Processes and procedures can be confusing, and many people make the mistake of using them interchangeably.
The process provides a high-level perspective of the various tasks required to complete the work, while the procedure is a lower level and adds details to the components that enter the activity flow.
Also, processes are driven by the organization’s goals and the accomplishment of its intended results, whereas procedures concentrate more on the fulfillment of particular activities as specified inside the business process.
Key Takeaways
- A process is a series of steps or actions that lead to a particular outcome, while a procedure is a specific set of instructions that must be followed to complete a task.
- Processes are more flexible and can be adapted to different situations, while procedures are more rigid and must be followed precisely.
- Processes are more common in manufacturing or production, while procedures are more common in service industries.
Process vs Procedure
The difference between process and procedure is that a process is a collection of linked activities or techniques that work together to transform inputs into outputs. In contrast, a procedure is defined as carrying out a process or part of a process. The flow of activities is referred to as the process. A procedure is a comprehensive set of instructions for completing a task.
A process is a collection of actions or tasks that must be completed in order to transform input into output. Processes run at a higher level, span multiple departments, and functions, and include one or more processes.
A process is a high-level, cross-organizational activity. A process is made up of several functions that describe the step-by-step procedure or sequence of activities required to complete a particular job or goal.
A procedure is a set of actions that, when followed in order, provide a consistent result. A procedure is a set of steps that must be followed in a certain sequence to complete a job.
By creating a structure, the process defines who, what, where, when, and why. These may also be thought of as policies or procedures that are used in a process.
Procedures help the team move forward in a clear and effective way.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Process | Procedure |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | The process is the flow of sequences of activities that convert input components into output. | The procedure is a specific method of carrying out a process. |
| Determine | Who does the work, where does it happen, when does it happen. | How and why is it done? |
| Task | Implemented | Operated |
| Activities | Encapsulates activities. | Describes how to perform them, but does not go into great depth on how to execute them. |
| Includes | It may react to a single treatment or several procedures. | It may include one or more work instructions. |
What is Process?
A process is a set of chained operations that transform one or more inputs into a specific output.
Humans, nature, or machines can use various resources to perform these activities; the engineering process must be evaluated in the context of the agent performing the task and the characteristics of the resources involved.
The scope or start and endpoints of the process; the purpose or objective; the steps and the order in which they are performed; the operators or people who will perform the steps; the specific outcome of the process;
and the customer or recipient of the process outcome, which could be the end-user or another process are all characteristics of a process. A process is essentially a series of activities that must be completed in order to obtain the expected results.
The process does not have a deep understanding of the task, who is responsible, or how to complete the task. Depending on the size of the company and its output, a company may have many processes.
A process is not necessarily limited to a single department; tasks may travel through many departments before reaching the desired result. A process is how you specify the actions that must be taken to achieve a goal.
What is Procedure?
A procedure is a document that advises employees on how to carry out one or more actions in a business in a specific order.
There are many parts to this document. It describes the steps in the process and defines what has to be done at each stage, stating when and by whom the process should be completed.
Whether it’s for legal reasons, regulatory compliance, or corporate regulations, the need to define the specific way of doing the duties will demand the development of the procedure.
The characteristic of the procedure is it serves as a roadmap for taking action, and It is defined in light of the organization’s goals, rules, and available resources.
Related to the chronological order of completion of the job, it aims to deal with repetitive and frequently occurring events in an effective manner. Controlling and coordinating operations is an important function.
For the actions of many people or departments involving many operations and organizations, procedures must be used.
The procedure serves as an operational guide and illustrates the ways in which the policy can be put into practice. A number of corporate policies and procedures work together to achieve a common goal, and they all belong to the umbrella of the overall policy framework.
Main Differences Between Process and Procedure
- The flow of sequences of activities that transform input components into output is referred to as a process. A procedure is a particular way of carrying out a process.
- The process determines who does the work, where it occurs, and when it occurs, whereas the procedure determines how and why it occurs.
- The process implements the task, while the procedure operates the task.
- The process activities are encapsulated, while procedures explain how to do them but do not go into great detail on how to execute them.
- The process may respond to a particular procedure or many procedures, whereas procedures include one or more work instructions.
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195925503002075
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09541449408520139
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