What is Process Mapping? | IBM

Learn about process mapping, a method which promotes a better understanding of processes and the identification of areas of improvement.

Process mapping visually represents a workflow, allowing team to understand a process and its components more clearly. There are a variety of process maps, and you may know one by a different name, such as a flowchart, a detailed process map, a document map,  a high-level process map, a rendered process map, a swimlane, a value-added chain diagram, a value-stream map, a flow diagram, a process flowchart, a process model or a workflow diagram. These visual diagrams are usually a component of a company’s business process management (BPM).

A process map outlines the individual steps within a process, identifying task owners and detailing expected timelines. They are particularly helpful in communicating processes among stakeholders and revealing areas of improvement. Most process maps start at a macro level and then provide more detail as necessary.