Your manager wants to implement lean methodology to help streamline some of your teams HR work.

The challenge is that your team is new to lean, has never used a process mapping template, and has never performed process improvement or waste reduction this way. They arent sure where to start!

You all agree that it would be best to first try to apply lean methodology to a basic, non-work routine or process that you complete almost every day. Your rationale is that doing so will help you all to better understand the mapping process, find a template that works for you, and practice identifying process improvement opportunities.

They nominate you to be the first one to take on this task.

You can complete this task using whatever format is easiest for you (Powerpoint, Excel, Google sheets etc.). Note, we have deliberately not provided one specific template to use. An important part of this exercise is reviewing the example templates (in the resources section below) and creating your own, just as youd do when implementing this for the first time in a real HR/Lean environment.

1. Learn about Lean
   1. Before you do any diagraming, develop your understanding of Lean by reading through the Lean Training deck. You can also look at the Lean Cheat Sheet for more detail, and use the Lean Glossary to help fill in the gaps on any terms you dont understand.
   2. Think about a routine or multi-step process you perform on a daily basis. This doesnt have to be work-relatedin fact, its best if its something simple, like for example your routine for making coffee. The important thing is that there are multiple steps and that you are very familiar with it.
2. Create a process map
   1. Look at the templates one by one. Decide which one would be most applicable to the process youve chosen.
   2. Create a map of your routine/multi-step process using your tool of choice (Excel, Powerpoint, Google sheets) and the template youve chosen.
3. Identify wastes and process improvement opportunities
   1. Use your map to identify wastes in your process. Write these wastes on the map.
   2. Use your map to identify ways you can improve the process. Write these improvement opportunities on the map.