Maps business processes into text-based flowcharts with decision points, handoffs, and timing estimates, then identifies bottlenecks and automation opportunities. Use when a user wants to document how their business actually works, find inefficiencies, visualize a process, or decide what to automate.
MAP THE PROCESS AS IT ACTUALLY IS, NOT AS IT SHOULD BE. Document reality first, then optimize. Premature optimization without understanding the current state always fails.
Ask the user:
Use this interviewing method:
Repeat until the user says "then it's done."
Use this notation system:
NOTATION GUIDE:
[Step] = Action step
<Decision?> = Yes/No branch
((Start/End)) = Process boundary
--> = Flow direction
{Tool} = System or tool used
*Role* = Person responsible
~15 min~ = Time estimate
!! BOTTLENECK = Identified problem
For every mapped process, deliver:
Automation scoring:
| Criteria | Score |
|---|---|
| Rule-based (no judgment needed) | +3 |
| Repetitive (happens daily/weekly) | +2 |
| Data moves between two tools | +2 |
| Takes more than 15 min each time | +1 |
| Error-prone when done manually | +2 |
| Total 7+: Strong automation candidate | |
| Total 4-6: Partial automation possible | |
| Total 0-3: Keep manual |
Provide a prioritized improvement plan:
Context: A branding agency onboards new clients after they sign a proposal.
WORKFLOW MAP: Client Onboarding — Branding Agency
===================================================
Trigger: Client signs proposal
End: Kickoff call completed, project begins
((CLIENT SIGNS PROPOSAL))
|
v
[Send welcome email with next steps]
*Account Manager* {Gmail} ~10 min~
|
v
[Create client folder in Google Drive]
*Account Manager* {Google Drive} ~5 min~
|
v
[Set up project in Asana with template]
*Account Manager* {Asana} ~15 min~
|
v
[Send intake questionnaire]
*Account Manager* {Typeform} ~5 min~
|
v
<Client completes questionnaire?>
| |
YES NO
| |
v v
| [Send reminder email — Day 3]
| *Account Manager* {Gmail} ~5 min~
| |
| v
| <Completed after reminder?>
| | |
| YES NO
| | |
| v v
| | [Call client to walk through it]
| | *Account Manager* {Zoom} ~30 min~
| | | !! BOTTLENECK: 40% of clients
| | | need this call. Questionnaire
| | | is too long (47 questions).
| | v
|<----------|<-------------|
v
[Review questionnaire responses]
*Creative Director* {Typeform + Docs} ~20 min~
|
v
[Prepare kickoff presentation]
*Creative Director* {Google Slides} ~45 min~
| !! BOTTLENECK: Done from scratch
| every time. No template.
v
[Schedule kickoff call]
*Account Manager* {Calendly} ~5 min~
|
v
[Run kickoff call]
*Creative Director + Account Manager* {Zoom} ~60 min~
|
v
[Send kickoff summary + timeline]
*Account Manager* {Gmail + Asana} ~20 min~
|
v
((ONBOARDING COMPLETE — PROJECT BEGINS))
PROCESS ANALYSIS
=================
Total time (happy path): 2 hrs 45 min
Total time (with reminders): 3 hrs 50 min
People involved: 2 (Account Manager, Creative Director)
Tools used: 5 (Gmail, Google Drive, Asana, Typeform, Zoom)
Handoff points: 2 (AM to CD for questionnaire review, CD back to AM for scheduling)
BOTTLENECKS IDENTIFIED:
1. Intake questionnaire completion (40% need a follow-up call)
Root cause: 47 questions is too many
Fix: Reduce to 15 essential questions, move rest to kickoff call
2. Kickoff presentation created from scratch every time
Root cause: No template exists
Fix: Build a master template, customize 3-4 slides per client
3. Manual folder + project setup (3 separate tools)
Root cause: No automation between tools
Fix: Zapier — proposal signed triggers folder + Asana project + welcome email
AUTOMATION CANDIDATES:
| Step | Score | Tool |
|-------------------------------|-------|-------------------|
| Create Google Drive folder | 8 | Zapier |
| Set up Asana project | 9 | Zapier + template |
| Send welcome email | 7 | Zapier |
| Send intake questionnaire | 7 | Zapier |
| Send reminder (Day 3) | 8 | Typeform reminder |
| Schedule kickoff call | 5 | Calendly auto-link |
RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENTS (Priority Order):
1. QUICK WIN: Reduce questionnaire from 47 to 15 questions [saves 30 min/client]
2. QUICK WIN: Build kickoff presentation template [saves 30 min/client]
3. AUTOMATION: Zapier workflow for folder + Asana + welcome email [saves 30 min/client]
4. PROCESS: Embed Calendly link in welcome email to eliminate scheduling step [saves 5 min]
TOTAL TIME AFTER IMPROVEMENTS: 1 hr 15 min (from 3 hrs 50 min)
Context: A solo content creator publishes one blog post per week.
WORKFLOW MAP: Weekly Blog Post — Solo Creator
===============================================
Trigger: Monday morning (weekly cadence)
End: Post published and promoted
((MONDAY: CONTENT WEEK BEGINS))
|
v
[Choose topic from content calendar]
*Creator* {Notion} ~10 min~
|
v
[Research keywords and outline]
*Creator* {Ahrefs + Google Docs} ~45 min~
|
v
[Write first draft]
*Creator* {Google Docs} ~2.5 hrs~
| !! BOTTLENECK: Writing takes longest.
| Often interrupted, spread across 2 days.
v
[Edit and polish draft]
*Creator* {Google Docs + Grammarly} ~45 min~
|
v
[Create featured image]
*Creator* {Canva} ~30 min~
|
v
[Format and publish in WordPress]
*Creator* {WordPress} ~30 min~
| !! BOTTLENECK: Manual formatting —
| copy-pasting, adding headers, images,
| meta description, alt text every time.
v
[Write social media posts (3 platforms)]
*Creator* {Buffer} ~45 min~
|
v
[Write newsletter teaser]
*Creator* {ConvertKit} ~20 min~
|
v
[Schedule everything]
*Creator* {Buffer + ConvertKit} ~15 min~
|
v
((POST PUBLISHED AND PROMOTED))
PROCESS ANALYSIS
=================
Total time: 6 hrs 40 min per blog post
People involved: 1
Tools used: 7 (Notion, Ahrefs, Google Docs, Grammarly, Canva, WordPress, Buffer, ConvertKit)
BOTTLENECKS:
1. Writing draft (2.5 hrs, often interrupted)
Fix: Time-block 2 hrs on Tuesday morning, no meetings
2. WordPress formatting (30 min of repetitive manual work)
Fix: Use a blog post template in WordPress with pre-set formatting
3. Social media writing (45 min to write 3 platform versions)
Fix: Use Claude to generate platform variations from the blog post
AUTOMATION CANDIDATES:
| Step | Score | Tool |
|-----------------------------|-------|-------------------------|
| WordPress formatting | 7 | WordPress block template |
| Social post scheduling | 6 | Buffer RSS auto-post |
| Newsletter teaser | 5 | ConvertKit automation |
| Featured image | 4 | Canva template |
RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENTS:
1. QUICK WIN: Create WordPress post template [saves 20 min/week]
2. QUICK WIN: Build 3 Canva templates for featured images [saves 20 min/week]
3. PROCESS: Time-block writing on Tuesday 8-10am [reduces total time by focusing]
4. AUTOMATION: Use Claude to draft social posts from blog content [saves 30 min/week]
TOTAL TIME AFTER IMPROVEMENTS: 4 hrs 50 min (from 6 hrs 40 min)
!! BOTTLENECK inline in the flowchart