Process conversations can be difficult because the word process often means different things to different people. This disconnect can lead to staff confusion, inconsistent expectations, dissatisfied customers, and poor outcomes—especially during system changes or conversions.
To create clearer, more productive discussions about how work is performed, it is helpful to break process into three distinct levels. Understanding these levels allows teams to align on goals, design effective workflows, and execute work consistently.
🔷 Level 1: Process Framework (The “Why” and “How Well”)
This level defines what the process must achieve and how success is measured. Some elements:
• Speed (e.g., turnaround time)
• Accuracy
• Compliance
• Service level expectations
Think of Level 1 as: “What are we trying to accomplish, and how do we know if we’re successful?”
🔷 Level 2: Process Structure (The “Who” and “When”)
This level defines how the process is organized, including:
• Who performs major steps
• When tasks happen
• What main workflow exists
• What exception paths exist
Think of Level 2 as: “How is the work structured, and how does it flow?”
🔷 Level 3: Process Detail (The “How”)
This is the most granular level. Yet, even when documenting process detail, there are sublevels—from the highest level of detail to the most specificity, including:
• Process step checklists
• Workflow maps
• Detailed process steps with decision trees
• Step-by-step instructions with screen shots
Think of Level 3 as: “Exactly how do we perform each step?”
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🎯 Why This Matters
Without this structure, many teams jump into and get lost in details (Level 3) without agreeing on goals (Level 1). These team have difficulty answering questions like: Why and how?
Using all three levels together improves process discussions, software requirements alignment, and operational performance.
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💡 Simple Level Analogy
Think of building a house:
Level 1 “We want a three-bedroom house built in six months within budget”
Level 2 Blueprint: layout of rooms and construction phases
Level 3 Instructions: tools, materials, measurements
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✅ Key Takeaway
A complete process conversation answers three questions.
1. What are we trying to achieve? (Level 1)
2. How is the work structured? (Level 2)
3. What are the clear and executable steps? (Level 3)
When all three levels are outlined and aligned, processes become measurable, scalable, conversion ready, and effective.
About Lee Kuntz and Innovation Process Design
As Founder and President of Innovation Process Design, Lee Kuntz brings over two decades of experience helping leaders in complex service organizations solve challenges through effective process improvement.
Through expert training and coaching, Lee partners with teams to view their work with fresh perspective, redesign processes, and achieve meaningful, measurable results.
Interested in learning more?
Connect with Lee Kuntz to discuss your organization’s unique challenges and goals.
Contact Lee today to discuss your challenge.
