Process Mapping Basics

The following sections walk you through the basics of creating a simple process map and publishing it to the Web:

1. Placing shapes on diagrams and linking them together
2. Capturing specific information about each shape
3. Generating a Web-based clickthrough of your process diagrams
4. Creating multi-level diagrams

When you first launch the application, a blank model will automatically be created containing a blank diagram (“Untitled Diagram 1″, found in the “Process Maps” folder in the Explorer tree) and displaying the “People”and “Process Mapping” stencils to the right of the Explorer tree.

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1. Placing shapes on diagrams and linking them together

Placing shapes on diagrams

The easiest way to begin creating your first Process Map is to drag-and-drop shapes from the stencil onto the diagram, as follows:

1. Click on a shape in the stencil (hold down the left mouse button)
2. Move the mouse to the desired drop location on the diagram
3. Let go of the left mouse button

Linking one element to another

To draw a link from one element to another on the diagram:

1. Hold down the CTRL key
2. Click on the starting element (hold down the left mouse button)
3. Move the mouse until the pointer is over the target element
4. Let go of the left mouse button

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2. Capturing specific information about each shape

Using the Element Properties editor

The easiest way to name your elements and begin capturing detailed information about each one is to locate the element on the diagram and click once on the element to select it. This opens the Element Properties editor in a convenient preview window below the main diagramming window. By default, the Element Properties editor allows you to capture following general information about each element:

1. Name
2. Description
3. Comments

Depending on the type of element that is selected, additional details can be captured using the Element Properties editor, using a variety of different mechanisms.

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3. Generating a web-based clickthrough of your process diagrams

Publishing our unique, web-based Synthis Maps for the first time

Publishing a complete, clickable, diagram-based website of your processes takes just two mouse clicks:

1. Click on the “Publish” menu
2. Click on the “Synthis Maps” option

This will automatically open the Synthis Maps in your default Web browser.

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4. Creating multi-level diagrams

Adding linked and nested process diagrams

Now that you have created and published a simple one-diagram process, the next step is learning how to link from one diagram to another. The easiest way to do this is as follows:

1. Drag a “Process Map” shape from the stencil onto your existing diagram
2. A single-click on your new Process Map element allows you to access its element properties
3. A double-click opens the new blank Process Map in the main diagramming window

This feature makes it very to either (a) daisy-chain from one process map to another related process map, or (b) drill-down or navigate up to more detailed or higher-level process maps.

Related Posts

1. Modeler Environment
2. Working with Layers
3. Print Sequencing
4. Elements – Edge
5. Printing