A Product or Service Realisation diagram (also known as a process swim lane diagram) is essential in understanding the overall business. Most companies know what product(s) they make or their service (s). However, they may often not know precisely how all the activities interconnect to be genuinely successful.
Whilst these diagrams require involvement from all functions within a business to generate accurately, they are worth the effort. They show the information and materials that pass into the business, between the teams, and the customers. They help to show the flow from start to finish of the activities the company needs to undertake.
The diagram below is an example of generic product order and shipment company process showing the relationships between the different functions and activities.
These diagrams help to identify critical points that may require more scrutiny. Whether this means adding or removing activities will depend on each situation. The result, however, should become a simple, streamlined process that helps to deliver the products and services most efficiently.
Once in place, it is used to plan how a company aims to become ever more efficient in the following months and years.
When these diagrams are throughout the business, they can be interlinked from the high-level diagram to allow a full drill down to find specific activities causing issues. The lower-level diagrams will increase in detail but not complexity as they focus on only one business area.
The diagram below takes the second activity of logging, entering the order details, and interacting with the contract approval.
