Graphs and diagrams

Process diagram block

What is a process flow diagram?

A flowchart is a graphical representation of a process that clearly shows us how a process occurs. A flowchart shows the systematic sequence of steps in completing a job and which groups are involved in the process.

What are flowcharts used for?

• Document and describe the current process.
• Develop modifications to the current process or investigate where problems may arise.
• Develop a completely new process.
• Determine how, when and where to measure the current process to ensure it meets sustainable requirements.

Types of Flowcharts
Macro level block diagram:

Micro level block diagram:
"Let's go to the cinema"

How to build a flowchart?

A process flowchart represents the planning of steps to complete a job. Special symbols are used to show certain activities

Dot symbols can be used to show the secondary direction of the process (example: a copy of the form used is returned to the creator).

The first row is used to divide the process into areas of responsibility.

The first column is used to define the general stages and their duration.

The stages should be organized so that each stage falls within the correct area of ​​responsibility.

When to use flowcharts?

A process flowchart is required in the Current Situation and Standardization phases; however, flowcharts can also be used in the Reasons for Improvement, Analysis, and Countermeasures phases.

Key questions

Brief description and indicators of economic and other activities

Process flow diagrams

The section “Information on economic and other activities” of the draft standards for waste generation and limits on their disposal (hereinafter referred to as “WWWL”), in fact, is the “stove” from which it is necessary to “dance” when developing WWWWL. And if the section “Calculation and justification of the proposed waste generation standards on average per year” is the “core” of the PNOLR, then the analyzed section is the very “core” from which the “core” and all other sections and tables.

It is no coincidence that in the previously operating Guidelines on the development of draft standards for waste generation and limits on their disposal, approved by Order of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia dated March 11, 2002 No. 115 (hereinafter referred to as MU-2002), a similar section was called “Characteristics production processes as sources of waste generation."

The requirements of the current Methodological Guidelines for the development of draft standards for waste generation and limits on their disposal, approved by Order of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia dated 08/05/2014 No. 349 (hereinafter referred to as the Guidelines), are not sufficiently specified, which in practice sometimes leads to problematic situations when coordinating PNOLR.

Extraction
from the Guidelines

[…]
19. In the section “Information on economic and other activities” of PNOOLR in text form is given brief description And indicators economic And other activities, during which waste is generated.
For each structural unit (workshop, site and other facilities), information on which is included in the PNOOLR, block diagrams technological processes, including in the form individual blocks:
used raw materials, materials, semi-finished products, other;
production operations(without detailing production processes);
produced products(provided services, performed work);
emerging waste(by origin or conditions of education);
, including their accumulation, use, neutralization, disposal, as well as the transfer of waste to other structural units or other economic entities.
[…]

That's all the requirements. And if the developers of the PNOOLR can be satisfied with such formulations (the fewer formal requirements, the easier it is to work), then employees of Rosprirodnadzor, when considering the PNOOLR, may have (and, as a rule, do!) questions that the developer of the PNOOLR will still have to answer.

Recently, questions may also arise from government officials of the constituent entities Russian Federation, since according to Art. 6 of Federal Law No. 89-FZ of June 24, 1998 “On Production and Consumption Waste” (as amended on July 3, 2016; hereinafter referred to as Federal Law No. 89-FZ) to powerssubjects of the Russian Federation in the field of waste management includes, among other things, the establishment of waste generation standards and limits on their disposal, the procedure for their development and approval in relation to economic and (or) other activities of legal entities and individual entrepreneurs (except for small and medium-sized businesses), in the process which generates waste at sites subject to regional state environmental supervision.

In the same article of the law, the powers of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation also include the approval of methodological guidelines for the development of PNOOLR (in relation to the specified objects), however, as far as we can judge, in many regions the authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation followed the beaten track and, without further ado, took as a basis for the Methodological Instructions - either they directly refer to them in their regulations, or - having slightly adjusted the terminology and adding some requirements - they issue their own methodological recommendations, almost verbatim repeating the Methodological Instructions.

In general, the requirements of the Methodological Instructions for the design of this section are what is called “not every word is written on a line.” But brevity is not always the sister of talent, and the wording of the Methodological Instructions raises numerous questions, especially for those who are encountering the development of PNOOLR for the first time.

For example, How brief (or, conversely, detailed) should the description of the enterprise’s activities be? What performance indicators should be included in the characteristics? What are flowcharts and how exactly should they be created?

Let's try to figure out these questions.

Brief description and indicators of economic and other activities

The requirements of the Guidelines apply for economic activities organizations. What kind of activity do you mean?

According to GOST R 52104-2003 “Resource conservation. Terms and definitions" economic activity- activities carried out during production activities an individual entrepreneur or a legal entity, regardless of the form of ownership and whether it is commercial or non-commercial in nature.

There is also a broader interpretation, for example: “Economic activity is the activity of producing products, carrying out work and providing services.”

Thus, economic activity is the main activity of any organization (both commercial and non-profit).

But it is important to clarify that the requirements of the Guidelines apply not only on the “economic” side, but also on "other" activity, i.e. at all for any activity which is carried out in one way or another by this organization, regardless of whether it is related to the production of products, performance of work, provision of services, making a profit or not; whether the activity is carried out at the request of the organization itself or whether it is forced (obliged) to do so.

What indicators of economic and other activities should be given? The guidelines do not contain any recommendations in this regard. Not being specialists in the field of production, economics and finance, developers of PNOOLR are often forced to seek help from specialized employees of the enterprise when preparing this section.

Let us note, in our opinion, the main thing. By content indicators of economic activity are divided into quantitative and qualitative:

Quantitative - volume of products produced, number of employees, area of ​​crops, number of livestock, etc.;

Qualitative - labor productivity, production costs, profitability, crop yields, etc.

By sources of formation (methods of receipt) indicators are highlighted:

Regulatory - norms of consumption of raw materials, materials, fuel, energy, depreciation norms, prices, etc.;

Planned - data and information from economic and social development enterprises, planned targets for departments, etc.;

Accounting - accounting, statistical, operational accounting data;

Reporting - data from accounting, statistical and operational reporting;

Analytical (evaluative) - determined during the analysis of the economic activity of an enterprise to evaluate the results and effectiveness of its work.

Since the Methodological Instructions do not specify the requirements for indicators of economic and other activities (which ones, for what period), the developers of the PNOLR in this sense have a “free hand” - you can add indicators to the section at your own discretion.

NOTE

If we take a retrospective look at how the requirements for this section were previously formulated, we will find that in the Guidelines for the development of draft waste generation standards and limits on their disposal, approved by Rostechnadzor Order No. 703 of October 19, 2007 (hereinafter referred to as MU-2007) ), there were more requirements, but they were largely logical and more specific.
For example, with regard to performance indicators: “For types of economic activities aimed at producing products, information is provided on the main types of raw materials, manufactured products, and production capacity of facilities.
For types of economic activities aimed at providing services, the types and volumes of services provided (volumes of cargo transported, number of visits, beds, etc.) are indicated.”
It seems to us that these recommendations can be taken into account when designing the PNOOLR section even now (and those who have been developing PNOOLR for a long time should not “remove” them from service!).

First of all, it is advisable to present such indicators from which waste generation depends:

Volume of products produced (average annual or broken down by year);

The volume of services provided (in the quantities in which records are kept - the number of cars serviced, the number of visitors, the number of dishes prepared, etc.);

Quantity of purchased raw materials and materials (possibly specified by type);

Quantity and types of used technological equipment;

Number and types of vehicles on balance or in use, annual mileage (for enterprises that independently service vehicles);

Number of working people;

Areas of premises (trade, warehouse, production, etc.), territories;

Actual number of beds (for hotels, hostels), seats (for enterprises catering), parking spaces (for car service companies), etc.

Please note: many (if not all!) of these indicators can be (and are) used in the further calculation of waste generation standards. Therefore, their indication in this section will help both the developer to immediately move on to calculating the standards, and the government employee to verify the calculations.

It is unclear from the Guidelines whether there should be a relationship between brief description activities and further compilation of flowcharts. But it is obvious that without knowing and understanding the structure of the enterprise and production processes, it will not be possible to draw up flowcharts. That's why at the first stage necessary draw up structure enterprises.

This is where many developers run into problems. For example, in large enterprises organizational structure It can be so complex and hierarchical that its description alone will take more than one page. At the same time, there may be many departments where the same types of waste are generated (and there may be those where no waste is generated at all). Moreover, all these units can be located in the same premises.

In our opinion, excessive detail of the structure enterprises in the development of PNOOLR not required. Of course, it is necessary to indicate those departments in which waste may be generated. It is advisable to give the very structure of the organization in the context in which the enterprise keeps records of the generation and movement of waste. This will make it easier in the future to maintain this record and compile a technical report on waste management.

For example, if an enterprise has many divisions engaged in administrative and office activities, and each of them generates only waste from cleaning premises and/or waste from office equipment, which are taken into account for the enterprise as a whole, then, in our opinion, such divisions can be combined at describing the structure of the enterprise and drawing up block diagrams in the future (calling these combined units, say, “administrative services”).

By the way, in MU-2007, when describing the structure of the organization, it was recommended to indicate production divisions, divisions maintenance and repair devices, equipment, machines, equipment, vehicles etc., social infrastructure facilities(including catering facilities, shops, etc.), etc.

Currently, there is no direct requirement to provide a description of the organization’s structure. But since the Guidelines have specific requirements for the preparation of flowcharts - which must be presented for each structural unit , mentioned in the PNOOLR, it is still advisable to indicate these units in one form or another.

So, the developer of the PNOOLR presented the structure of the enterprise (with divisions) and provided performance indicators. The next question remains about a brief description activities. Maybe a list of performance indicators is already enough? If you follow the letter of the law, then this can often be enough: for example, information on the number of cars serviced, the amount of raw materials purchased, volume of products, etc. already briefly characterizes the activities of the organization.

But, of course, the spirit of the law will not be observed. After all, when characterizing the activities of an enterprise, it is important to indicate all sources of waste generation. And for this you need to give more detailed description technological processes in the manufacture of products; a more detailed description of the services provided and the work performed (for example, for car service companies: what parts/assemblies/fluids are replaced). But how detailed should all this be? There are no clear recommendations in the Guidelines, and here you have to rely on common sense and own experience(sometimes obtained by trial and error).

We have heard more than once how Rosprirodnadzor employees formulate their requirements for the design of this section. They said something like this: when reading this section, we should clearly and unambiguously see and understand:

Description of the production process (provision of services, performance of work, including auxiliary work - repair, maintenance of equipment, etc.);

Description of the equipment used, raw materials used;

All resulting waste;

Is all waste accounted for?

At the same time, civil servants may not be specialists in a particular type of production. And - no matter how strange it may sound - this is why the developer of the PNOOLR needs to take the most responsible approach to the design of this section of the PNOOLR, give it all necessary information on all sources of waste generation (and explain in detail, Why in a given department or at a given stage of the technological cycle no waste is generated), because due to a lack of information when considering PNOOLR, a suspicion may creep in that some waste was not included in the range of waste generated at the enterprise.

But it also happens the other way around - government officials often turn out to be specialists in certain areas and, knowing the type of production or service sector, they immediately understand what kind of waste can be generated. And those employees who are considering PNOOLR are already quite skilled in their field (and many of them also participated in on-site inspections). So the developers of the PNOLR should not hope that they will be able to deceive government officials, hide (hide) some waste or indicate the wrong ones that are actually generated.

And, by the way, this is not in the long-term interests of the enterprises themselves. If, for example, during the development of the PNOLR some waste was not taken into account and for some reason this was not noticed during the review of the PNOLR, then during an on-site inspection the presence of unaccounted waste may emerge. And this will lead to an administrative fine and the need to re-develop and approve the PNOOLR, because deposit additional types There is no legislation stipulating waste in PNOOLR.

Process flow diagrams

Moving from the requirements of the Guidelines regarding a brief description of activities to flowcharts of production processes, we understand that, in fact, these are two sides of the same coin.

In MU-2007 this was expressed quite clearly: “ Information about production processes How sources of waste generation introduce themselves in text form or in the form of block diagrams for each production site."

That is, previously, the developers of PNOOLR had the freedom of choice: to describe all processes - both production and non-production - in text form or present flowcharts.

And even earlier, according to MU-2002, the requirements were even more specific: “The section “Characteristics of production processes as sources of waste generation” provides a brief description of the production technology and technological equipment, during the use of which waste is generated. Information is presented in text form or in the form of flowcharts of production processes for each site. […] Individual entrepreneurs or legal entities who do not have technological processes in their activities do not draw up flowcharts and provide all information in text form.”

That is, in MU-2002 there was also freedom of choice, while in the absence of technological processes, flowcharts were not required.

Now, according to the Methodological Instructions block diagramstechnological processes is a mandatory requirement .

And here we are faced with the fact that not all PNOOLR developers understand what a flowchart is. The requirements of the Guidelines are only that in the form individual blocks must be presented:

Raw materials, materials, semi-finished products, etc. used;

Manufacturing operations;

Manufactured products (services provided, work performed);

Waste generated;

Waste management operations.

In the absence of other requirements, each of the PNOOLR developers acts as best they can, to the best of their understanding.

Here, for example, are what, if I may say so, “flowcharts” we came across in various PNOOLR (Fig. 1):

But before we criticize such “block diagrams”, let’s try to figure out what it is, comrades, "block" and what is it, comrades, "scheme"? To jokingly paraphrase a quote from a famous literary character, one could say that a diagram is a human thought expressed in a logical form (and this would not be so far from the truth). But jokes aside! The question is actually quite serious.

PLEASE NOTE

Flowcharts are a part of the PNOLR that should show all processes occurring in the organization, and all waste, formed in it. And errors in the presentation of flowcharts can lead to problems when considering PNOLR in government agencies.

It's obvious that block diagram is a diagram consisting of blocks. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a “block diagram” in the legislation, so let’s turn to reference books and technical regulatory literature for help.

According to the dictionary entry Withhema- this is: “1. A set of interconnected parts of something. device, instrument, unit […]. 2. Presentation, description, image of something. in its main features."

The closest definition for us is "block": “Part of a mechanism, device, etc., which is a collection of functionally united, often similar elements, parts.” In our case, “etc.” is a technological process that results in the generation of waste.

In technical and reference literature there are also definitions of the concept "block diagram":

. « Block diagram(block diagram) defines the main functional parts products (installations), their appointment And relationships» ;

. "The block diagram represents graphic document providing information about operating procedure algorithm" ;

. “Block diagram is a diagram that defines relationship blocks" ;

. "Block diagram — conventional image algorithm for solving a problem, document flow, sequence of work operations or procedures using arrows, connecting lines and geometric shapes of various shapes containing control symbols or texts inside.”

In these definitions keywords— graphic description, relationships, execution sequence. To summarize, we give the following definition of the concept of “block diagram” in relation to PNOOLR: block diagram technological process — graphic description sequences implementation of the technological process and waste generation processes, which represents a set of interconnected blocks of various shapes, connected by lines and arrows and depicting raw materials (materials, semi-finished products, etc.); manufacturing operations; manufactured products (services, works); waste; waste management operations.

What is wrong with the so-called “block diagrams” in Fig. 1?

First of all (and this is the main thing), in Fig. 1a and 1b are presented not flowcharts, and tables. The sequence of technological processes leading to the generation of waste is not visible from them. In Fig. 1c we already see arrows (i.e. the direction of the waste generation process), but, in fact, this is also a table consisting of rows, each of which has one block. From this “scheme” it is impossible to obtain a holistic picture of the processes carried out at the enterprise, in particular:

Several types of raw materials/materials may be involved in one process;

Several types of operations can be carried out (sequentially or in parallel) with one type of raw material;

One type of waste in one production process can be generated during different production operations;

Several types of waste may be generated as a result of one operation;

Several types of waste (once generated) can be accumulated and subjected to other operations, either separately or in mixtures;

Operations for further waste management may include several stages (for example, one waste may first be accumulated and then transported from the territory of the enterprise, another, after generation, is immediately subject to transportation, the third is first accumulated and then disposed of at the enterprise itself).

And although such a “linear” scheme (as in Fig. 1c) may be suitable for some processes, it cannot be recommended as a system.

BY THE WAY

In MU-2007, in addition to recommendations for the presentation of block diagrams, there were also requirements for the compilation of tables similar to those shown in Fig. 1. Probably, the developers of PNOOLR have not yet had time to “rebuild” and instead of flowcharts they are still creating tables.
True, perhaps someone is put off by the complexity of “drawing” flowcharts, because tables are easier to create using text editors. But in fact, it's all a matter of time and experience, you just need to understand the principles.
The built-in graphical tools of text editors are suitable for creating flowcharts. You can use graphic editors or special software to create flowcharts. Ultimately, flowcharts can be drawn (drawn) by hand and scanned.

So, let's point out the obvious errors in the block diagrams in Fig. 1:

When contaminated waste is generated (wiping material, crushed stone) except used materials necessary indicate sources pollution(substances, materials, other), otherwise it is not clear where contaminated waste suddenly appears from;

. dashes in the block “Raw materials, materials, semi-finished products, other” be Not should. We live in a material world; waste cannot be formed from emptiness.

So, in the example in Fig. 1b in order to generate waste “Drilling fluids during drilling oil wells spent low-hazard", apparently, drilling fluids were used (which, in turn, can be obtained by mixing several components). In the example in Fig. 1c garbage from office and household premises— consumer waste formed from used materials, as well as dust and possibly sand;

If as a result of one process is formed some species waste(as in the example in Fig. 1b - when carrying out welding work), then from the block “Production of welding work” there should be two arrows, leading, respectively, to the generated waste “Welding slag” and “Residues and cinders of steel welding electrodes", which, in turn, can accumulate separately from each other, which should also be reflected in the block diagram;

. waste management operations must be presented in its entirety. If, after waste is generated, it is immediately subject to disposal, or if the waste first accumulates on the territory of the enterprise, or if further stages of waste management are known (transportation, processing, neutralization, disposal, disposal) - this must be indicated.

PLEASE NOTE

The guidelines were approved before the change in terminology in Federal Law No. 89-FZ, so they refer to “use” (and not “disposal”) and do not include “waste treatment.” Of course, all waste management operations must be specified in accordance with federal law requirements.

What may cause confusion is that the Guidelines recommend including “production operations (without detailing production processes)” in flowcharts. As anyone with any knowledge of manufacturing and enterprise economics knows, a production operation is part of the production process (and not the other way around!). We refer the authors of the Methodological Instructions, as well as everyone who is interested, to the specialized literature, which says in black and white that “the production process [...] breaks down into many elementary technological procedures that are performed during the manufacture finished product. These individual procedures are called operations." Since clarification “without detailed production processes” contradicts common sense, then we will leave it on the conscience of the authors of the Methodological Instructions.

Apparently, specialists with an education in computer science rarely become ecologists. Otherwise, such incidents as in Fig. 1 would not arise. 1, because programmers, for example, are familiar with GOST 19.701-90 “ESPD. Schemes of algorithms, programs, data and systems. Conventional designations and execution rules”, which gives the rules for executing block diagrams of algorithms, programs, data and systems; Graphic symbols have been defined to depict each specific type of data, input method, types of operations, connections between all blocks, i.e. specific rules for constructing block diagrams.

As we have already noted, unfortunately, the Guidelines do not provide any rules for constructing flowcharts of production processes, so for ecologists this task - in the words of the same literary character - is “quasi una fantasia”, i.e. Each PNOOLR developer, to the best of his imagination and experience, has the right to determine graphic symbols to depict types of blocks, connections between blocks and, in general, the general appearance of block diagrams. Well, who said that the profession of an ecologist is not creative?!

Without pretending at all absolute truth, we will express our approach to the formation of block diagrams. In Fig. 2 we presented a typical block diagram. For each of the blocks recommended by the Guidelines, a separate graphic symbol has been selected. Thin arrows shown process- from receipt, use of materials, raw materials, etc. before removal of waste from the territory of enterprises or before disposal/neutralization/placement on the territory of an enterprise (waste removal operations are shown as a separate figure, although it would be possible to indicate all operations for handling the corresponding waste in one block).

Various graphic symbols can be selected for raw materials, materials, semi-finished products, other, but in our diagram all these blocks are represented rectangles. For clarity of the image, sometimes you can first present groups of operations, and then the operations themselves, although you can show all operations separately. The waste accumulated in the mixture is presented accordingly.

For products we chose one graphic symbol, for works, services — another. For the auxiliary activities of an enterprise (cleaning premises/territories, decommissioning of equipment, etc.), it seems to us that indicating individual blocks “products, services, works” in the corresponding block diagram is meaningless, because these operations themselves, in essence, are the work/services being performed. In other cases, when the main activity of the enterprise is the production of products, performance of work, provision of services, these blocks should probably be mandatory and, in addition, differ from the “operations” blocks.

In our opinion, in some cases it is possible to introduce new elements, if this helps to more clearly present the production process, for example, equipment (although the word “other” from the Guidelines can also be understood as the equipment used).

For some types of production, all technological processes can be represented on one flowchart. It may be difficult to execute, but the whole picture of the production process will be clearly visible. In some cases it is possible highlight some processes or chains of operations from the general flowchart(e.g., equipment maintenance operations, other auxiliary operations; manufacturing operations, if their presentation on a single flowchart is too difficult to understand).

The main thing is that flowcharts allow you to see a complete picture of the processes carried out at the enterprise, as a result of which waste is generated.

In Fig. Figures 3-5 show examples of block diagrams of the main technological processes at an enterprise that produces copper and aluminum wire and conductors. In Fig. 3 shows a flowchart of production processes, Fig. 4 - processes and operations to ensure production (equipment maintenance), in Fig. 5 - processes of auxiliary activities (providing lighting and cleaning of premises, office work).

Conclusion

So, as we have seen, the requirements of the Methodological Instructions for the development of the section “Information on economic and other activities” of the PNOOLR and for the presentation of flowcharts of technological processes are formulated only in general view. The design of this section, despite its apparent simplicity, is not without pitfalls. If necessary, we recommend involving the relevant specialists of the enterprise (technologists, economists, personnel department employees) in the development of this section so that the production structure of the enterprise, all ongoing processes and operations are clearly presented and described.

In the absence of clear requirements in the Methodological Instructions, we recommend using common sense and exercise creativity where necessary. We hope that the thoughts and advice we have expressed will help in developing the PNOLR.

Taking this opportunity, we would like to appeal to representatives of the authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, exercising their powers in the field of waste management: since Federal Law No. 89-FZ has given you the authority to approve methodological guidelines for the development of PNOOLR, please be critical of the Methodological guidelines. Of course, there is no need to throw away the valuable things that are there. But, in our opinion, there is no need to take from there requirements and provisions that contradict the law and common sense. On the pages of the “Ecologist's Handbook”, critical comments on the Methodological Instructions and proposals for their improvement have been made more than once (including by the author of these lines), which, it seems to us, deserve consideration.

In general, it would be nice to organize something like “ round table” (at least “virtual”), during which to gather representatives from all regions of Russia to discuss the current Methodological Instructions and develop general approaches to improve them. This will benefit both businesses and employees at all levels and branches of government.

We have prepared a whole series of articles on methods for calculating waste generation standards that have not lost their relevance today:

- Prokhorov I.O. Standards and annual standards for waste generation, legal basis for methods for calculating standards // Ecologist's Handbook. 2014. No. 7. P. 44-57;

- Prokhorov I.O. Selecting a method for calculating waste generation standards // Ecologist's Handbook. 2014. No. 8. P. 75-84;

- Prokhorov I.O. Methods for calculating waste generation standards: calculation method based on material and raw materials balance and calculation and analytical method // Ecologist's Handbook. 2014. No. 9. P. 93-104;

Savitskaya G.V. Analysis of the economic activity of an enterprise: textbook. allowance. Mn.: New knowledge, 2002.

You can, of course, still try not to provide flowcharts, citing the absence of technological processes (for example, indicate that cleaning premises, decommissioning equipment, etc. are not technological processes), but then you need to understand that the burden of proving the absence flowcharts in the PNOOLR will be the responsibility of its developer, and it is not a fact that government officials reviewing the PNOOLR will unconditionally accept this evidence.

Therefore, we still recommend providing flowcharts along with a brief text description of the activity, especially since in the absence of strict requirements for the text part in the Methodological Instructions, all waste generation processes can be more clearly represented in the form of flowcharts.

VSN 514-89 “Requirements for the design of production facilities mineral fertilizers using blocks. Production technology".

I am often asked - what to read about business processes?
One of the best sites on the Russian Internet is www.klubok.net. I myself “grew up” on the forum and articles on this site. Many articles have not lost their relevance even now. I recommend starting to study with him.

But if we talk about books, I can confidently say best book about business processes is a book written by Repin and Eliferov: “Business processes of the company. Construction, analysis, regulation.”

Description of business processes: the pursuit of simplicity.

The article discusses the issues of choosing a notation for describing processes for the purpose of subsequent regulation. Frequently used Work Flow notations are compared, such as: “Simple Flow Diagram” in MS Visio, “Procedure” in Business Studio, ARIS eEPC notation and others.

When comparing notations, the main focus is on creating process diagrams that are simple and understandable to organizational employees.

For business analysts of companies, the theses discussed in the article are a serious reason to think about how effective the development approaches they use are. graphic schemes organization processes.

Introduction

One of the most important goals of creating graphical process diagrams is their subsequent use in the organization’s regulatory documents. As a rule, these schemes are used by employees who are not trained in complex notations, do not have systems analysis skills, etc. The simplicity and clarity of the diagrams is very important to them. Complex, confusing diagrams containing many different symbols, are poorly perceived by people, which makes their practical use difficult. Therefore, for practical purposes, it is important to correctly select and use the notation (methodology) for describing processes. What criteria should be used to choose such a notation? How to compare different notations with each other? Let's look at several popular notations and try to answer these questions.

Comparison of notations

For comparison, the following process description notations were chosen:

1. “Simple flowchart” (displaying the movement of documents, using the “Solution” block);
2. “Simple block diagram” (without displaying the movement of documents, without using “Solution” blocks);
3. "Procedure" of the Business Studio system (one of possible options representations);
4. ARIS eEPC.

A simple and intuitive one was chosen as a test example clear process. The results of describing this process are presented in Fig. 1-4.

Rice. 1. Process diagram in the “Simple Flowchart” notation in MS Visio (with the movement of documents, using the “Decision” block).

In the diagram fig. 1. The sequence of process operations over time is shown using thick arrows, and the movement of documents is shown using thin dotted arrows. Solution blocks are used in a classic way. They display information (questions) on which the subsequent course of the process “depends”. This approach to using “diamonds” is very common. But in fact, the entire logic of decision-making and the formation of certain outputs (documents) should be contained within the operations of the process. If you think about it, the value (meaning) of drawing these “diamonds” is not obvious. What kind of objects are these: process operations, events? It seems to be neither one nor the other. These are rather operators for making a decision based on some condition. But we are developing a process diagram for people, and not writing a computer program in a special language. IN computer program“diamond” would be a full-fledged operation for comparing conditions, etc. But the process diagram needs to show real objects - processes performed by people, documents, information systems etc. Think about it: is it correct to show “diamonds” separately from the process operation on the diagram? Instead you can:

a) describe the logic of decision-making in the form of a sequence of operations on the diagram of the process under consideration;
b) describe the logic in the form of a diagram of the steps of the corresponding subprocess, moving to a lower level;
c) describe the logic in text (in the text attributes of the operation) and subsequently display it in the process execution regulations.

Let us formulate the “pros” and “cons” of the method of using “diamonds” discussed above (Fig. 1).

"Simple flowchart" in MS Visio (with document movement, using the "Solution" block)
"Pros"	"Cons"
A visual display of the “logic” of selecting certain process outputs. Focusing the performer's attention on the decision point/process branching depending on the conditions.	Moving the decision-making logic “outside” the process operation (incorrect from the point of view of formal process decomposition). It is inconvenient to document the process (you have to duplicate the “diamonds” with text when creating a text description of the operation). The process diagram becomes information overload. "Diamonds" are often used too formally, without real need.

In Fig. 2. shows an example of the same process, only described without the use of “Solution” blocks and documents. It is easy to check that this diagram has 24 fewer graphic elements than the diagram in Fig. 1. Scheme Fig. 2. looks much simpler. The graphic elements do not dazzle the eyes, and from the point of view of information content, this diagram is quite understandable and accessible to the end user. If for each process operation you describe the requirements for its implementation in text, then by combining tabular and graphical presentation forms, you can quite adequately describe the procedure for executing the process for company employees.

Rice. 2. Process diagram in the “Simple flowchart” notation in MS Visio (without document movement, without using the “Decision” block).

“Pros” and “cons” of a graphical representation of the process in the form presented in Fig. 2. are shown below.

In general, the use of diagrams in a format similar to those presented in Fig. 2 is convenient for both developers and employees working on these schemes.

In Fig. 3. A process diagram is presented, formed in the “Procedure” notation of the Business Studio modeling environment. The scheme has several features. Firstly, the “Decision” blocks are not used in a standard way - not as a graphic element to display a question and branching, but as a full-fledged process operation associated with decision making. In Business Studio, the “diamond” has almost all the attributes of a full-fledged process, but cannot be decomposed (perhaps the system developers will make this possible over time). Using a “diamond” (instead of a quadrangle) makes the diagram more visual. At the same time, you can enter any text information into the attributes of the “diamond”: description, beginning, completion, deadline requirements, etc.

The second feature of the process diagram presented in Fig. 3., is the use of arrows. To display a sequence of operations, you can use an arrow with a single tip - the “precedence” arrow. You can use a double-headed arrow to show document movement. But it is in Business Studio that you can use only one type of arrows - “precedence” arrows. In this case, you can bind to named arrows required quantity documents that are defined in the directory of activity objects. This approach makes it possible:

• significantly reduce the number of graphic elements in the process diagram, and at the same time:
• put into process regulations necessary information about incoming and outgoing documents.

Thus, without cluttering the diagram with unnecessary elements, we can nevertheless fully describe the process and upload all the necessary information into the regulations.

“Pros” and “cons” of a graphical representation of the process in the form presented in Fig. 3. are shown below.

Rice. 3. “Procedure” of the Business Studio system (option with non-traditional use"Solution" blocks).

When using Business Studio, the Procedure notation can be used in slightly different ways. The author of the article is inclined to the approach presented in Fig. 3.

In Fig. Figure 4 shows a diagram of the process under consideration, developed in the ARIS eEPC notation. Note that some process operations did not fit on the diagram. This partial diagram of a simple process, written in ARIS eEPC notation, contains four logic statements and eight events! The person reading the diagram must be able to correctly interpret all of these logical operators. Without special education and having some skills in reading such diagrams, an ordinary employee is unlikely to be able to understand the logic of the process in question without a detailed text description or the help of a qualified business analyst.

Note that the process diagram in the ARIS eEPC notation takes up significantly more space than the diagrams presented in Fig. 1-3. The complexity of forming such a scheme is also significantly higher.

Process diagram in ARIS eEPC notation (built in Business Studio)
"Pros"	"Cons"
When forming a diagram, a strict, formal logic of the process is maintained. All events that occur during the process are clearly defined.	Difficulty of perception. Significant complexity of forming a scheme. Personnel must have specialized skills and experience in interpreting such diagrams. Information redundancy. Takes up too much space, which is inconvenient for documentation.

In general, if you are not going to buy SAP R/3, then choosing and using the ARIS eEPC notation is not, from the point of view of the author of the article, optimal solution. It is worth paying attention to notations for describing processes that are more visual and intuitive for performers. However, some may find the ARIS eEPC notation more visual and understandable. To a certain extent, this is a matter of taste.

Rice. 4. Process diagram in ARIS eEPC notation (built in Business Studio).

Description of the process for subsequent automation purposes

It is interesting to look at the process diagram in question if it is described in the BPMN 2.0 notation. This notation is intended to describe "executing" processes, i.e. processes supported by the BPM system.

Your opinion about using BPMN 2.0. shares A.A. Belaychuk - General manager"Business Console" company:

In Fig. Figure 5 depicts the same process in BPMN notation. As we can see, this figure is similar to Fig. 1: in BPMN notation, tasks are depicted as rectangles, forks as diamonds, and data as an icon similar to a document. Control flows are solid lines, data flows are dotted. It should be taken into account that this diagram uses only a small part of the BPMN notation: only one type of fork out of 5 available in the palette, one type of task out of 8. In addition to a wider palette, this notation is distinguished by the ability to model not only an isolated workflow, but also several processes , interacting with each other through messages or data. In addition, this notation is more strict: it defines not only icons, but also the rules by which they can be combined with each other. The need for such rules is dictated by the fact that the BPMN notation is focused not only on the fact that people will read it, but also on direct execution by special software- the “engine” of the BPM system. At the same time, as shown this example, when using a limited subset of the BPMN palette, it turns out to be no more complicated than a conventional flowchart. Well, for those who want to master BPMN professionally, we recommend specialized training www.bpmntraining.ru.

Rice. 5. Process diagram in BPMN 2.0 notation.

Life practice

In Fig. Figure 6 shows a fragment of a process diagram developed by business analysts of a very specific company in the notation they invented. The diagram is built using the principles of the “Simple Flowchart” - the “Solution” block is used in its classic version. In addition, the diagram shows many other symbols used in a non-standard way.

When forming the diagram in Fig. 6, business analysts obviously “struggled” for clarity and maximum understandability for the average user. They sought to minimize, or even eliminate, textual commentary on process diagrams. The performers were simply printed with an A3 format diagram, upon reading which everything immediately became clear: what to do, how, what documents to use, etc.

The scheme under consideration is not, of course, an example of simplicity and clarity. But it was formed to convey maximum useful information to those involved in the process.

Conclusions

So, it is obvious that when describing processes you need to strive for simplicity and clarity for employees.
The use of complex, formalized notations when describing processes leads to:

• difficulties in using (interpreting) diagrams by ordinary employees;
• the impossibility (difficulty) of organizing work to describe processes by employees of departments who have not undergone special training;
• a significant increase in the labor costs of business analysts for the formation of schemes;
• additional difficulties when documenting circuits (large volume, etc.);

Therefore, you should not clutter the process diagram with various graphic elements. But if you use them, it is better that they carry useful information for employees, and were not simply a consequence of the formal application of modeling notations.

V.V. Repin, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Executive Director of BPM Consulting Group LLC, Head. Department of Business Process Management of the National Educational Institution of Higher Professional Education “IEF “Synergy”, founder of the portal www.FineXpert.ru

These are the ones simple principles This is what I’m trying to convey to business managers who, enchanted by beautiful presentations of software products, often forget that a simple checklist is often better than 10 pages of regulations.

This manual will review the main traditional and "latest" statistical methods of quality control, adopted and developed for the practical use of TQM (Total Quality Manager) in different countries(Japan, UK, America and Far East).

The most famous of these methods were the “seven tools of quality control,” which were first widely used in “quality circles” in Japan and then in other countries due to their high efficiency and accessibility for ordinary enterprise workers. These “seven tools” include : flowcharts, checklists, scatter diagrams, Pareto diagrams, cause-and-effect diagrams, control charts, histograms.

Along with the previously known “seven quality control tools,” this manual will consider the “newest” tools that are currently in practical use.

The founder of the creation of “quality circles” was Kaoru Ishikawa (1915 - 1989). Quality circles developed from the original idea of ​​creating peer-to-peer groups aimed at learning statistical management techniques in their field.

1. Essential tools for total quality

These tools are used as systematic approaches to quality improvement, each of which is important, and their role is expressed in the following:

1) Block diagram ( block diagram ) - used to diagrammatically describe the steps in a process.

2) Scatter diagram ( Scatter diagram ) - used to determine the form of relationship between parameters.

3) Pareto chart (Pa reto diagram ) - used to identify the most significant problems.

4) Cause and effect diagram ( Cause and effect diagramm ) - used to identify the causes of problems that arise,

5) Histogram ( Histogram ) - used to visually depict the general spread of parameters.

6) Controllability control charts (Control charts) trol chart ) - are used to find out how controllable the process is and what the spread of parameters is.

7) Checklists (Sop tr O l leaf ) - are used to identify the frequency of occurrence of deviations (errors).

The nature and content of each of these instruments is set out in British Standard B8 7850: Part 2.

Process flow diagram

A flowchart is a schematic representation of the steps involved in performing any process; the order in which individual operations follow, using special symbols that reflect the nature of those operations, as shown in Figure 1.1.

The process of creating and analyzing a flowchart allows you to identify the source of the problem.

Rice. 1.1. Symbols used in flowcharts

(Source: B5 7850: part 2:1992): 1 - description of the document, 2 - beginning and end of the stage, 3 - description of the activity, 4 - decision making, 5 - indicating the direction of flow from one stage of work to another, 6 - description of the base data.

An example of a document development flowchart.

Rice. 1.2. Block diagram (for document development) (Source: 35 7850: Part 2:1992)

Test task No. 1

Develop a flowchart for the process improvement cycle and identify tools and techniques that can be used.

Scatter plot

A scatter plot is constructed as a graph of the relationship between two parameters, which allows you to determine whether there is a relationship between these parameters. If such a relationship exists, it is possible to eliminate the deviation of one parameter by influencing the other. In this case, three types of relationship are possible - positive, negative relationship, and no relationship.

The scattering diagram is shown in Fig. 1.3.

Rice. 1.3. Scatter diagram

Test task No. 2

Give an example where the correlation between two parameters of the object under study will be presented.

Correlation is a concept that reflects the existence of a connection between phenomena, processes and the quantities that characterize them.

Pareto chart

The Pareto diagram, named after its author, the Italian economist Pareto (1845-1923), allows you to visualize the amount of losses depending on various defects. This allows you to first focus on eliminating those defects that lead to the greatest losses.

To account for the cumulative percentage of losses from several defects, a cumulative curve is constructed.

An example of a Pareto chart is shown in Fig. 1.4. and reflects the likelihood of a certain type of phone malfunction.

Rice. 1.4. Pareto diagram: 1 - noise available. 2 - line break, 3 - alarm, 4 - no answer, 5 - no call

Pareto chart is production document and meets the logic of quality systems in ISO standards.

It is advisable to build a Pareto diagram every month so that the quality service immediately determines the cause of the defect and outlines operational measures to eliminate it.

Test task No. 3

Identify the causes of defects in the production process and, based on the constructed Pareto diagram, establish the maximum losses from defects in order to take prompt action to eliminate them.

Cause and effect diagrams and brainstorming

The Ishikawa fishbone cause-and-effect diagram (Figure 1.5) first appeared and was used in Japan to identify the causes of process failure when obvious violations are difficult to detect. When constructing a diagram, the so-called “brainstorming method” is used, which is recommended for identifying possible causes.

To do this, follow the following rules:

a) a group of workers is formed (about six specialists), from which management is removed,

b) the anonymity of statements is maintained,

c) lower-ranking employees speak first,

d) limited time for conducting examinations.

e) an Ishikawa diagram is constructed and a discussion begins

The cause-and-effect diagram is used, as a rule, when analyzing defects that lead to the greatest losses.

It allows you to identify the causes of such defects and focus on eliminating them. In this case, five main causal factors are analyzed: information, man, machine (equipment), material and method of work.

Fig.1.5. Ishikawa Causal Diagram

An example of a fully expanded cause-and-effect diagram (for analyzing poor quality photocopies) is shown in Fig. 1.6.

What are business processes? Examples will allow us to better understand this subject, so we will actively use them.

General information

First, let's figure out what business processes are. This is the name given to the total sequence of certain actions aimed at transforming the resources received at the input into a completed product that has value for consumers at the output. Thanks to this definition, you can understand that there are business processes within every organization. Whether they are formalized or not does not matter. Remember: you can find business processes everywhere. Examples of them will be given later in the article.

Let's look at a household example. There is a housewife who wants to wash the dishes (business process). She entrusts this task dishwasher. At the entrance we have dirty dishes. Water will be used during the process, detergent and electricity. And at the end we will get clean dishes. Business processes are built according to a similar scheme. The examples that will be given later will only confirm these words.

Functional approach

Since we are interested in (specific examples), let’s not delay their consideration, but get down to business right away. Let's say we have a company that deals with management issues. According to him, an enterprise is a set of divisions. Moreover, each one works to perform its specific function. But in such cases, when individual departments are focused on achieving their indicators, the overall performance of the company often suffers.

Let's look at one typical conflict process. The sales department requires an increase in the maximum possible range to increase turnover. At the same time, they also want to ensure that the product is always in stock. Whereas the supply department plans to purchase a narrow range and in large quantities. Indeed, in such cases they will work efficiently, and their main indicator will increase (more precisely, the price from the supplier will fall). That is, there is a business implementation process that departments look at differently.

Process approach

He views everything that happens as a set of processes. There are basic and supporting. Each process has its own specific goal, which is subordinated to the task facing the entire company. In addition, there is an owner who manages resources and is responsible for the execution of everything necessary. There should also be a system for quality control and error correction. It goes without saying that no process can proceed without resources. And the list of components is completed by a system of indicators by which business processes are assessed. What are some examples of this, since it was promised that there would be some? Now let's look at one.

Imagine a map. In the very center is It is divided into separate components. They are accompanied by management and support processes that ensure that everything is executed as required. This will be a process approach. When the work of one element is completed, its developments are transferred to the next.

Description of business processes

Examples of this can be seen in general form throughout the article. But full-length documentation is often comparable in thickness to small books (or even large ones if the work of a giant company is being studied).

(examples of which are also given here) requires that all operations of the enterprise be as clear and transparent as possible. This will allow them to be analyzed in the best possible way and identify various problems even before they fail. It must be remembered that the main task of the descriptions is to understand the interaction of disparate units, to monitor what and to whom they transfer at each stage of the task. Thanks to this, it is possible to significantly simplify and reduce the dependence of the stability of the enterprise on the unstable human factor. Also, with a competent approach, the and This is how the description of business processes helps. An example of such optimization can be demonstrated by the manager of almost any successful company.

Development order

Let's take a look practical example business process at the enterprise. Initially we need to take care of the working team of the project. It is formed from company employees. More often than not, it turns out that one working team is not enough. What then can be done? To fill the lack of strength, you can attract a temporary group. It also doesn't hurt to create a description of how the process is functioning at a given point in time. At the same time, one should strive to identify all the connections between actions, and not record the smallest details.

To avoid sidetracking, you can use standard process maps and forms. When developing processes, it is recommended to use the method of successive approximations. In other words, it is necessary to repeat the cycle of improvement actions until an acceptable result is obtained.

What should you pay attention to?

You should focus on the following sections:

1. Standard forms.
2. Map.
3. Routes.
4. Matrices.
5. Flowcharts.
6. Description of joints.
7. Supporting descriptions.
8. Documentation.
9. Detailed description.
10. Definition of indicators and indicators.
11. Execution regulations.

The best concept is necessary elements will be able to give real example-reengineering of business processes of an existing enterprise. But in such cases, you need to be prepared for the fact that you will have to familiarize yourself with a huge amount of documentation.

Let's say a word about cards

So, we have already looked at what business processes are, examples of them in real life. Now let's go through technical documentation, which must be if we want an accurate and clear description. So, initially I would like to pay attention to the business process map. It is a graphical representation designed like a block diagram. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that each participant has its own separate column. Time intervals are entered in the lines. A fully completed card allows you to check whether the transaction was synchronized.

You can also monitor whether and how information flows between different departments of the company. To get the best results, you should ask a few questions. Who performs this operation? Why does it need to be done? What is she? When should the operation be performed? Where is it carried out? When improving existing processes, you should also ask whether it can be improved.

Matrices

They are necessary to highlight the most important business processes within the enterprise. During their compilation, the interconnection of everything that happens, as well as the degree of mutual influence, are taken into account.

When analyzing a chain of processes, it is easy to find that information exchange moves from the upper left to the lower right. That is, this mathematical form describes the relationship between supplier and consumer, presented in the form of a rectangle. In each cell of the matrix, all necessary requirements for actions that have been/are/will be done. They are a kind of two-dimensional models with the help of which one can judge what is being done and how it is being done and what purpose is being pursued. The difficulty in compiling a matrix here is that in order to calculate with maximum accuracy it is often necessary to use a significant amount of data. And this implies the presence of a large number of data. In such cases, digital information is usually used, which often still has to be calculated.