How to determine the processes in your organization?

An “organization” can be initially defined as a person or a group of people with specific functions, responsibilities, authorities, and relationships working together to achieve their objectives. This can encompass independent workers, associations, corporations, companies, or firms (ISO 9000:2015 3.2.1).

On the other hand, a “process” is characterized as a set of interconnected activities that utilize inputs to produce intended results, which are known as outputs (ISO 9000:2015 3.4.1).

With these fundamental concepts in mind, we can identify three types of processes within an organization: operational, strategic, and support processes. Operational processes are involved in carrying out the core product or service offered by the organization. Strategic processes are responsible for devising the organization’s strategies and plans. Lastly, support processes are those that aid the execution of operational processes, as determined by the strategic processes.

It is essential to accurately identify these process types and not mistake individual activities as separate processes. A common mistake is to consider activities such as recruitment, personnel selection, training, competency control, payroll, and incidents as individual processes when they are part of a broader human resources process that exists to control and manage human resources.

The determination of processes also depends on factors like the organization’s product or service complexity, sector, and unique characteristics. Even organizations within the same sector producing similar products or services may have different processes due to their distinct structures and contexts.

To define the boundaries of a process, we must identify its triggers (inputs) and the outcomes resulting from executing its activities (outputs). For example, in a manufacturing process, the trigger may be a production order or a manufacturing request, leading to the creation of a finished product and its delivery to a customs office.

Several tools can be used to define and structure processes within an organization, including process diagrams, turtle diagrams, and SIPOC diagrams. The purpose of these tools is to identify each process, its inputs, outputs, and other vital factors, such as the required infrastructure, performance indicators, and the roles and responsibilities of those involved in the execution.

In addition to using these tools, the identification of processes can be supported by understanding the input sources, necessary resources, general steps for execution, the resultant outcomes, and the beneficiaries of those outcomes.

Ultimately, a crucial aspect of this process is involving a multidisciplinary group that possesses in-depth knowledge of the organization’s activities, products, and services, and how they are executed. Their participation will ensure a correct and comprehensive definition of the organization’s processes.