Few process maps stand alone. Any given set of processes that make up an application or project needs to be connected. This need can be met by creating a simple to read flowchart known as a “dashboard”.
The dashboard provides an excellent navigation aid for the reader/user and typically has the following characteristics:
- Shows all the processes involved in the application or project
- Creates a high-level relationship how each process connects with the others
- Provides hyperlinks to those lower-level processes, making it simple to navigate to the area of interest
- Delivers a “home page” for your application which can be returned to from any other process in the document set
- Allows a complete electronic delivery of the application to PDAs, desktops and laptops alike
- Provides instructions for the reader how to access process details
Click on the image above to see an example of “Live Dashboard” for an ITIL Change Management application
The example above illustrates how a complex process project, such as Change Management can be simplified by using a dashboard as a navigation guideline. It dramatically simplifies access to the information, shortens learning curves, and makes it easy to update and change the information quickly and easily.