Excellent post, Amanda Harris
Many still see process mapping as merely an operational tool — diagrams, flowcharts, and standards — when in reality, it can be a strategic instrument for organizational transformation, especially when well facilitated, as you did.
What struck me most in your experience is something I often highlight when distinguishing between defined and empirical processes:
- In defined processes, mapping reinforces consistency, compliance, and control.
- In empirical ones (especially in agile environments), it reveals real flows, friction points, and continuous adaptation opportunities.
By involving multiple teams in the mapping, as you did, the process moves beyond a “technical drawing” and becomes a tool for alignment, active listening, and co-creation.
This fosters trust, role clarity, and shared ownership — something that standards and manuals alone often fail to achieve.
In hybrid environments (a mix of defined and empirical processes), this kind of approach is even more essential to avoid silos and promote real organizational learning.
Thank you for bringing this topic to light with such a practical and human example.
Curious: have you ever used process mining to validate or compare the co-created maps with the actual flows in production?
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