Map the as-is and to-be process for a loan approval flow
Model answer
I start with the as-is process, using interviews and observation of applicants, loan officers and credit analysts. I draw it as a BPMN or swimlane diagram with one lane per role: application intake, document check, credit scoring, manual review, approval, and disbursement. I mark handoffs, waiting times, rework loops, and systems used at each step.
From that I find pain points, for example paper documents re-keyed by hand, long queues for manual review, and no status visibility for applicants. I back each one with a measure, such as average days to decision.
Then I design the to-be process with stakeholders: online intake with validation, automated data checks, rule-based scoring that auto-approves or auto-declines clear cases, manual review only for borderline ones, and status notifications.
For each change I note the business rules, controls (such as regulatory and audit requirements), and a target measure, then derive requirements from the gap between the two maps.
Key points
- Map as-is first using interviews and observation
- Use swimlanes to expose handoffs, waits and rework
- Design to-be with controls and target measures
- Derive requirements from the gap between the two maps
Likely follow-ups
- How do you validate the as-is map with the people who do the work?
- Which steps would you not automate, and why?
Common mistakes
- Jumping to the to-be design without understanding the as-is process
- Mapping the documented process instead of what people actually do