What is process flow?

The Importance of Process Flow in 2023

Process Flow

As a business expands and develops, its operational processes adapt to accommodate changing demands. During these periods of growth, it is common for best practices to fall to the wayside, leaving opportunities for improvement.

Process Flow streamlines operations, allowing companies to run as efficiently and economically as possible.

What is ‘Process Flow’?

Process flow maps out the tasks of a process sequentially, including the individual steps, people, timescales and resources involved. It allows businesses to understand their operations better, identify risks and plan practical improvements. It can also improve learning and development activities, providing clear instruction to departments, and resulting in a better quality of training. In addition, having strategically planned processes often improves Health and Safety standards. 

A review of process flow would typically involve:

  • Time in motion studies to review individual tasks carried out in the current process and how long they take
  • Defining the process’s primary objective and scope to understand its main purpose and advantages and disadvantages.
  • Assess key inputs and outputs to ascertain the optimal values and results that need to be achieved
  • Assign responsibilities to understand who will be doing what, how and when
  • Decide what points of control will be implemented to ensure the process is performed correctly and to the correct standard.
Why is it important?

The current economic climate has resulted in significant numbers of businesses facing labour, logistical and cost challenges. 

Competition is fierce across all industries, making it more critical than ever to optimise company processes and operate as efficiently and economically as possible. 

 The benefits of process mapping are:

  • Reduction in business operating costs through the removal of unnecessary steps in a task
  • Improvement in employee safety through a reduction in manual handling / the number of people working in an area.
  • Increase in quality and, therefore, a decrease in wastage through streamlined product handling
  • Better goods turnaround time through more efficient time effective processes
  • Standardisation of process, allowing your entire business to share and work to best practices
  • Increased capability of employees as process mapping is a great visual training tool for new starters
How can WSP Engineering help?

WSP Engineering has extensive knowledge and experience in logistics, manufacturing and retail, with many of our team having practical hands-on experience of the challenges these sectors face. 

We can approach a business with a “fresh pair of eyes” analysing and exploring your current processes and ways you can improve them.

Our team can support you in various ways, from time and motion studies and utilising continuous improvement tools such as Gemba and Kaizen to reviewing your equipment, handling solutions, and analysing and improving line and floor layouts.

Get in touch with one of our friendly team members to learn more about how we can help your process flow.

Engineering Consultancy
What We Do

More Articles

Facebook Linkedin Twitter Instagram

WSP Newsletter Sign Up

LE10 3BE
0116 403 0315
[email protected]

Staff Login

Copyright WSP Engineering, trading as Irideum, 2025 | Website by Vandal Marketing