Step-by-step Tutorial: How to Visualize Your Processes

Summary

In this video, the host from Workday Ninja demonstrates how to take an existing workflow and visualize it using tools like Lucidchart. The focus is on simplifying and automating client onboarding processes by organizing tasks across platforms such as ClickUp, Slack, and Google Drive. The video emphasizes creating swim lanes to represent platforms, utilizing automation tools like Zapier, and streamlining workflows to minimize manual steps. The presenter also highlights the importance of visual clarity in process management and how automation can save time, improving overall efficiency.

Takeaways

• 📝 The video covers how to take an existing workflow and visualize it using tools like Lucidchart or Miro.
• 🔧 The speaker provides a step-by-step guide for visualizing a workflow, with a focus on client onboarding processes.
• 📊 Swim lanes are used to organize tasks across different platforms like CRM (PipeDrive), project management (ClickUp), time tracking (Toggl), and communication (Slack).
• 💻 Automation is recommended for several tasks, like creating client folders and setting up projects, using tools like Zapier or Make.com.
• 🤝 A clear distinction is made between manual and automated tasks, encouraging the use of automation to minimize manual work.
• 🚀 The importance of visually representing processes to make them easier to understand and follow is emphasized, especially for growing teams or new clients.
• ⚙️ The workflow is simplified by using color coding to represent triggers (green), automated tasks (purple), and manual steps (orange).
• 📧 The only manual task left in the example workflow is sending a personalized email to the new client, which can also be automated if desired.
• 🛠 The workflow can be easily adjusted and customized based on specific needs, such as emailing clients directly from ClickUp instead of Gmail.
• 👥 Visualizing workflows not only helps in organizing tasks but also reveals opportunities for automation and process improvement.

Q & A

What is the main goal of the video?

The main goal of the video is to demonstrate how to visualize existing workflows using tools like Lucidchart or Miro, making processes easier to follow and understand.

Why is visualizing workflows important, especially for new clients or companies?

Visualizing workflows is important because it helps teams organize processes clearly, enabling companies, especially newer or growing ones, to build systems around them and improve efficiency.

What tools are recommended for visualizing workflows in the video?

The video recommends using tools like Lucidchart or Miro, as these tools allow users to easily draw boxes, arrows, and organize processes visually.

What is the first step in the example client onboarding process?

The first step in the example client onboarding process is marking the deal as 'won' in the CRM system (PipeDrive).

How does adding 'swim lanes' help improve workflow visualization?

Adding swim lanes helps organize the workflow by representing different platforms or areas in the process, making it easier to follow and visualize the steps across various tools like PipeDrive, ClickUp, Slack, and Google Drive.

What is the benefit of automating parts of the onboarding process?

Automation reduces manual work, increases efficiency, and minimizes human error by ensuring tasks like creating folders, setting up projects, and adding clients to systems are done automatically using tools like Zapier or Make.com.

Which parts of the onboarding process are identified as manual in the video?

The manual part of the onboarding process is sending a personalized welcome email to the new client. This is identified as a step that might benefit from a personal touch instead of automation.

How does the video suggest keeping the workflow diagram clean and easy to understand?

The video suggests organizing lines clearly, color-coding tasks (e.g., triggers, automation, manual tasks), and reducing clutter by aligning elements in a way that helps users easily follow the process without confusion.

What platform is used to manage time tracking in the workflow?

The platform used for time tracking in the workflow is Toggl.

What final advice does the video give for those creating workflows?

The video advises users to try visualizing their workflows using a tool like Lucidchart or Miro and suggests adding enhancements such as RACI charts or video demonstrations to improve the process further.