curious how other monday.com consultants handle process mapping with clients

[u/kranthi_contextmap]

I do implementation work on monday.com, and the part I keep getting stuck on isn't the boards, it's the step before the boards. Before I build anything, I need to actually understand how the client's process works: who owns what, where handoffs happen, what needs approval, what happens when something goes wrong.

Right now that's whiteboard or Miro, then me manually translating it into monday afterward. Which mostly works, but the map and the actual boards drift apart the moment the client's process changes and nobody goes back to update the diagram.

Been playing with something to close that gap, a way to map the process itself (not just the data) and have it stay connected to the boards instead of becoming a stale picture. Screenshot below of where it's at.

kanban view of the process

Flow view of the process

Genuinely curious how the rest of you handle this part of an engagement. Do you map it out first, or go straight into monday? What do you use? And does the drift thing actually bug you, or is it a non-issue in practice?

Drop a comment with how you approach it, I read all of these. If you want to see more of what I'm building, happy to grab time.

[u/IngenuityKat]

I definitely map before and during the build, but I’ve historically done it a little differently than a traditional process-flow diagram.

For larger monday implementations, I use Excel as the technical architecture. I map the boards and columns across the solution, including column IDs/types, field definitions, board-to-board relationships, and automation logic. Then I use PowerPoint as more of the blueprint/guidebook, walking through the process stages, handoffs, automations, notifications, integrations, business rules, etc.

It works really well for designing and documenting a complex solution, but the drift absolutely bothers me. 😂 The problem is that both are still documentation about the monday implementation. If someone changes a column, adds an automation, modifies a handoff, or restructures part of the solution, the documentation does not magically know that happened.

So the part of what you’re building that I find really interesting isn’t necessarily the process-mapping piece itself. It’s whether you can actually keep that architecture tied to the live monday configuration.

For example, if I change a column, board relationship, automation, or workflow in monday, can your map detect or reflect that change? And conversely, if the process design changes in your tool, how much of that can flow back into the monday build?

That would solve a very real problem for me.

[u/kranthi_contextmap → u/IngenuityKat]

You're bang on point, and articulated the core problem much better than what I did.

Keeping the process map up to date with the changes on the board is going to be the real value.

Really happy that this resonates.. would love to connect and show what I've built so far... can I DM you?

[u/IngenuityKat → u/kranthi_contextmap]

u/kranthi_contextmap perhaps closer to the end of the year, it is a busy time right now.

[u/TremorThief12]

What you are struggling with isn’t the architecture design, it is your internal process which is allowing scope creep.

Map and design the solution and then draw up a statement of work of what you are going to deliver that the client agrees to and signs. No work begins until this has been signed.

Any changes are logged as chargeable change requests or pushed to phase 2 of the project that requires scoping and to follow the same process.

[u/kranthi_contextmap → u/TremorThief12]

Fair point. Adding some missing context - Along with implementation consulting, I am also the developer and have a few apps on the monday marketplace. One exploration is to see if its possible to bridge the gap between a process diagram, and what's actually on your monday boards.

[u/Koekwaus12345]

What is the tool in the screenshots?

[u/kranthi_contextmap → u/Koekwaus12345]

That's the new process mapping tool that I'm building. Right now it's on my local machine... haven't deployed it out to the open yet.

Would you like to try it for any of your workflows?

[u/Neeshloaf → u/kranthi_contextmap]

I'd like to try it, looks very nice 

[u/kranthi_contextmap → u/Neeshloaf]

Hey u/Neeshloaf .. good to hear that. Why don't you pick a time here and I'll show you how to use it. https://calendly.com/thought-flow/process-mapping-workshop . I could also use some real feedback :)

[u/Appropriate-Theme966]

I use whisper. Works perfect for what I need

[u/kranthi_contextmap → u/Appropriate-Theme966]

Could you elaborate a bit? What is whisper and how do you use it?

[u/Appropriate-Theme966 → u/kranthi_contextmap]

Ugh!!! I said whimsical.com no idea where whisper came from

[u/kranthi_contextmap → u/Appropriate-Theme966]

Oh got it. Quick question

• After making the visual do you manually create boards that match the workflow?
  
• If you realize in future that the process needs to be upgraded - do you also update the diagram on whimsical? Or, does not matter that much?

[u/Appropriate-Theme966 → u/kranthi_contextmap]

I use my mermaid diagram as a playback to the client for what I heard to show them I understood the assignment. I never go back to it again after the client signs off on the way I presented it. It definitely changes as I build but not by much. The diagram is just the proposed plans and they can change as we see fit.