Mapping a process is more than just listing steps; it is about understanding the relationships between them. When you connect process step nodes with directional bezier connectors, you are visualizing the lifeblood of your operation: the data flow. Every connection represents a critical dependency where the output of one action becomes the essential input for the next.
However, these connections are also where processes are most vulnerable. Handoffsâthe moments when work passes between different people, departments, or toolsâintroduce friction. As research from MIT Sloan highlights, the coordination costs associated with managing these handoffs can easily negate any efficiency gains achieved within the individual steps. By mapping these connections clearly, you can identify unnecessary handoffs and find opportunities to eliminate them entirely, streamlining your workflow and reducing hidden overhead.
Assignment
Review the process nodes you created in the previous lesson. Use directional bezier connectors to link them in the correct sequence.
Identify every handoff in your flow. For each handoff, write a brief note evaluating whether it is strictly necessary or if it could be eliminated to reduce coordination costs.
Learning Objectives
- Connect process step nodes using directional bezier connectors.
- Trace the data flow where the output of one step becomes the input of the next.
Directional Connectors
Visual links that establish the sequence and direction of data or work moving from one node to another. They clarify dependencies and the chronological order of operations.
Data Flow
The continuous movement of information through a process. Understanding data flow means recognizing that every step's output is the necessary input for the subsequent step.