Simple Systems for Web Designers - Process Map Your Way to Your Operational Goals
Simplicity while still making money. That's the goal yet it never seems to work that way. Projects book and while you're making money, things feel off. Sometimes frantic but mostly busy. Not unenjoyable but also not calm.
While you've worked on creating sustainable systems that keep projects in check while improving the client experience. There is still something not quite right.
I can tell you why.
Think about your clients:
Yes, branding is more than just a logo.
No, copy isn't included in web design project.
Yes we will need more than just stock photos.
Yes you need to buy the license for the font.
Education comes with the job when you're a creative service provider. You're probably already starting to educate on your website, and then continuing on discovery/intro calls. You remind them while onboarding and walk them through the WHY behind each of these questions. They come out the other side of your process, not only with a badass brand and/or website but also with a greater knowledge and appreciation of the design process.
And they never would have identified the nuances of their brand or design had they not worked through your process.
That's what you'll need to do with your systems.
Take a step back and look at them holistically. The why behind the tools you use, the reason steps are taken, why an action is manual vs. automated. Rediscover your own business through an operations lens.
Use Process Maps for Internal Discovery
This discovery process can happen through process mapping.
Not only does this give a full visual picture but also shows the gaps, the issues, and how your whole business overlaps. You don't operate in silos yet we so often think of our business that way. This offer, that offer, marketing, sales. We need to both zoom in and step back.
Process maps are visual representations of the steps involved in completing a task or project from start to finish. They are the roadmap of every action, decision, and deliverable along the route.
A process map provides a clear visual outline of every step in your workflow. It may be focused on your web design projects but it could also plot the actions for your welcome sequence email automation. By documenting your processes in this way, you create a system that can be followed consistently, optimized for efficiency, and scaled as your business grows.
By mapping out your processes, you can identify opportunities to streamline your workflow and eliminate inefficiencies. Maybe you realize that you can automate certain admin tasks, batch similar types of work together, or eliminate redundant steps. The more efficient your process, the more time you can spend on the high-value, creative work that truly moves the needle for your business.
"As a creative brain who is really sensitive to other people's energy, your calm was a very welcome force. We went through a lot and covered so much ground but your process and your methods didn't leave me feeling overwhelmed or spiraling, I felt confident and educated."
When you have a solid process in place, you can approach even the most complex projects with confidence and clarity.
Creating a Process Map
1. Brain dump
Grab a whiteboard, a notepad, or your favorite mapping tool (I'm a big fan of Canva's user-friendly interface), and start jotting down every single step involved in your web design process. Don't worry about getting everything in perfect order just yet – the goal here is to get all of those steps out of your head and onto paper (or screen).
2. Organize
Once you have all of your steps written down, it's time to put them in a logical order. What needs to happen first? What comes next? What's the very last step in the process? Use arrows or connecting lines to show the flow of your process from start to finish.
3. Get granular
Now that you have a basic outline of your process, it's time to fill in the details. Note any sub-steps, approvals, or wait times that need to happen along the way.
4. Analyze
With your process fully mapped out, take a step back and look for any bottlenecks, redundancies, or gaps. This is your opportunity to optimize and make your workflow as efficient as possible.
5. Implement and iterate
Implement the areas of change making sure to update the process map along.
What Areas of Your Business Should You Map?
Process mapping can feel overwhelming at first, especially if you're trying to document every single aspect of your business all at once. My advice? Start within one area or offer but you’ll want to expand to include every area.
Client Onboarding: What happens from the moment a potential client reaches out to you to the moment you kick off their project? Mapping out your onboarding process can help you create a seamless, professional experience that sets the tone for the entire project.
Client Offboarding: The project doesn't end when the website goes live. Make sure you have a process in place for properly offboarding your clients and handing off any necessary files or information.
Delegation: If you work with a team of designers, developers, or other professionals, it's important to have clear processes in place for collaborating and handoff work. Mapping out your internal workflows can help everyone stay on the same page and work together seamlessly.
By Offer: Map out each part of your process from when you have a discovery call through offboarding for each offer
Email Marketing: Chart out the automation, sequences, and email drips for each freebie or low ticket offer
"I feel like it's forcing me to think through all of the tiny details behind my business processes, which is time consuming but needed to be done! -all these things I'd thought about but not made time for previously. You do a great job of asking questions and framing things so that I feel more confident moving forward with things vs. being stuck in analysis paralysis forever." - Meg, Due West Design
Turning Processes Into Results
Creating process maps is an important first step in streamlining your web design business, but the real magic happens when you put those processes into action.
When you have clearly defined, well-documented processes in place, you free up mental space and energy to focus on the things that truly matter – like delivering exceptional work to your clients, growing your business, and living a life you love.
Think of process mapping as a way to turn your business into a fine-tuned machine. With each cog and gear in place, you can work more efficiently, deliver better results, and scale your impact without sacrificing your sanity.
Creating process maps takes time and mental energy. And if you're already feeling overwhelmed by the day-to-day demands of running your business, the idea of mapping out your processes can feel like just another task on your never-ending to-do list.
OR if you're ready for someone to do this for you
My signature service, the SPARK Intensive, is a one-week, one-on-one deep dive designed to help you audit your current operations, identify areas for improvement, and build out the systems and processes you need to take your business to the next level.
