Welcome, ALMA Annual Conference Attendees


Welcome to the resource page created exclusively for attendees at ALMA's 29th Annual Conference in Waltham, MA, on October 16, 2008.

We hope you enjoyed Harvard Computing Group's ideas for utilizing process mapping techniques and TaskMap software to create simple, readable maps of lab processes -- or any processes, for that matter. This page contains links to a variety of process map examples, including the anatomical lab map that we displayed during our conference presentation.

We hope these examples will give you some useful ideas if you are thinking about launching a process mapping or process improvement project.

For further information about anything on this page, please contact .

Scott Helmers
Harvard Computing Group
+1 978-800-4590 x103

Anatomical Lab Processes at a Texas Hospital


The Lab Director at a 330-bed Texas hospital created this map of the anatomic pathology histology process. The hospital is a member of one of the largest faith-based, nonprofit health care delivery systems in the United States and the largest in North Texas in terms of patients served.

Having used the anatomical lab process map successfully, the Lab Director is now creating a TaskMap for the clinical lab.


Replacing a Toilet


This may seem like an unusual example, but if you've ever needed to document a manual procedure and have struggled to do so concisely yet effectively, take a look at this TaskMap. The simple-to-read map has been enhanced with graphics and detailed instructions. It replaces 1200 words of text in the original vendor's documentation and is far easier to use.

In this example you'll see how TaskMap and a few graphics can replace reams of text found in a typical Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) document.


Sales Proposal Process


You can download this TaskMap sample for viewing in Visio. The download file contains both the sales proposal process TaskMap and a Word document describing the key features of the map, including the use of hyperlinks that take the viewer directly to specific locations inside relevant Word documents and Excel spreadsheets (be sure to look for the hyperlink indicators in the TaskMap after you download it).

Linking from a TaskMap to specific locations inside documents means that people using your TaskMaps don't waste any time looking for information -- your hyperlinks take them directly to a specific sentence or spreadsheet cell.

You can view this TaskMap sample with just Microsoft Visio. However, if you would like to make changes to the sales process map, you can download a free, fully-functional evaluation copy of TaskMap on our download page.

Service Desk Management


Managing the Service Desk is a fundamental part of providing excellent customer service. In the early 1990s, the UK government established guidelines for delivery of IT services, including the IT service desk, and published their recommendations as the IT Information Library (ITIL). Since that time, ITIL has been enhanced several times and has been adopted worldwide, in both government and industry, as a key set of best practices for service delivery.

Harvard Computing Group created thisTaskMap Service Desk sample from Microsoft's ITIL-based service desk guidelines. You will find more information about this ITIL map and others in HCG's free ITIL seminar.


Sarbanes-Oxley Cash Management


Whether you work for a public corporation that is required to comply with Sarbanes-Oxley, or, like many other organizations, choose to comply voluntarily, this sample map shows how SOX best practices for cash management can be represented in a TaskMap.


TaskMap Evaluation Software


To download a free, fully-functional evaluation copy of TaskMap or to view a demonstration of TaskMap or TaskMap Professional, please visit our download page.

Please note that because TaskMap is an add-in for Microsoft Visio, you must have a copy of Visio on your computer before you can install TaskMap. TaskMap Standard will run with Visio 2003 or Visio 2007; TaskMap Professional requires Visio 2007 Professional. Need Visio? Microsoft offers a free, 60-day trial of Visio 2007 Professional.

Twenty Questions


During Harvard Computing Group's presentation we discussed a list of twenty questions to ask during a process capture project -- key questions to ask when you are capturing knowledge about a process in order to document it. If you would like a copy you can download the list of questions.

ALMA Presentation


If you missed our presentation at ALMA's 29th Annual Conference, you can download a copy of our slides.