How to approach simplified documentation of business processes

At the beginning of this article, we would like to clarify that it does not cover the advanced topic of documenting business processes, practices, and methodologies in depth - this will be thoroughly addressed in another article. Instead, this article presents a basic approach to documenting processes in a simplified model.

Introduction

In today’s dynamic business environment, effective process management is key to the success of any organization. Documenting a business process is a fundamental step toward better understanding how a company operates, increasing efficiency, and laying the groundwork for future automation.

We have previously discussed business process automation, its benefits, and implementation in our article. Here, we will present a simplified yet effective approach to documenting business processes, aimed at providing a better understanding of organizational workflows and preparing businesses for future challenges. The goal of this article is to deliver practical knowledge that will enable you to independently begin analyzing and optimizing processes within your company.

It is important to note that every organization is unique, and business processes can vary significantly depending on the industry, company size, or specific nature of operations. Therefore, the presented approach is universal and should be tailored to meet the individual needs of each enterprise.

What is a business process?

A business process can be defined as a set of logically interconnected tasks performed in a specific sequence to achieve a desired business outcome. These processes may involve various departments and functions within an organization, with the goal of transforming "input data" into desired "output data" that holds business value. Of course, "data" does not necessarily refer to literal data; it can represent any entity transformed into a tangible result.

Business processes have several key characteristics:

• repetition - business processes are typically repetitive, meaning they can be executed multiple times in a similar manner;
• measurability - the efficiency of processes can be measured using various indicators, such as time, cost, or quality of results;
• predictability - well-defined processes should yield predictable outcomes with every execution;
• value addition - each process should contribute to creating value for the customer or the organization.

Processes can also be categorized into main types:

• operational processes - directly related to the creation of products or delivery of services to customers;
• management processes - including strategic planning, resource management, and decision-making;
• support processes - assisting core operational processes, such as human resources or IT management.

Examples of business processes

1. Employee recruitment - this process includes collecting candidate requirements, posting job offers, collecting applications, filtering candidates, conducting interviews, selecting the best candidate, and onboarding.
2. Customer service - this process involves receiving customer inquiries, classifying and diagnosing issues, providing technical support, and resolving problems.
3. Production - this process includes production planning, raw material procurement, transforming materials into finished products, quality control, and delivering products to storage.

The importance of documenting business processes

Documenting business processes is a critical step toward better understanding and improving organizational operations. Precise process mapping brings numerous benefits:

• improved transparency - a detailed breakdown of processes clarifies how different organizational elements interact;
• identification of improvement areas - analyzing documented processes makes it easier to identify inefficiencies and bottlenecks;
• standardized actions - clearly defined processes help unify the way tasks are executed across the organization;
• simpler change implementation - with a clear overview of processes, it is easier to introduce and monitor organizational changese;
• more effective training - documented processes serve as an excellent basis for creating training materials for new employees.

Apart from these benefits, the most critical advantage is the potential for automation of processes.

The role of optimization and automation

Accurately documenting business processes is an essential step toward their optimization and automation. It enables:

• identification of repetitive tasks, that can potentially be automated;
• efficiency analysis - comparing different process variants to select the best one;
• IT implementation planning - providing a foundation for designing IT systems that support processes;
• continuous improvement - facilitating the monitoring and ongoing enhancement of processes within the organization.

Impact on organizational culture

Documenting business processes also positively impacts organizational culture:

1. Encourages collaboration: engages employees from various departments in analyzing and improving processes.
2. Raises awareness: employees gain a better understanding of their role in the broader organizational context.
3. Fosters innovation: encourages critical thinking and the proposal of improvements.
4. Improves communication: creates a common language for discussing organizational operations.

Documenting business processes is not just a technical activity but a strategic endeavor that can significantly influence an organization’s success. In the following sections, we will explore practical approaches to this task.

Preparing to document processes

Before beginning the actual documentation of business processes, proper preparation is crucial. This phase aims to gather necessary information, engage the right individuals, and create an action plan. Proper preparation significantly increases the chances of success for the entire initiative.

Identifying key processes

The first step is to identify the most critical processes within the organization:

1. Analyze, which processes directly contribute to creating value for the customer.
2. Create a general outline of the main processes in the company — map the processes with a general description.
3. Determine, which processes are most critical to the company’s operations and require immediate attention.
4. Discuss with management which processes are considered key from the company’s strategic perspective.

Gathering information about processes

After identifying key processes, the next step is to gather detailed information:

1. Conduct interviews or workshops with individuals directly involved in executing the processes to collaboratively discuss how they function.
2. Review existing procedures, work instructions, and other documents describing the processes.
3. If possible, observe how the processes are carried out in practice.
4. Collect available quantitative data on process performance (e.g., duration, costs, error rates).

Techniques for documenting business processes

Once prepared, you can move on to documenting business processes. Various techniques can be employed for this purpose. The choice of method depends on the organization’s specifics, process complexity, and goals. Below, we present one of the simpler techniques that works in most cases.

Top-Down process mapping

This technique is recommended for quickly documenting processes by gradually detailing each step. The process should consist of specific sequential steps described in a general way. To implement this technique, it’s essential to step into the role of the primary actor executing the process and outline it from their perspective:

1. Define process boundaries: identify where the process starts and ends.
2. Identify key stages: list the main steps in the process.
3. Elaborate stages: for each key stage, define sub-activities and various execution variants, including decision conditions and alternative paths.
4. Add details: gradually provide more information for each step.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until no further breakdown of steps is possible.
6. Verification: step into the main actor’s role and ensure all essential elements have been included.

When documenting a business process, it is vital to include all key elements to ensure a comprehensive understanding of its operation. A detailed process description should include the following components:

Process name and purpose

It’s important to establish a name for the process and define its purpose within the company:

1. Clear name: assign a clear and understandable name to the process that reflects its primary purpose.
2. Define the main goal: clearly specify the primary objective of the process and the value it aims to deliver.

Process participants

Another critical aspect is identifying all actors involved in the process:

1. List of participants: list all individuals, roles, or departments engaged in the process.
2. Responsibilities: specify the specific actions each participant is accountable for.
3. Interactions: describe how participants collaborate within the process.

Why time matters

Once the process is broken down into steps, it’s beneficial to estimate the time required for each step.

• Identifying time requirements for each step helps focus on the most time-consuming elements of the process.
• A process mapped with time estimates makes it easier to plan for the gradual automation of individual steps.
• Consider the "small numbers effect", where small time savings in frequently performed tasks can accumulate significantly, e.g.:

If 40 employees perform a task daily (e.g., sorting emails in their inbox), saving 10 minutes per day on this activity amounts to approximately 1,673 hours annually (one thousand six hundred seventy-three hours).

Additional tips

• Document only actions critical to the process as individual steps. Minor, peripheral actions are better noted as comments within related steps. A good guideline here is the 80/20 rule - focus on the 20% of activities that generate 80% of the results.
• Maintain a balance between generality and detail - avoid overly general or overly specific descriptions. Tailor the level of detail to the goal of documenting the process.
• If a process has too many conditions that significantly impact subsequent steps, it likely involves multiple processes sharing common steps.
  How to handle this:
• if they are critical processes, separate and document them individually;
• if they are secondary or conditions only introduce minor variations, document the most representative process and include relevant notes.
• Involve individuals who actually perform or own the processes. Process documentation should primarily be conducted with people who execute the process, as they have the most knowledge about its steps, risks, and exceptions.

Applying these tips will result in more precise, practical, and up-to-date documentation of business processes.

Example process description

Below is an example of documenting a process using the top-down approach: purchasing an item from an online store.

System: Online store

Process: Product purchase in an online store

Actors: Buyer, store employee, courier, payment system, e-commerce platform, search engine, customer’s email inbox

1. Step 1: Identifying the need for a purchase
   • Required: Yes
   • Actors: Buyer
   • Time: 30 minutes
   • Notes:
     • (Outside the system)
2. Step 2: Finding a store that offers the desired type of product
   • Required: Yes
   • Actors: Buyer, search engine
   • Time: 20 minutes
   • Notes:
     • (Outside the system)
3. Step 3: Searching for the product in the online store
   • Required: Yes
   • Actors: Buyer, e-commerce platform
   • Time: 2 minutes
   • Notes:
     • The buyer can browse the catalog without logging in.
     • Products can be found on the featured list, within a selected category, or via a search using specific parameters.
4. Step 4: Adding the product to the cart
   • Required: Yes
   • Actors: Buyer, e-commerce platform
   • Time: 10 seconds
   • Notes:
     • In the cart, the buyer can adjust the quantity of items (limited by stock availability).
5. Step 5: Zarejestruj / załóż kontrolę
   • Required: No
   • Actors: Registering or creating an account
   • Time: 4 minutes
   • Notes:
     • Account registration requires email verification.
     • An account cannot be created using an email already associated with another account.
6. Step 6: Logging into the Store
   • Required: Yes
   • Actors: Buyer, e-commerce platform
   • Time: 1 minute
   • Notes:
     • The buyer can create an account during checkout.
     • The buyer can make a purchase without creating an account (alternative path).
     • After logging in, items in the guest cart are transferred to the logged-in user’s cart.
7. Step 7: Placing the order
   • Required: Yes
   • Actors: Buyer, payment system, e-commerce platform
   • Time: 4 minutes
   • Notes:
     • The buyer selects the payment and delivery methods.
     • The buyer completes payment via the payment system.
8. Step 8: Order confirmation
   • Required: Yes
   • Actors: Store employee, payment system, e-commerce platform
   • Time: 2 minutes
   • Notes:
     • The store employee confirms the order after verifying product availability and successful payment in the system.
     • The e-commerce platform sends an email notification to the buyer.
9. Step 9: Scheduling shipment
   • Required: Yes
   • Actors: Store employee, courier, e-commerce platform
   • Time: 6 minutes
   • Notes:
     • (communication with an external system)
     • The store employee registers a delivery order via the API to the specified address.
10. Step 10: Product shipment
    • Required: Yes
    • Actors: Store employee, courier
    • Time: 20 minutes
    • Notes:
      • The store employee packs the product and delivers the package to the courier service center.

This example illustrates the entire purchase pathway, providing a detailed view of the process. This allows critical points or tasks to be identified for improvement or potential automation.

The presented process outlines the fundamental steps in the purchase pathway. However, it can be further detailed by dividing it into various scenarios and considering alternative paths.

Conclusion

Documenting business processes is a vital component of effective organizational management. Precise process mapping enhances understanding of a company’s operations, identifies areas for improvement, and serves as the foundation for optimization and automation - without this, it’s unclear what can or should be automated.

Effective process documentation begins with identifying key processes within the organization, gathering detailed information about them, and involving individuals who execute these processes daily. With this collected data, you can proceed to systematically map the process using a top-down approach, balancing generality and detail in the description.

Accurate documentation of business processes provides greater insight into how processes function. Armed with this knowledge, you can pinpoint critical points for optimization and automation. This opens up new opportunities for business growth, as process improvements can make your company more competitive by delivering better speed and quality than rivals.

Process automation is a key step in driving any company’s growth. At WebMakers, we combine expertise with innovation to deliver solutions that not only meet today’s market demands but also prepare your business for future challenges. We help optimize processes, supporting stable growth and efficiency for companies across various industries. Our comprehensive support covers everything from technology consulting and digital transformation to creating digital products that deliver measurable results . Ready to make technology the driving force behind your success? Contact us, and together we’ll create a solution perfectly tailored to your needs.