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creates clarity and context from seemingly disjointed information. And it can show how processes
need to flex to fit different situations. It literally draws a picture. You can find process-mapping tools
online, including several you can try for free. Work by yourself or with others to bring clarity to
process, using these tools. To go deeper, find a short course at a local tech school or university. For
major projects, hire a consultant to facilitate the conversation, and learn along with others.

4. Hate routine? Use process to focus on what’s important. Great processes enable creative
thinking. They provide a way to take care of the mundane and free you up for the fun stuff. Like
strategizing a new acquisition. Hiring new talent. Planning your next market move. If you’re action
oriented, don’t ignore or resist process. Find out how it can make your life—and your customers’
lives—better. Learn about some of the tools of business analysis. Meet with some engineers for a
brainstorming session. Ask how your competitors are using process tools. Turn on your competitive
juices to figure out how you can do it even better.

Want to learn more? Take a deep dive…
Heye, S. (2007, November 5). Quick overview of process mapping [YouTube].

Pavey, S. (n.d.). Creativity techniques – start here! Mind Tools.
Sugars, B. (2012, July 2). Need a vacation? 4 Steps to a business that thrives without you.
Entrepreneur.
YEC Women. (2011, November 15). How to create systems that enable business growth. Forbes.

5. Planning a project? Lay out the process. Well-run projects start out with a plan and a process.
What do you need to accomplish? What’s the time line? What resources will you need? Who controls
the resources—people, funding, tools, materials, and support that you need? Go online to find project
flowcharting software such as PERT and Gantt charts. Some are available for free. Or, if it’s a less
complex project, use Excel or even a Word-based table to lay out necessary steps, resources,
deadlines, and action steps. Follow the process but don’t be too rigid about keeping things moving.
Following a process to get things done includes stopping once in a while to let things play out. Share
the goals of your process with the people you need to support you. Work with them to get the tools
and resources you need. If you’re working with a team, match their skills to tasks. Estimate time to
completion. Set goals for the whole project and the subtasks. Set measures so you and others can
track progress against the goals. Running a project like this is a great way to begin thinking about
process improvement.

6. Creating team process? Align it with objectives. Team processes need to support the end
objective of the group—anything else just slows down results. In strong, self-managed groups, the
team makes decisions on process as they work together. For other teams, the leader designs the
process—ideally with input from team members. Start with objectives. What are they going to deliver
and when? Do they need to meet tight deadlines? Meet regulatory requirements or stay within a
budget? What else might affect their ability to deliver? Then get ideas on process. When and how
often do they want to meet? What tools do they need? How will they store and share documents?
How will they track progress? Hold meetings to resolve early difficulties. Ask frequently how things

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