7 Tips for a Great Process Map

It doesn’t include every detail. Instead, it highlights the most relevant aspects. Which aspects matter most depends on three key factors:

1. The Goal: What is the process map used for?

A good process map typically serves two core purposes:

• It has a didactic function — helping people understand the business model and how strategy is implemented.
• It serves as a navigation interface in the management system — giving users direct access to processes, work instructions, forms, and knowledge pages.

2. The Audience: Who is the process map for?

A management system should be a helpful tool for everyone — not just the QM team, auditors, or management. That means the process map should make it easy for all employees to access what they need.

3. The Time Frame: Should the map reflect the past, present, or future?

For daily work, only the present matters. That’s why a good process map reflects the current state — not outdated procedures or future ambitions.

Practical Advice: How to Build an Effective Process Map

1. Distinguish between management, core, and support processes

This clear categorization helps users understand both the purpose of each process and who the “customer” is — whether internal or external.

• Management processes define strategic direction and steer the organization. Their “customers” are internal: the employees.
• Core processes (also known as value-creating or end-to-end processes) fulfill customer needs — they’re aimed at external customers.
• Support processes are necessary for core processes to function but don’t directly contribute to value creation. Their customers are internal — the teams running the core processes.

2. Build a coherent core process chain

In many companies, core processes have grown organically over time — ending up disjointed or incomplete. But a clear, connected core process chain is essential. It helps visualize how tasks flow across departments and where handovers happen. Start with the customer request, and end with delivery of the product or service.

3. Reflect your business model

When someone looks at your process map — especially the core process chain — it should be immediately clear how your company creates value.

• Are you a custom manufacturer? Then winning customers must come before development or production.
• Do you produce for stock? Then production happens before sales.

You might even need multiple parallel core process chains if you provide different types of services. For example, in a trading company, procurement may be part of the core chain. In a manufacturing firm, it’s typically a support process.

4. Name processes by action, not department

It’s tempting to label processes by department — “HR,” “Sales,” “Production.” But this reinforces silo thinking. Instead, use subject-verb phrasing that focuses on the purpose of the process. For example:

• “Win customers” instead of “Sales”
• “Develop products” instead of “R&D”

This makes the goal of each process clear — and encourages cross-functional thinking.

5. Keep it simple: Limit the number of elements

A usability study by Modell Aachen found that the ideal number of elements is six or fewer per category:

• Up to 6 management processes
• Up to 6 core processes
• Up to 6 support processes

Yes, it’s technically possible to include every exception, interaction, and service chain. But in practice, less is more. Keep your map clear and usable.

6. Get feedback from real users

Too many process maps are built solely for certification — and used only by QM staff or auditors. But your management system should be a practical tool for daily work. So ask your colleagues:

• Do they find the process map helpful?
• Can they find their way around it easily?

Their feedback is essential to create a truly user-oriented process map.

7. Choose the right model as your foundation

The Aachen Quality Management Model has proven to be a strong foundation — thanks to its clarity, simplicity, and recognizability.

Other models may be less suitable:

• EFQM Model: Great for evaluating organizations, but not for structuring process maps.
• SCOR Model: Strong in supply chain logistics, but focused on material flows, not knowledge work.
• St. Gallen Management Model: Useful for understanding company-environment dynamics, but not designed for mapping processes.
• ISO standards: Offer criteria, not visual or structural guidance.

Why a Good Process Map Matters

With these 7 tips, you’re doing more than just mapping processes. You’re visualizing your company’s success formula — and creating a practical gateway to your management system. A well-designed map improves accessibility, highlights cross-functional workflows, and becomes the foundation for continuous improvement across the organization. Don’t let each department optimize in isolation — build a map that drives improvement from A to Z.