Your company’s macro processes and mapping

One of the first steps in steering and improving a company’s operations is to represent the organization’s macro processes. This term may seem a little complex, but it ‘s quite simply the representation of your various activities and their sequence. One of the most universal ways of formalizing them is to map/model them.

The aim of this article is to give you a step-by-step method for representing your organization’s macro process.

What is a macro process?

A macro process is a set of processes used to understand how a company operates.

So to fully understand what a macro process is, you need to understand what a process is.

Process definition

A process refers to the sequence of different steps, successive and sometimes simultaneous, to accomplish one or more activities within an organization.

This process involves the execution of tasks, the intervention of collaborators, the use of software and equipment, and the management of information and stocks, among other things.

This process can be documented using a process sheet. It may also be orchestrated or automated using process management software, also known as BPM (Business Process Management).

To find out more about process theory, visit the corresponding Wikipedia page.

What are the three types of process?

Business or operational processes

Business processes represent the operations involved in transforming a customer request into a product or service. The sequence of these operations is called a company’s business value chain. Examples of operations: sales, production, logistics, purchasing, invoicing…

Business support processes

Support processes are activities that do not directly add value for the end customer, but which are necessary for the smooth running of the company. For example, when a customer receives a product, he doesn’t evaluate the way you manage your employees’ payroll. On the other hand, if there is friction in your payroll process, your whole company will suffer, and this will have an impact on the delivery of your customers. Examples of support activities: Human Resources, Information Systems, Accounting, Administration…

Management processes

Management processes are used to plan, organize, coordinate, control and evaluate the resources and actions required to achieve a company’s strategic and operational objectives. Examples of management processes: strategic planning, performance management, risk management, transformation management, internal communication, financial management.

Defining a macro process

A macro process is therefore the interdependent set of business, support and management processes that have a common objective within the company.

How to build a macro process

Step 1 – List your main professions

We’ll be using a fictitious example throughout this article: an industrial company producing seats for cinemas.

In this fictitious example, the company has two main activities:

• A product business that produces chairs and delivers them to their customers
• A service business that has been repairing seats in cinemas over the years.

Activities can be mapped as follows (note that this is not a macro process)

If you’d like to find out more about process modeling and modeling tools, we’ve written a step-by-step guide to the subject.

Step 2 – List business processes

Before we start listing them

For simplicity’s sake, we’ve grouped the processes into large families. You can also do this yourself, but we still recommend that you list the various processes in an appendix to the macro process.

For example, HR activities may involve a large number of processes:

• Recruiting and integrating newcomers
• Career management
• Payroll management
• Departure management
• Training processes
• Employee relations management processes
• Legal Compliance
• Diversity and Inclusion Management
• Occupational Health and Safety Management
• Etc.

Process identification

Process mapping for chair production. These include sales, production, control, invoicing…

Process mapping of the repair service activity

Modelling of management process families (as mentioned above, we recommend that you list the processes and phases included in each family in an appendix).

Mapping of support process families (as written above, we recommend that you list the processes included in each family in an appendix)

Step 3 – Macro-process mapping

Well, you’ve done the hard part, now all you have to do is group all the sequences (operational processes, support processes and management processes) together on the same map.

Once you’ve mapped your macro process, what can you do?

You’ve produced the macro process and listed all your company’s processes. Now it’s time to decide which processes you want to improve.

Once you’ve made your choice, if you’re wondering “But how do I get there?”, here’s a list of steps completed by links to articles guiding you through their realization.

1. Carry out a process audit (article : Process audit, which method to use?)
2. Model or map the process (article : Process modeling, step-by-step guidance)
3. Identify optimization and automation opportunities (article : How to get started with process automation?)
4. Produce a process sheet (article : Process sheet, Guide, steps and concrete examples)

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Now you know all about macro processes. Now it’s your turn! See you soon for more content!