Process Mapping Symbols
Process map symbols are an integral component of the value of process mapping. Process mapping is a planning and management tool to visually map how work flows from beginning to end in a wide range of different processes. It is incredibly useful in many ways, including but not limited to:
- Process mapping can help teams identify bottlenecks and roadblocks so they can improve the process.
- Process maps can help communicate a process to team members, partners, and stakeholders.
- Process maps can help new employees understand the work and their role in it.
- Process mapping can help document a process and make the information accessible to everyone.
Process mapping symbols derive from the Unified Modeling Language (UML) to represent key elements, such as steps, decision points, inputs and outputs, and participating team members.
The most common symbols include:
- Terminator – Ovals denote the beginning and end of the process.
- Process step – A rectangle represents an activity or task in the process.
- Flow – Arrows connect steps in the process and show directional flow.
- Decision – A diamond illustrates a point where a decision needs to be made, usually with “yes” or “no” options branching from this point.
- Delay – A D-shaped symbol indicates a delay in the process.
- Document – A rectangle with a wavy bottom line represents a document or information that people can read. Multiple documents are indicated by a symbol resembling multiple stacked wavy rectangles.
- Data – A parallelogram represents data that is an input or output of a process step.
- Manual input – A rectangle with a slanted top line indicates a step in which data must be manually entered.
- Subprocess – A rectangle with double vertical lines indicates a subprocess which is predefined elsewhere.
There are several other useful symbols to use in a process map, but these common symbols help to get started and form the foundation for everything else.
Please contact us for assistance with process mapping or any of the other lean consulting services we offer industrial and manufacturing companies.