process will be triggered in the following instances:
1. Whenever the team undertakes a new responsibility hereto not mapped
or not incorporated within the process framework.
2. Whenever a break‐through development takes place within the team.
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Process Documentation and Improvement Ebook
Procedure
1. Start with the template.
1.1. The template is available in (location on company intranet).
2. Define Objective: Define clearly what the objective of that process is. In
other words, please identify what the process will achieve if followed
correctly.
2.1. Please consult the team leader if you have any problems in defining the
objective of the process.
2.2. Once the objective of the process is clear, please name the process using
an action statement.
3. Process Details: Enter the Process Details as required.
3.1. Validation Details will be filled in once the documentation is complete.
3.2. The Process Implementation Date will be filled in last.
3.3. The Process Validity needs to be decided by the Group when the Process
map is presented.
4. List General Steps: Write out the broad steps we usually take in the process.
4.1. Please note that we document the “followed” process and not the “ideal”
process.
5. Preliminary Research:
5.1. Take inputs from other teams across the company if required.
5.2. Use library resources.
5.3. Interactions with team members.
6. As­Is Process Mapping: Understanding what process is followed
6.1. Based on the broad steps design a questionnaire to be administered to
the team members. The questionnaire should:
6.1.1. Identify the steps that other team members follow.
6.1.2. Probe for “sub‐steps” in each step and identify how to execute each
sub‐step.
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Process Documentation and Improvement Ebook
6.1.3. Identify challenging “sub‐steps”. Challenging “sub‐steps” typically
are:
6.1.3.1. Bottleneck resources.
6.1.3.2. Critical sub‐step without which the process fails to achieve
its objective.
6.1.3.3. Identify how to overcome these challenges.
6.1.4. Ask how team members take the process forward in absence of the
executor. The questionnaire should seek ways and means to make
the process work in the absence of the executor.
6.2. Administer the questionnaire to the team.
6.2.1. Please note that the questionnaire / interview should not bias the
interviewee about the learning from other teams and from books.
6.2.1.1. If there is some glaring improvement you have learnt from
other sources ask the same at the last.
6.2.1.2. The objective is first to understand what we do then to find
out why we do not use those “improvements”.
6.2.2. Administer to all the team members if required.
6.2.3. Administer to at least two people from sub‐teams if any.
6.3. Get all the templates used by team members
6.4. Identify all the players in the process.
6.5. Identify all the resources in the process
6.6. Compile the responses from the team.
7. Finalize the process
7.1. Please document the process as currently followed.
7.1.1. First make the process flow chart. Use the connectors to connect
7.1.2. Then write the details.
7.1.3. Show both to the approver before you present the same to the
group.
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Process Documentation and Improvement Ebook
7.1.4. Number each box in the flow diagram and develop the text based
on this sequence. Sub process should be numbered as 1.1, 1.2 or
1.11, 1.1.1, 1.2.1 and so on.
7.2. Please document the suggested improvements separately.
8. Design Metrics
8.1. Metrics are used to measure how well we can adhere to the process.
8.2. Please note first the process is documented then metrics are designed.
8.3. The philosophy behind designing a metric is that it is meant for self‐
improvement and not for “policing”.
8.4. As mentioned the metrics are of four types:
8.4.1. Quality Metrics
8.4.2. Efficiency Metrics
8.4.3. Control Metrics
8.4.4. Result Metrics.
8.5. Identify what we need to measure
8.6. Consult the team members and brainstorm to arrive at means to
measure the items listed by earlier step.
8.7. Apply the SMART test on each of the metric.
8.8. Share the metrics and the SMART test findings with a few team members.
(Preferably those whom you have interviewed earlier)
8.9. Develop all the metrics you can think of.
8.10. Map all the metrics on the process flow chart.
9. Design Review Mechanism
9.1. The review mechanism will be across process itself and metrics.
9.2. Identify parameters that will need review based on your understanding.
These parameters should address:
9.2.1. Role Clarification for roles of all the players in the process.
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Process Documentation and Improvement Ebook
9.2.2. Resource usage.
9.3. Identify time required to review the process. Set trigger to alert before
process expiry.
9.4. Feedback based reviews will depend upon the kind of feedback received.
They would be devised in consultation with the director and the heads.
10. Make the presentation to the group.
10.1. Present the entire process in detail along with the sub‐step.
10.2. Explain each sub‐step.
10.3. Highlight the challenging Sub‐steps along with solutions to
overcome or execute those.
10.4. Present all the templates used by the team members in this
process.
10.5. Present some innovative steps others follow based on step 5. Let
the group decide which steps to incorporate into the process.
10.6. Present all the metrics let the group decide which to keep.
10.6.1. Metrics need to be whetted by team leaders, Heads and Directors
separately.
10.7. Get the commitment on the Implementation Date.
10.7.1. Work based on changes to be made in the document based on
group input.
10.7.2. Time required for circulating the documentation.
10.7.3. Also factor time for queries and general familiarization with the
steps.
10.8. Get groups opinion on Process expiry date.
11. Revising the Process Document
11.1. Based on the suggestions of the group review the documentation
and update the same.
11.2. Share the updated documents with Approver.
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Process Documentation and Improvement Ebook
11.3. Print out of the finalized process.
12. Implementing the Process: This step involves key activities to be done after
all the documentation is complete.
12.1. Process Book Reference
12.1.1. The documents must be approved and signed by the approver.
12.1.2. Once the same is done. Convert the same into PDF.
12.1.3. Make a separate PDF for the process flow chart.
12.1.4. Send these to all the team members with instructions to keep the
printout of the process flow chart as a ready reference.
© Rahul Deodhar 2009
www.rahuldeodhar.com

Process Documentation and Improvement Ebook
Metrics
It is important to measure the process documentation. These are following
metrics are proposed for the current process.
Quality Metrics
Metric Scale Rating Comment
Clarity of Objective Yes / No
Upgradeability Yes / No
Workable Solution V/s Ideal Yes / No
Solution
Minimal Paperwork Yes / No
Documentation Complete? Yes / No
Efficiency Metrics
Metric Scale Rating Comment
Time Spent
Desk Research Low / Ok / Hi
Designing Questionnaire Low / Ok / Hi
Meeting Other team Low / Ok / Hi
members
Meeting the team Low / Ok / Hi
Process Documentation Low / Ok / Hi
Presentation Low / Ok / Hi
Control Metrics
Metric Scale Rating Comment
Questionnaire completion date Days 4 days
Interview completion date Days 5 days
Approver Submission Date Date
Presentation Date Date
Result Metrics
Metric Scale Rating Comment
Process Accepted by Approver Changes
Minor/Major
Process Accepted by Group Changes
Minor/Major
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Process Documentation and Improvement Ebook
Process Flow Diagram
Guidelines for making Process flow diagram:
1) The Process will be indicated in a box.
2) Each box is numbered.
a. If the process given to you is numbered x then each box within this
process will be numbered x.1, x.2,..x.9,x.10,x.11, etc.
b. Sub processes (sub‐steps within the main box) will be numbered as x.1.1,
x.1.2, etc.
3) As mentioned first make the box and line chart and each box will be explained in
the procedure section.
4) If explanation for a box is lengthy and tedious, break it into sub‐activities.
© Rahul Deodhar 2009
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Process Documentation and Improvement Ebook
Process flow diagram for Documenting Processes
1.1 1.2 1.3
Start with the template Define Process Objective
Fill in Process Details
1.5 1.4
Preliminary Research List General Steps
1.6 1.7 1.8
As is Process Mapping
Finalize Process Design Metrics
1.6.1
Design Questionnaire 1.9
Design Review Mechanism
1.6.2
Administer Questionnaire
1.10
1.6.3
Present to the team
Get Templates used
1.6.4 1.11
Identify Players Revise based on Feedback
1.6.5
Identify Resources 1.12
Implement the Process
1.6.6
Compile team responses
© Rahul Deodhar 2009
www.rahuldeodhar.com