Documentation

Document your process flow to get the most out of your Lean efforts. Recording your processes helps provide consistency in your output and spurs productivity improvements. It also promotes teamwork through knowledge sharing, and makes job rotation and cross-training possible.

Documentation is simply the act of recording your process steps in some fixed format. The term “fixed” here doesn’t mean it can’t change. It just means that it is actually written down or digitally recorded in a permanent way, so the information won’t be forgotten.

The most common reason for documentation in Lean efforts is to stabilize processes. You can document your process flow on paper or in an electronic format. The key is to make your medium match your needs. Process flowcharts buried in a computer directory or stashed in a file cabinet are useless if they can’t be found and are not used.

Checklists and process flowcharts are two of the most common formats. Pictures are far better than words but take longer to create. Balance the need for clarity with the frequency of use and the importance of the process to decide how much time to spend documenting your process flow. Use this formula to assist in making the determination:

1 picture=1000 words.

In some companies there is a formal method of recording processes. In others, it is more ad hoc.

Sometimes documentation is for a company’s internal use. In other cases, it is due to a third-party requirement, like the FDA, or for ISO certification.