Introduction To Shapes

There are six types of shapes that can be used in the Process Maps. All the shapes are stored on a stencil (see the default Triaster Process Map Stencil).

Node

Node is the system name for a process map. It is a shape that defines the mapping area and contains property data that is relevant for the whole map.

Nodes show approval status of the map (maps that do not have a status of ‘Approved’ will have the red strap line to indicate this).

When drilling down, the Node name is assigned automatically by the system (this is the name of the Activity it drills from). The title of the lower level map and the higher level activity must be the same.

The Activity Family of Shapes

All activities are described using verbs; they are things you do (the task). Activities never connect to each other - there must be a deliverable before and after them. The activity shapes are:

• Activities
  Tasks that are performed by someone within our organisation over which we have a degree of control.
• External Activities
  These happen outside our organisation which we have no or very limited control, but need to show in the process.
• Decisions
  These are in the form of a question and have a minimum of two outputs – a positive and a negative (yes and no are never used as output deliverables). Connectors that link shapes can be named if it adds clarity to the map.
• External Decisions
  These are the same as a decision (but performed outside your organisation which you have no or very little control over). The connectors that link the shapes can be named if it adds clarity to the map.

The Deliverable Shapes

All deliverables are described using nouns. These are things used or produced. They are often tangible items. Deliverables can never connect to each other, there must be an activity or decision between them. The Deliverable shapes are:

• Deliverables (often called Internal Deliverables)
  These are used in the bulk of process mapping as a result of performing an activity or the trigger for an activity to happen. When used at the beginning or end of a process, Process Navigator will attempt to add an ‘Off page connector’ to another deliverable on a map within the library which has the exact same terminology (either as an input or output). We can avoid incorrect links between processes by avoiding common phrases, such as ‘Invoice’ or ‘Approved’ being used in isolation. Instead, we should use terms such as ‘Sales invoice’ or ‘Purchase invoice’.
• Handover Deliverables
  These are internal deliverables that show where a deliverable crosses a Departmental or Functional Area border.
• External Deliverables
  These are used to define a deliverable that passes outside our organisation and outside of the Process Library (such as a ‘Payment’ or ‘Quotation’) or conversely things that trigger a process (such as a ‘Purchase order’ or ‘Telephone enquiry’). It can also be used where a deliverable stays within our organisation but we have no further interest in it such as ‘Archived documents’.
• Start/End Deliverables
  There are used to indicate the internal end of a processes. These will generally be used for archives.

Hyperlinks

Hyperlinks are used to link to documents. In particular:

• Hyperlinks relating to the entire process can to be placed in the top left corner of the map. For example, top level processes can link to the policy to which they refer.
• Hyperlinks associated with Activity shapes can have links to work instructions, Procedures and other documents.

Feedback Emails

The Feedback email shape provides a method of obtaining feedback on a map.

Swimlanes

Swimlanes can illustrate how work gets done in organisations where the process involves different departments, so are to be used only for higher level summary maps.

Connectors

Connectors are used to link shapes together. They have an arrow at the head to show the direction of the process flow.