To Be process mapping: 7 activities and how to perform them

To Be process mapping = processes that are expected to happen. It could be a loose definition of the expression.

After reviewing the As Is process, as it is, the phase of To Be process mapping is intended to create or design new and better, more efficient and effective projects.

In this context, the simulation scenarios take a crucial role as they will be the aid that compares what is to come in the process (To Be, in the future), with what is happening now in the current process.

But despite its importance, 6 more other activities should also be carefully developed during the design of new processes. Read below each of these six activities.

The main activities of To Be Process Mapping

So we can draw the new processes correctly we need to go through six main activities. Below, we detail each of them.

1. To Be Process Design

When designing the new process (To Be) the focus is to ensure that it offers the company exactly what it hopes to accomplish with it. And it has to be properly documented in writing, and should include, among others, the following points:

• Detailed Activities
• Business rules
• Interactions with customers
• Products

To achieve this result, they use different methodologies, such as studies of scenarios, brainstorming, real-time modeling and even the good old blackboard. The important thing is to define precisely how the organization’s goals will be achieved.

2. Definition of process activities

The key at this stage is to be as simple as possible, idealizing easily understood and explained activities. It’s a good way to check the descriptions of the activities are efficient and objective. Here are some tips:

• Activities should be linked in order
• Define activities without clinging to the agents of the process
• Objectively define what will be done
• Try to create parallels between activities

In short, the definition of the activities of To Be process mapping should include a straightforward view of what should be done.

3. Analysis of gaps and comparisons

The To Be process should be different and better than the current process. It is necessary to make a comparison between the results currently obtained with the results to be reached. Simulation tools can do it. The goal of this comparative analysis is:

• Outline what should be changed in the To Be process
• Make tangible gains to be achieved with the new process
• Document the expected results
• Generate greater collaboration and support of the way the To Be process will run

4. Design and Analyze the Information Technology Infrastructure

It is a crucial stage in the design of new processes and it is often not taken with the necessary seriousness. To be able to define an IT infrastructure correctly, take into account:

• Data Flow
• Applications
• Systems
• Interfaces between systems
• Who will use the information?
• When is the information used?
• By what system

If you can understand all of this, it will be easier to define the IT infrastructure To Be processes without compromising performance or using resources more than necessary.

See also: Business Process Automation.

5. Simulation, Testing and Acceptance Model

The To Be simulation is what the process will be like in the future. You should take advantage of current technologies that help to predict outcomes with certainty and confidence, as well as agility.

Since this is a simulation, this is the time of the tests to set limits.

Do not be afraid to imitate reality to the fullest, to be able to predict any failure and fix it now. After, will be too late, and may cause severe damage to the organization.

Because it is the final certification stage of the process, one must estimate the risks carefully.

Upon formal acceptance, you should always rely on the person responsible for the process, who will give the final word.

6. Deployment Plan Creation

Everything has been decided and designed but will now need an implementation plan. Designing the new process is only one step towards its implementation. Now reality starts to manifest. These are no longer simulations and tests.

A good implementation plan should define change management; which systems will be affected by the redesigned process?

Clearly, determine the teams involved and plot points regarding the upcoming project activities.

Now all of the work of To Be process mapping takes shape and is no longer a prediction of the future but a real and tangible result. A failed, and disorganized implementation can compromise everything that has been done so far.

Certainly, a good BPM mapping tool will not only help design the project but also implement it, especially if it has features that allow the creation of information flows, control charts and alerts, creating more transparency and allowing instant visualization of performance indicators.