Process Matrix

Once, I was challenged with creating a process flowchart from scratch--there was no previous sample to model after and the business subject matter expert was not always available.

Inexperienced that I was, I went straight to do the diagram. After a couple of fruitless hours, I grew frustrated. I needed a different approach.

Excel has always been my go-to tool. I launched it and began simply listing the actors across the columns and the sequence of events down the rows.  This turned out to be exactly what I needed to help me create the diagram later.

The take-away for me was to rely on something I was already familiar (Excel) and matrices. Below is a sample table similar to what I did then.

How about you dear reader? What do you use?