Process Documentation

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 Process Documentation

• This session provides a practical

approach to managing and preparing the
documentation necessary for
implementing any system

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What is Process Documentation?
• The term was first used in 1978 to refer to a
pilot project in Philippines.

• In this project full time social scientists stayed

in project villages and made detailed
observations and documented the process of
user group (farmers’) formation and
functioning

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 Basic Objective of Process
Documentation
• To learn from implementation experience
and in the light of this modify the strategy
and ultimately, policy(Mosse,1998)

• (Ref:Mosse, David,1998,’Process documentation research and process

monitoring”, in David Mosse, John Fennigton and Alan Rew (Eds)
Development as Process: Concepts and Methods for working with
Complexity, London: Routledge, pp 31-53).

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Process Documentation Research
• Process Documentation Research done in several countries
and different context shows that it is used more in
developing greater capacities for managing local
resources.
• In fact PDR is not considered a monitoring device alone,
but rather as a means to develop local community’s
capability to plan and build institutions to solve the local
problems in areas/sectors where program expansions are
planned.
• Among the different mechanisms used PD is the most
intensive among them.

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 Process Definition and
Implementation
• Organization Processes should aim to deliver the
objectives of the organization.
• Process Definition initiation starts with understanding
the objectives of the organization, mapping the
existing processes and then working towards closing
the gaps that may exist.
• For ex, need for a situation analysis before
implementing any systems development or doing
action research (FHIMS in Andhra Pradesh)

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 Process Implementation
• A jointly approved Action Plan is defined with
Priorities, Considerations and Constraints
pertaining to the organization.
• Processes are designed to meet the
organization's Objectives. Automation tools
are incorporated into the processes wherever
appropriate.
• Process Training and facilitation form a part of
the mandate.

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 Process Implementation
• The Process Implementation follows with
detailed process design, pilot implementation,
refinement and stabilization.
• Typically, association with the collaborators
would continue for a period such that all teams
have institutionalized their processes.
• The Internal Quality Assessment and evaluation
by external agencies can continue subsequently.

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 Why Process Documentation?
• Most of the process-oriented methodologies are
meant to record programs as they occur and
feed the information back to managers, other
researchers, policy makers to help them in
understanding the working of the project better.
• However there are several other purposes,
equally important, for which processes are
sought and they are…

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 Need for Process Information
•• Used
Used by
by agencies
agencies undertaking
undertaking new
new and
and
complex forms
complex forms as
as part
part of
of expansion
expansion of
of
programs, which
programs, which need
need understanding
understanding about
about
stakeholder participation.
stakeholder participation.

•• Such
Such information
information isis often
often needed
needed to
to validate
validate
and approach
and approach the
the program
program andand consequent
consequent
policy formation.
policy formation.

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 Use of Process Information
• Such information in the context of inter agency
collaboration( ex. Govt , NGO and Community) can help
determine the conditions necessary for effective collaboration
and performance.

• Process monitoring is used to construct institutional

ethnography.

 Process monitoring helps provide a framework for negotiating

meanings, agreements, and validating approaches and
resolving differences between all the component units of the
program.

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 Use of Process Information
• Anyone developing or working towards
creating any software is responsible for
managing and maintaining software
process and quality system related
documentation
(e.g., process/quality policies, procedures,
forms, etc.)

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 Process Documentation –IT Sector

• Among many unappealing tasks attending

late night calls, last minute changes to
schedule, unreasonable customer
requests) of IT professionals one of them
is Process Documentation.

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 Importance of Process
Documentation
• An important aspect of any process is
the documentation that accompanies
it, such as logging trouble calls,
requesting system changes, or
executing disaster recovery plans.

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 Importance of Process
Documentation
• Many organizations or IT companies develop
excellent processes but fail to document them
adequately. After an initially successful
implementation of the process, many of these
procedures go unused due to lack of
documentation, particularly as new staff
members who are unfamiliar with the process
attempt to use it.

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 Why Actively Manage the
Processes?

• Methodical Process Management can identify

bottlenecks and inefficiencies that are invisible
to the organization—and it can find room for
improvement even in well-refined procedures.

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 Proactively managing the processes
can help organization to…
• Eliminate flaws
• Reduce the time spent on a specific task
• Decrease costs
• Decrease resources associated with any task
• Improve efficiency
• Improve overall quality
• Increase customer and employee satisfaction

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 Techniques

• Very few techniques are available to quantify

the quality and value of Process
Documentation.

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 Importance of Evaluating the
Quality of Process Documentation
• In IT sectors and in other organizations where
the use of processes is essential
• The purpose of evaluating the quality of
content is important:
• a.) to show to what degree the material is
suitable for use.

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 Importance of Evaluating the
Quality of Process Documentation
• b) to show how important the documentation
is to the support of the process and how
important the process is to the support of the
business.
• The quality of the content of documentation is
evaluated with 10 common characteristics of
usability:

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 Characteristics Denoting Quality
Attributes of Process Documentation

• Ownership. This characteristic rates the

degree to which the three key ownership
roles—process owner, documentation
custodian, and technical writer—are clearly
identified, understood, and supported. For
some processes, the same individual may
have all three roles.

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 (Cont..) Characteristics Denoting
Quality Attributes of Process
Documentation

• Readability :This characteristic rates the

clarity and simplicity of the written
documentation .

This characteristic especially looks at how well

the level of the material matches the skill and
experience level of the audience.

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(Cont) Characteristics Denoting Quality
Attributes of Process Documentation

• Accuracy. This characteristic rates the

technical accuracy of the material.

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 (Cont..) Characteristics Denoting
Quality Attributes of Process
Documentation

• Format: rates the overall organization of the

material; how easy it is to follow; how well it
keeps a consistent level of technical depth; and
to what degree it documents and describes an
actual process rather than merely duplicating
tables, spreadsheets, and metrics.

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(Cont) Characteristics Denoting Quality
Attributes of Process Documentation
• Accessibility : rates the ease or difficulty of
accessibility.
• Current status : rates to what degree the current
version of the documentation is up to date and the
frequency with which it's kept current.
• Ease of update : rates the relative ease or difficulty
with which the documentation can be updated,
including revision and distribution of new versions.

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(Cont) Characteristics Denoting Quality
Attributes of Process Documentation
• Effectiveness: rates the overall usability of the
documentation, including the use of appropriate
examples, graphics, color coding, use on multiple
platforms, and compliance with existing standards
(if available).
• Accountability: rates to what degree the
documentation is being read, understood, and
effectively used; all appropriate users are identified
and held accountable for proper use of the
documentation.
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 The value of the documentation to the
environment for which it was intended is
evaluated using five common characteristics

• Criticality of the process: Describes how

critical is the process to the success of the
organisation or business of the company.
• Frequency of use: Describes how frequently
the documentation is used or referenced.
• Number of users: Describes the approximate
number of personnel who will likely want or
need to use this documentation.

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 The value of the documentation to the
environment for which it was intended is
evaluated using five common characteristics

• Variety of users: This characteristic describes

the variety of different functional areas or skill
levels of personnel who will likely use this
documentation.

• Impact of non-use: Describes the level of

adverse impact that's likely to occur if the
documentation is not used properly.
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Different Approaches to Understand
Process
• Field-level activities
• Meetings
• Negotiations
• Decision-taken
• Planning
• Implementation of decisions
• Resolution of differences

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 Methodology for Documenting the
Process
• Use of existing documentary material

• Records
• Structured interviews
• Case studies
• Reconstruction of events

• Field-diaries of project staff

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 Methodology for Documenting the
Process
• Video-and audio recordings
• Newspaper clippings
• Software development
• Participant observation
• **None of the above methods are new in
themselves in the social science methodology,
but what is new is the use to which they are
put. (Refer PD of HISP)
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 In essence ‘Process documentation’
means and involves

• Continuous information gathering over a period of

the program / project.
• Orientation to the present-‘What is happening right
now’.
• Monitoring which is action oriented in the sense that
it is directed towards participants who are in a
position to read and take immediate action.

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 In essence ‘Process documentation’
means and involves
• the monitoring is inductive and open-ended
thus broadening the frame of reference. Thus,
the process information completely ‘breaks
away from the general image of development
projects or programs as closed, static,
predictable and controllable tech-rational
systems ” (Mosse,1998:11).

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 Process Documentation
• Learn how to design, write and organize your
documentation to best suit your organisation or work
• various documentation structures and access medium
can be used.
• How to pay particular attention to managing and
controlling the outcome of your documentation
efforts (the documentation authorities, distribution,
amendments, identification,...).
• Ideas that evolve from the documentation and
maintaining its alignment with changing needs should
be paid attention. 

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 Points to note in Developing a
Process Documentation
• Develop an action plan to manage the creation
of a policy and process documentation system
that effectively prescribes action and expedites
efforts
• Design a documentation structure suited to
your business needs and organizational size.
• Analyze the potential of process
documentation verses training material.

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 Points to note in Developing a
Process Documentation
• Learn various ways to organize and express your
organisations goals or company’s expectations; for
example, your company's quality policy statement (re:
ISO 9001), operational policies.
(The ISO organization was established by European countries as a way to certify the
quality control systems of companies across international boundaries)
• Examine the merits of various structures and styles to
compose/access both policy and process
documentation (e.g., procedures and their job aids).

• Discover the key criteria to keeping it simple.

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