What Is a Business Process Description?
A business process description is a documented overview of exactly how your company operates: who does what, in what order; which documents are processed; what decisions are made; and at which stages.
These aren’t “rules” or “instructions”—they’re a record of reality. First, the processes are described “as they are” (the current state); then they are analyzed, and a proposal is made for “how they should be” (the optimized state).
A description can take the form of text-based instructions, but a professional approach uses visual diagrams—BPMN diagrams, flowcharts, and other notations. This makes it easier to understand for both people and the program.
Why describe processes before automation
The main reason is that automating chaos means getting automated chaos. If processes are not documented, typical situations arise during implementation:
Different departments understand the same process differently. The accounting department thinks that the order goes through the sales department. The sales department thinks it goes through the warehouse. The warehouse thinks it goes through the director. The system is configured for one of the versions — other departments cannot use it.
There are duplications and gaps in the processes. The same operation is performed by two different people. Another important operation is not done by anyone, "because they thought it was someone else's."
There are inefficient links in the processes. The document goes through 5 hands, although 2 would be sufficient. Because of this, closing the month takes 2 weeks.
The description of the processes reveals all of this before you start paying for the implementation. And it saves much more than the cost of the description itself.
What results does the description of processes yield?
The company's process map is ready — it documents how the business operates now. This is a valuable asset in itself: it allows for onboarding new employees, transferring functions, and optimizing individual links.
The list of identified problems includes duplication, gaps, and ineffective links. Often, the manager sees for the first time, "from a bird's-eye view," what is actually happening in the company.
Distribution of areas of responsibility — who is responsible for what, and who to turn to with which question. It eliminates the "eternal questions" like "who does this?".
A ready foundation for the technical specification for automation. The described process can be easily translated into functional requirements for the system — and this makes the next implementation stage transparent and predictable.
How the description of processes takes place
Stage 1. Interviews with key employees. The process description specialist communicates with the people who actually do the work — sales managers, accountants, HR specialists, assemblers. They find out: how exactly they work, what documents they create, to whom they pass them, where delays occur.
Stage 2. Documentation "as is". Based on interviews, process diagrams are created in BPMN notation or in text format. Each process is a separate diagram.
Stage 3. Analysis and identification of problems. The specialist looks at the diagrams from the side and finds: duplication, gaps, excessive complexity, conflicts between departments.
Stage 4. Preparation "as it should be." Based on the analysis, an optimized process map is proposed — free of identified issues, ready for automation.
Stage 5. Coordination with the team. The "how it should be" map is discussed with the owner and key employees — so that everyone accepts the changes.
What methods are used
BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation) — the most widely used international standard for process modeling. It uses graphical symbols: events, activities, decision gateways. It allows for precise description of even complex processes with branches and cycles.
Flowchart (block diagrams) — a simpler version, works well for direct linear processes. Less powerful, but more understandable for an unprepared reader.
SIPOC — tabular format: Supplier, Input, Process, Output, Customer. It is well-suited for a high-level overview.
Which approach to choose depends on the complexity of the processes and the team. For most Ukrainian businesses, the optimal solution is a combination of BPMN for complex processes and simple text descriptions for typical ones.
How much time does it take to describe the processes
It depends on the scale of the business and the volume of processes. One key process can be described in a few days. Describing the processes of one department takes 1-3 weeks. A complete description of all processes in a medium-sized company takes from one to two months.
Within the service "Description and Preparation of Business Processes," SPOC allows you to choose the scale: 1 key process / departmental processes / the entire company — and pay only for the selected scope.
Can the processes be described independently?
It is possible. But there are nuances. First, experience is needed — without knowledge of the methods, the description will be inconsistent or too complicated. Second, objectivity is required — an internal person often describes not "as it is," but "as it should be," or "as they think it is."
Therefore, in most cases, it is more beneficial to involve an external analyst — they will bring methodology, an objective perspective, and experience from other implementations. Your team will only need to provide information in interviews — without the necessity of learning BPMN and spending weeks on documentation.
Do you need a description of the processes before implementation?
Leave a request — we will conduct a free consultation, determine the scale, and offer the optimal format.