Why Map Before Moving?
You wouldn't start a road trip without knowing your current location. Yet organizations constantly plan improvements without clearly understanding their starting point.
Mapping your current state:
The Current State Assessment Framework
Part 1: Process Inventory
For each core process in your organization, document:
- What is this process called?
- What outcome does it produce?
- Who is accountable for this process?
- Who performs it day-to-day?
- How often is this process executed?
- Is it regular (daily, weekly) or triggered by events?
- How long does one instance take?
- What's the range (best case to worst case)?
- What inputs does it require?
- What other processes does it depend on?
Part 2: Tool Inventory
For each tool your organization uses:
- What tool is it?
- What function does it serve?
- Who uses this tool?
- How many active users?
- Monthly/annual subscription cost?
- Implementation and training costs?
- What other tools does it connect to?
- Are those connections automated or manual?
- How satisfied are users (1-10)?
- What are the main complaints?
Part 3: Data Inventory
For each significant data set:
- What data is this?
- Customer data? Financial? Operational?
- Where does this data live?
- Is it in multiple places?
- Which version is authoritative?
- How do other versions sync?
- How accurate is this data?
- When was it last cleaned/audited?
- Who can access this data?
- Who should access this data?
Part 4: People and Roles
For each role in your organization:
- What is this role called?
- How many people are in this role?
- What are the 3-5 core responsibilities?
- What processes do they own?
- What tools do they use daily?
- Are there tools they should use but don't?
- What information do they need to do their job?
- Where do they get that information?
- What frustrates people in this role?
- What wastes their time?
The Mapping Session
Preparation
Process
List every process you can think of. Don't evaluate—just capture.
For each process, identify what tools are used.
Show how data flows between tools and processes.
Label who is responsible for each process and tool.
Where do things break? Where is there friction?
What don't you know? What needs investigation?
Output
You should emerge with:
Common Discoveries
Organizations typically discover:
1. Unknown Complexity
"I didn't realize we had that many steps."
2. Hidden Dependencies
"So THAT'S why things break when X is out."
3. Redundant Tools
"We have three different tools doing basically the same thing."
4. Manual Bridges
"Someone has to manually copy that data every time?"
5. Missing Ownership
"Who is actually responsible for this process?"
What Comes Next
Once you've mapped your current state:
Don't skip this step. The map is the foundation for everything that follows.