Service · Processes and documentation
Process mapping and flowcharts
Your processes exist — they just have not been drawn. We produce process maps and flowcharts that meet the standard's requirements but, above all, make sense to the people who work with them.
When you need a process map
In clause 4.4, ISO 9001 requires the organisation to determine its processes, their sequence and interaction — not just to mention them, but to show what goes into a process, what comes out, who the owner is and how it is measured. In most organisations this exists only as a single sentence in the manual, so when an auditor asks to be shown it, there is nothing to show.
With HACCP, the flow diagram is a mandatory step and must be verified on site — the auditor walks through the plant with the diagram in hand and checks whether it matches reality. A diagram copied from someone else's study fails at the first check.
But this is not just for the auditor. A process map is the fastest way for a new person to understand who does what, to see where work gets stuck and why, and to know exactly what is being taken over in a tender or handover.
What exactly you get
An overview of all the organisation's processes — core, management and support — with arrows showing who hands work over to whom. This is the picture that goes on the wall and into the manual.
A separate diagram for each process: steps, decisions, who does what, which form or record is produced at which step. We draw how the work is really done, not how it should look on paper.
For each process it is clear who runs it, what it needs to start, what it delivers and to whom. That closes exactly what clause 4.4 requires.
The diagram marks the places where something is checked and the places where errors most often occur. In HACCP these are critical control points, in other standards controls and measurements.
For each process, one or two numbers that show whether it is working as it should — lead time, scrap, number of complaints, response time. Without them, management review has nothing to talk about.
You get not just an image but a file in an open format (draw.io / BPMN), so your own staff can add a step when the process changes, without hiring a consultant again.
How we do it
Talking to the people who do the work
Not just to management. We sit down with people at every step of the process and ask what they actually do — because the current state and what the procedure says almost always differ.
Mapping the current state
First we draw the process as it is, with all its workarounds. Only once that is visible on paper does it make sense to talk about what should change.
Drawing and checking with the team
The diagram goes back through the team that described it. At this step there is almost always a step nobody mentioned, or it turns out that two people are doing the same thing.
Approval and linking to documentation
The final version goes into the system: it is linked to procedures and forms, gets a reference and version, and becomes a document the auditor can ask for.
Frequently asked questions
In what format do we receive the diagrams?
You get a PDF for printing and viewing, a PNG for inserting into documentation, and the source file in an open format (draw.io or BPMN) that you can edit yourself. An A3 version for the wall on request.
Does it have to be BPMN notation?
No. BPMN is useful when an organisation has an IT team or plans automation. For most companies, a simple flowchart that even a shop-floor worker understands is worth more than formally correct notation nobody reads.
How long does it take?
For a smaller organisation with a few processes — a few days. For production with several lines or an organisation with several sites — two to three weeks, because most of the time goes into talking to people, not just drawing.
Do you also do HACCP flow diagrams?
Yes. That is a special case, because the diagram must be verified on site and must cover every step from receipt of raw materials to delivery, including what happens only occasionally — rework, returns, waste.
Who maintains the diagrams when a process changes?
You do, and that is why you get the source file. As part of the service we train one person in your organisation to edit them and manage versions. If you like, we also do an annual review together with the internal audit.
Related pages
Most often goes together with:
Some of our references
More than 400 organisations in Montenegro and the region have gone through implementation with us — from banks and public bodies to manufacturing, IT, laboratories and hospitality.
These are only some of our clients. More about us →
Need a process map?
Tell us what you do and how many people work in the process — we will propose the scope and timeline. Call us or send an inquiry — we reply within 24 hours.