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Turtle Diagrams can be used in conjunction with Process Flow Charts, Procedures, Work Instructions, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to link them all together, correlating the information in one simple to read diagram. There are many benefits of using a Turtle Diagram, here are just a few of those.
Understandable Onboarding Document
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These are perfect for sharing with new employees, so they understand their position within the organization and the value-added tasks they aid in completing. New employees can quickly see their place within the process, the resources they need, and what the outcome is expected to be. The other documents (Process flow charts, SOPs) can be linked for a deeper understanding of the role.
Easy to Use Auditing Tool
When a number of Turtle Diagrams are coupled together along with supporting documents they a provide a clear path for an audit trail. This can be an audit of the individual process and its interaction with other processes within the organization, identifying areas of improvement and areas where links may be missing between processes. Turtle Diagrams can be used by both external and internal auditors to guide them effectively to all the different measures, people and documents they need to audit per process.
Organizing Processes Inline with Organization Goals
Turtle Diagrams are very useful to management for establishing the organization’s processes and aligning process performance to the organization’s goals and applicable policies. They act as a benchmark for the current best practice for each process, and they make the processes far more visual and easier to comprehend. The Efficiency and Effectiveness leg of the Turtle Diagram helps management see the quality of the finished product, turn around times and any defects or accidents involved with the process. This helps to prepare and implement changes that can improve the quality and turn around times while reducing the number of defects and accidents.
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Clear Path from Input to Output
The clearly separated ‘legs’ of a Turtle Diagram make it easy to understand the route taken within a process from start to finish. Identifying who is plays an important role, what resources are needed – not just raw materials but the equipment used, locations such as the warehouse, machine software, and databases. It then identifies the supporting process, from staff training to IT support and Maintenance of the equipment used.
Easy to Identify Process Waste
The focus of a Turtle Diagram is the Value Added Steps within a process and the measures of effectiveness and efficiency of those steps. Where there is waste within the process, with a quick glance, management can identify steps that are reducing value within the process, or if it is distracting from the Value Added Steps. These can then be addressed, and changes implemented to improve the overall process.
Whether it is a process for a product or service, Turtle Diagrams apply to both, and no specialized training is needed to understand them or what they represent.
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