If no documentation exists, how to start Signavio implementation

Even if no documentation exists, starting a SAP Signavio implementation is absolutely achievable. In fact, Signavio is designed to help you create that documentation. The "crawl" phase of the "crawl, walk, run" approach becomes even more critical here, focusing on discovery and establishing a baseline.

Here's a detailed approach when you have no existing documentation:

The "No Documentation" Starting Point: Enhanced "Crawl" Phase

Your initial focus shifts heavily towards discovery, collaboration, and building foundational knowledge directly within Signavio.

Phase 0: Preparation & Mindset (Even Before Signavio Access)

1. Define Your Initial Scope (Crucial!): Don't try to document everything at once. This is a recipe for overwhelm.
   • Identify a "Pilot Process": Choose one (or a very small handful) of high-impact, relatively well-understood processes. This could be:
     • A core business process (e.g., Order-to-Cash, Procure-to-Pay, a key HR onboarding process).
     • A process with known pain points that people complain about.
     • A process that involves a limited number of stakeholders.
   • Define Initial Objectives: What do you hope to achieve with this pilot? (e.g., "Understand how we currently process customer orders from initial inquiry to delivery," "Identify bottlenecks in our invoice approval process").
2. Assemble Your Core Team:
   • Process Owners/SMEs: Identify the people who actually do the process or are responsible for its outcome. Their knowledge is your "documentation."
   • Signavio Champion/Administrator: Someone who will manage the Signavio platform and guide the modeling efforts.
   • Facilitator: Someone good at leading discussions, asking probing questions, and synthesizing information.
3. Basic Signavio Understanding (Self-Paced or Quick Intro):
   • Before jumping into modeling, the core team should get a very basic understanding of Signavio's interface, the concept of BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation), and how to create simple diagrams. SAP offers free trials, tutorials, and introductory webinars.

The Enhanced "Crawl" - Discovery and Initial Modeling

This is where you bridge the gap of no documentation by actively creating it.

1. Signavio Setup and Initial Configuration:
   • Workspace: Get your Signavio workspace set up.
   • User Accounts: Onboard your pilot team.
   • Basic Folder Structure: Create a simple, intuitive folder structure (e.g., "Pilot Processes," "Departments").
2. Process Discovery Workshops/Interviews: This is your primary "documentation" gathering method.
   • "As-Is" Whiteboarding/Digital Sketching: Start with collaborative sessions. Get the process owners and SMEs in a room (physical or virtual with a shared whiteboard tool).
     • Ask them to literally draw out or describe step-by-step how the process works today.
     • Focus on who does what, when, and why.
     • Identify decision points, handoffs, systems used, and pain points.
     • Crucially, use a neutral facilitator to guide the discussion and ensure everyone's perspective is heard.
   • Individual Interviews: Supplement workshops with one-on-one interviews for complex steps or when conflicting information arises.
   • Observe the Process (Gemba Walk): If feasible, observe someone actually performing the process. This can reveal nuances missed in discussions.
3. Initial "As-Is" Process Modeling in Signavio:
   • Start Simple: Don't try to capture every single exception or minor detail initially. Focus on the main flow ("happy path").
   • Collaborative Modeling (Initial Draft): Based on your discovery, the Signavio Champion or a designated modeler starts translating the whiteboard sketches/discussions into a BPMN model in Signavio.
   • Iterate and Validate:
     • Share Drafts: Immediately share the draft models with the process owners using Signavio's Collaboration Hub.
     • Review Sessions: Schedule review sessions with the SMEs. Walk them through the model. Ask: "Is this how it really works?" "Did I miss a step?" "Is this decision point accurate?"
     • Refine Based on Feedback: Make adjustments in real-time or after the sessions. This iterative feedback loop is vital for accuracy.
     • Use Comments: Encourage stakeholders to add comments directly on the model in the Collaboration Hub.
4. Basic Process Attributes and Documentation (Within Signavio):
   • Add Descriptions: For each task, add a brief, clear description of what happens.
   • Assign Responsibilities: Link roles/groups to tasks (e.g., "Sales Manager," "Customer Service Rep").
   • Identify Systems: Note which systems are used at each step (e.g., "SAP S/4HANA," "CRM System," "Excel").
   • Basic Decisions: Document the conditions for decision points.
   • Pain Points: Document identified pain points directly in the model or as annotations.
5. Initial Process Insights (if applicable and immediate value):
   • If you have Signavio Process Insights and can connect it to a relevant source system quickly, target a small, high-value area. The automatically generated process models from data can be a starting point for validation with your SMEs, rather than a replacement for initial discovery workshops. They can confirm or contradict assumptions from the workshops.
6. Demonstrate Quick Wins:
   • Once a few pilot processes are reasonably documented and validated, showcase them. Highlight any initial insights or potential improvements identified (e.g., "We found 3 unnecessary approval steps here," "This handoff is causing delays"). This builds momentum and demonstrates the value of Signavio.

Moving to "Walk" and Beyond (Once Foundation is Built)

Once you have a few solid "as-is" models created from scratch:

• Expand Scope Systematically: Apply the same discovery and modeling techniques to more processes, gradually building out your process landscape.
• Design "To-Be" Processes: Once "as-is" is understood, work with stakeholders to design optimized "to-be" processes. Signavio's modeling capabilities are crucial here.
• Introduce Governance: As you expand, establish modeling conventions and basic approval workflows within Signavio.
• Leverage Deeper Analytics: Start using Signavio's analysis tools (simulation, process mining if Process Insights is deployed) to identify further opportunities.
• Connect to Data: As your models grow, connecting them to actual execution data (via Process Insights or other integrations) will validate your documented processes against reality.

Key Principles When No Documentation Exists:

• Collaboration is King: Get the people who do the work involved from day one.
• Iterative Approach: Don't expect perfection on the first try. Model, review, refine.
• Start Small, Prove Value: A successful pilot is better than an overwhelming, stalled large-scale effort.
• Focus on the "As-Is" First: You can't optimize what you don't understand.
• Signavio is Your Documentation Tool: Embrace the fact that the tool itself will become your central repository for process knowledge.

By following this approach, even a completely undocumented environment can successfully initiate and thrive with SAP Signavio.