I got fed of having to explain to my boss and colleagues my plan of action on each and every project I was involved in. So when I got thinking about it, what I really was wanted to do was in fact to communicate business processes.

So on my next project, the next step I took was to list process steps in a PowerPoint presentation. This took me only so far, as the list didn't have enough detail, and so I ended up explaining myself again and again. Not giving up on this brain wave of mine, the next step I took was to try and draw these processes and show relationships that exist within the project. I can't draw, it was messy - but I was getting there, as there were fewer questions being asked, as those involved could understand better what I was doing.

On a high, I started to research if there were better ways that I could express myself visually those processes, and so I chose Visio. Bad move, it was a steep learning curve and we only had one copy installed on one computer in the office as it was expensive and wasn't of particular use for others in the company. It could only take me so far, mainly because it was just too complicated for its own good.

Almost giving up, I then hit nirvana! I found some software available on a free trial that was extremely simple to use, and was dedicated to producing business process mapping. Not only that, it took me back to where I began. It lets me enter text just like in PowerPoint, which it then automatically converted into a diagram. But better still (although I haven't taken advantage of this yet, mainly because I don't understand what I can do), you can output the process into enterprise systems - sounds cool - but I don't think our company is up to this yet.

My only problem now is that my boss has taken over and is using the software to quickly devise more efficient processes for the company as a whole. Not a bad problem to have!!

The name of the company offering the software is Process Master - they have an informative video on how it works.