Congruence may be a mathematical or geometric term, but it also applies to process mapping. In short, congruence typically describes two items that are the same shape and size. For example, two triangles with exactly the same sides. However, they don’t need to be identical in appearance – one triangle could be green and the other red, but they are congruent if the dimensions are the same.
Congruent process maps follow a similar principle in the sense that they are the same. In essence, they are uniform, standardised and easy to follow for everybody, even if the process contained within is slightly different. Here are the wins you can gain from using congruent process maps.
Increased Efficiency
Once people learn to follow process maps and get used to a standardised format, they can understand them much more easily. Congruent processes ensure that tasks are carried out consistently, and they improve efficiency because people can learn new ways of doing things quickly.
Improved Employee Satisfaction
One of the employees’ biggest frustrations is not having the right tools to do their job. Congruent process maps provide clarity to staff members, giving them instructions that are easy to understand. No longer are processes kept in a single staff member’s head but they can be accessed by everybody, making it much less stressful for your teams.
Enhanced Customer Experiences
When all of your process maps are congruent, they should also maintain a focus on enhancing the customer experience. Congruent processes lead to better customer service, an improved customer experience and, ultimately, customer loyalty.
Reduced Compliance Risks
Many businesses have strict compliance guidelines to follow, and this needs to be reflected in process maps. When you keep your processes congruent, you significantly reduce the risk of legal and financial risks associated with non-compliance.
Facilitated Innovation
Congruent processes also help build the foundation for future process maps. Once you have a style and format for your process maps, you can much more easily create new ones for a range of other tasks.
If you’d like to know more about how to improve your business processes, contact the team at Human Pixel today. We bring humans and technology together for better results.