Wouldn’t it be great to map out a highly complex internal company process on a single side of an A4 sheet? Those responsible for risk management, quality management, and environmental management would be able to recognize key process parameters and interactions. Based on that, they could optimize both internal collaboration and output quality, improving efficiency and contributing to increased sustainability. Sounds good? It is – and it’s well within your reach! Thanks to the Turtle Diagram
what is the turtle diagram?
In essence, the Turtle Diagram is a graphical representation of a process. It provides a clear overview that can help both managers and employees understand a specific process, including the various process parameters and how they interact. This makes it a great tool for long-term process management and systematic risk management.
The three key areas of application for Turtle Diagrams are:
- Process mapping
- Process analysis
- Risk analysis
how to create a turtle diagram?
As its name suggests, the Turtle Diagram resembles the body of a turtle. The reptile’s head represents the input such as materials or information, while its tail represents the output resulting from the process. The four legs represent the factors that influence the process such as equipment, staff and information. This simplified process analysis method makes it quick and easy to identify and map out all relevant parameters in your company’s various processes.
Unlike complex process landscapes, the Process Turtle facilitates structured analysis of specific processes. These diagrams are therefore easy for employees to understand at a glance. Not only are they useful for defining, analyzing, structuring and improving individual processes, they also highlight the connections and interdependencies between processes. As a result, they have become an established tool for increasing process awareness and as a visual aid in staff appraisals.
- Head
This section is used to determine the input required to produce the output. It might include documents such as a Work Order, materials such as inventory, or information such as the Bill of Materials.
- Front right leg
This describes the resources used and could include material resources, infrastructure such as machinery, equipment and tools, and the work environment.
- Front left leg
This is the place to list the objectives pursued through the process along with the figures and performance indicators used to measure this.
- Turtle’s stomach
Here you should name the process under examination. Key process steps can be mapped out and you may also want to specify a) the people responsible for a process and b) the risks and opportunities in a process.
- Back right leg
This area asks “who” – focusing on the process owners and the skills, competencies and training they need to carry out the process successfully.
- Back left leg
This is used for specifying the methods, instructions and procedures applied during the process.
- Turtle’s tail
This is the place for describing the output – that is the result, product or information provided through the process.
example: using the turtle diagram for "servicing & maintenance"
When looking to analyze a process using the Turtle Diagram, the first step is to define the process to be analyzed and its objective, and then list all relevant resources. You should also note down indicators used to evaluate the process, information about regulations and standards, along with any risks that could compromise successful output – and opportunities inherent in the process. For ease of completion, you can start by mapping out the Turtle Diagram in a 3x3 table. So, for the example of “servicing and maintenance”, you could fill in the table with bullet points as follows:
Resources Tools, IT | Process owners Technology & maintenance managers |
Participants Employees in the Servicing & Maintenance, Production and Purchasing departments |
Input Error messages, notifications from employees | Objective Regular inspections of machinery and plant; repairs and preventative replacement of machine parts | Output Safe and functioning equipment and machinery |
Indicators Outage time, machine downtime | Risks/opportunities Safe processes, less outage time and fewer workplace accidents |
Information Maintenance plan, operating instructions, procedural instructions and work instructions |
After that, you can add this information to the diagram:
benefits and drawbacks of the turtle diagram
Of course, the Turtle Diagram will not be appropriate in every situation. Below are some of the key advantages and disadvantages of the format.
| Benefits | Drawbacks |
Simplified depiction of a process within a company | Only one process examined per Turtle Diagram |
Provides high degree of transparency into process parameters | Analyzing associated process chains usually requires much more work |
Clearly shows interdependencies and interfaces | Individual Turtles need to be connected and set in relation into each another |
Employees gain key insights by systematically examining sub-processes | Ultra-concise visualization leaves no room for detailed descriptions – which would enable differentiated process optimization in different sub-areas |
Ideally suited to audits |
|
using the turtle for quality management
Improving process efficiency has a vital role to play in quality management. Why? Well, quality is always ensured when your organization’s output meets defined customer requirements. The Turtle Diagram can help by clearly highlighting the factors that influence output.
Reflecting this, the international standard for quality management systems, ISO 9001, requires organizations to adopt a process-oriented approach, thus systematically defining and controlling processes and their interdependencies to produce the desired output. In the case of a quality management system in line with ISO 9001, this delivers: quality by fulfilling customer requirements.
In fact, the standard requires you to determine and define the management, core and support processes and corresponding process parameters for the quality management system. These parameters include the following points, which you will recognize from the Turtle Diagram:
- Required inputs and expected results of processes
- Process sequences and interdependencies
- Criteria and procedures for effectively implementing and controlling processes
- Resources and their availability
- Responsibilities and authorities
- Risks and opportunities
It is vital to determine, apply, assess and improve these process parameters. This makes it possible to evaluate processes, implement changes, and achieve process optimizations.
Interestingly, process orientation also plays a similar role in the ISO/TS 16949 automotive quality management standard. Both this and ISO 9001 require companies to implement process orientation. Companies are free to determine how they conduct process analysis and demonstrate this in audits, but the Turtle Method is a particularly suitable tool.
Using the Turtle for energy, environmental and occupational safety management
In an environmental management system in line with ISO 14001, for example, the desired output is an improvement in environmental performance. In an energy management system in line with ISO 5001, the desired output is an improvement in energy efficiency. And, in an occupational health and safety management system in line with ISO 45001, the desired output is an improvement in employees’ occupational health and safety.
For any of these areas, the first step is to define all significant processes and compile them in a map of the process landscape. It is important to define criteria for all processes that impact or influence environmental performance, energy performance or occupational safety. As such, the Turtle Diagram is ideally suited to this process definition and analysis task and the results can be documented in a procedural instruction that is then made available to all employees.
boosting sustainability based on process improvement
The Turtle Diagram is an efficient instrument for mapping out a process and conducting risk and process analyses. The concise depiction of all parameters, as well as their connections and interdependencies creates transparency for everyone involved. Many international standards also require you to adopt a process-oriented approach and the Turtle Diagram is a practical, insightful tool for implementing this approach, as well as providing a useful source of evidence during audits.
As a result, the Turtle Diagram lays the foundations for improved collaboration between different departments, supporting process management, cost reduction and process optimization measures – all of which are a fundamental part of increasing both profitability and sustainability for your business.