Process levels: The right level of detail for the work processes
One diagram cannot answer both «what are we doing?» and «how do I do this task exactly?» Therefore, processes are divided into process levels. Here is the breakdown, what ISO 9001 actually requires, and how detailed you should go.
Why divide processes into levels?
Most companies that start mapping their processes make the same mistake. They draw everything on one diagram. Sales, project execution, invoicing, and HSE end up in one big mess that no one can read, and no one updates.
The problem isn't the ambition. The problem is that one drawing tries to answer what we're working on and how I'm doing this particular task at the same time.
Therefore, processes are divided into process levels. Each level answers to its own question, for its reader. Management needs the overview. Those who are in the work need the steps.
The common classification is four process levels
There is no formal standard for the number of process levels. APQC Process Classification Framework, The , a widely used international framework, operates on five levels, from category down to individual task. Norwegian academic literature and practice usually ends up on four..
| Level | Name | Replying | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Process landscape | What does the business do? | Management processes, core processes and support processes, the entire company on one page |
| Level 2 | Main processes | How do the main areas connect together? | "From offer to signed contract", "From start-up to handed over project" |
| Level 3 | Workflows | Who does what, in what order? | The steps in the bidding process, from needs clarification and calculation to quality checks and dispatch |
| Level 4 | Procedures and work instructions | Exactly how is each step performed? | Checklist for calculation, template for offer letter, instructions for machine setup |
The process landscape (level 1)
The top level shows the entire business on one page, usually divided into three categories.
- Governing processes It covers leadership, strategy, budgeting, and management systems. It is the processes that set the direction. Some call them management processes.
- Core processes creates value for the customer, from sales through delivery to follow-up. It is these services that the customer pays for.
- Support processes For HR, IT, finance and procurement to function, the core processes must work.
No one works in the landscape of processes. It is the map that shows where everything else belongs.
Main processes (level 2)
Each process in the process landscape is broken down into main processes (some use the term sub-processes) with a clear start and end. A main process often runs across departments. «From offer to signed contract» involves both the salesperson, the calculator, and the general manager.
At this level, the oversights become visible, and it is in the oversights that things usually slip through.
Work processes (level 3)
Here it is described who does what, in what order, and what must be available before the next step can begin. A good work process is described precisely enough that two different people do the work in approximately the same way.
This is the level that employees use in their everyday work, and the level that determines whether the mapping project will yield any value or never be reopened.
Procedures, instructions and checklists (level 4)
At the bottom are the documents that describe the execution in detail, such as work instructions, templates, and checklists. The terminology varies. In many cases, a «procedure» describes the entire work process at the higher level, while the instructions cover individual steps. Regardless of the name, not all steps need a separate document. Documenting where errors cost something, or where requirements say you must do so.
How detailed should you go?
Very few small and medium-sized businesses need four process levels.
A business with 20 employees does not need a process hierarchy built for a corporation. Two or three process levels are enough. A simple process landscape at the top, the work processes below, and instructions only where they are actually needed. A process that is too detailed becomes just as useless as one that is too vague. And detailed descriptions that no one maintains are worse than no descriptions, because they give false security.
Start small and build up over time. It’s easier to add a level when the need arises than to maintain four levels from day one.
See how Lie Blikk did it
Lie Blikk received three ISO certifications at the same time as they introduced Business Online. The quality control plans were what tied the system together.
What does ISO 9001 require?
ISO 9001 does not require a specific number of levels, and the word «process level» does not appear anywhere in the standard. Clause 4.4 requires, among other things, that you
- Identifies which processes the quality system needs
- Determines the order and interaction between the processes
- Assigns responsibility and authority for the processes
- Maintains and stores documented information to the extent necessary to support the operation
To the extent necessary. The standard requires the documentation needed to run the processes and show that they are being carried out as planned, not the most amount of paper.
From drawing to everyday life
So far, the theory. Drawing the levels is the easy part. They also need to continue to live after the consultant has left and the perm is on the shelf.
The most common cause of death in process work is distance. The processes are located in one place, the work is done in another. In our sales meetings we hear the same thing from company to company. The procedures are read at onboarding, and then never again. The map does not match the terrain. The technician who is supposed to do the job cannot find the checklist that comes with the step. Then everyone does as they usually do, and the mapping was wasted.
In Business Online, business processes are represented as clickable diagrams where governing documents are linked directly to each step. The person in the quote process opens the process and finds the calculation template right where it is needed, not in a folder structure five clicks away. Quality checklists (QCP) cover the lowest level. The execution is documented step by step, in the actual work itself.
Process maps impress auditors. Processes that are followed build companies.
FAQ
Two or three. A simple process landscape that shows the overall picture, the work processes with steps and responsibilities, and instructions or checklists only where errors cost something. Four levels are for businesses that are large enough to need them.
No. The standard requires that you identify the processes, determine the interactions between them, and document them to the extent necessary (clause 4.4). A process map is a common and practical way to meet this requirement, but the format is up to you.
A process is the sequence of steps that creates a result, who does what and when. A procedure is the document that describes how the process or a single step should be performed. The process exists whether it is documented or not. The procedure is the description of it.
The core processes create the value the customer pays for, from sales to delivery. The support processes (HR, IT, finance) must function for the core processes to work, but the customer does not buy them.
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