Process mapping in development laboratories: enhancing management decisions, streamlining information, and boosting productivity

Introduction: Mapping processes is an effective strategy for gaining a deeper understanding of organizational workflows.By creating comprehensive and clearly defined process maps, management can enhance decision-making and improve productivity.For instance, identifying and eliminating redundant tasks performed by multiple employees can streamline operations and foster greater efficiency. Objectives:The aim of this work is to map the primary processes of the Laboratory of Immunological Technology at Bio-Manguinhos.By doing so, we seek to provide a clear overview of the laboratory's operations, facilitating improved management and efficiency. Methodology:The initial step involved mapping the technological platforms within the laboratory.Following this, we organized meetings with the teams associated with each platform to gather insights and feedback.Using Bizagi Modeler, we mapped the process steps for each platform, allowing for a clearer visualization of the results and facilitating a more comprehensive understanding of the workflows. Results:The mapping process encompassed twelve platforms, identifying 46 macro processes within the development platforms and 637 individual steps.Additionally, two processes were mapped within the quality assurance support team, and five were mapped regarding management issues.A total of 225 associated documents were compiled to support the mapped processes.By visualizing these processes, we achieved significant time savings in several areas: 1) streamlined management issues, leading to reduced time spent on email communications; 2) eliminated material-related problems by identifying and addressing issues upon arrival; and 3) developed orientation documents, which were shared with all 60 collaborators, enhancing their understanding of the processes. Conclusion:Mapping processes is an essential tool for both managers and team members alike, especially when the goals are to reduce costs, save time, and enhance overall efficiency.This mapping enables us to swiftly identify and address process-related issues, fostering effective communication and collaboration within the team.As a result, we are better equipped to implement solutions quickly and continuously improve our workflows.In the future, this will include the use of LIMS software to improve the traceability of results.