Process management starts with the process map

Management processes

As the name implies, these are necessary for the organization and management of the company. These processes are independent of the customer origin or end point, but contain processes for defining strategies, bank control, or human resources.

Core processes

Since the company generates its value creation from these processes, these are the most important processes in the company. This category typically encompasses the sales and production procedures, such as the credit process or securities process. Considering that money is earned through these processes and there is always direct customer contact or a customer order, faulty processes have a direct influence on customer satisfaction.

Support processes

For support services within the company, all processes are bundled here. For example, the material procurement process, the incoming, and outgoing mail processes, and the IT processes can be mentioned here. These processes do not directly generate revenue for the company, but they are essential to support value-adding processes.

When starting from the top level of the process map with its three areas, it is possible to jump to the next level of sub-processes.

These process clusters are divided into individual definable processes, which can be assigned to an organizational unit. By utilizing the credit cluster as an illustration, it can be demonstrated that this encompasses the counselling process, the submission process, and the contract creation process. Each of these processes are sub-processes of the topic ‘credit’. These can be further broken down into individual process steps. This level of detail is imperative for conducting process analysis and optimisation.

The procedure for generating a process map and the associated challenges

The initial creation of a process map should be optimally executed by a neutral entity that possesses fundamental expertise in the methodology and procedure for generating the ideal structure. From this initial point, it is imperative to initially identify and document the bank’s procedures to attain a thoroughly comprehension of the highest level. It is essential that this understanding be shared across all management levels and that the board of directors is in agreement. This is accomplished through workshops with the relevant stakeholders from different organisational units and areas of responsibility. Even in practice, it becomes apparent that the mere inclusion and classification in the individual areas can lead to discussions. For example, there are arguments that see the HR department as a support process, as well as arguments that place these processes more in the strategic area. These potential conflict situations ought to be deliberated upon in bilateral discussions, if necessary, with the involvement of higher decision-making bodies.

After the processes have been documented and categorized into one of the three categories, it is imperative to identify the underlying processes.. This implies that the the corresponding procedures must undergo an analysis with all relevant stakeholders, and subsequently, the distinct procedures for the procedures must be formulated. A comprehensive and detailed approach is essential for the subsequent quality of the processes. It is the sole means of identifying the corresponding optimisation potential.

The final stage is the publication of the newly created process in the company environment, such as the intranet, where all employees can access it and thus read up on it again in case of process ambiguities. Regarding publication, there exist various options. The simplest approach is to record the entire procedure in a Microsoft Excel document. It is usually possible for companies to do this without incurring additional costs.Although, it also has the major disadvantage that this form of presentation quickly becomes confusing, and compromises must be made regarding interactivity. Another option is to use appropriate tools, such as ibo.. This is typically associated with supplementary expenses for the bank; however, it also facilitates enhanced commitment and a greater level of detail in the procedures, resulting in a more comprehensive understanding.

Conclusion

The process map is the foundation of the organisation and increases the process reliability of the employees. Moreover, these processes can be used to make further process analyses to keep improving quality. Furthermore, they are essential in today’s dynamic world; even agile transformations and a complete reboot of the way of working cannot be represented without the process map as a tool.