Logic Modeling vs. Process Mapping
Tools used to ensure organizations make the most of available resources abound. Differentiating between these tools can be difficult. If you have been around organizational quality initiatives, you are likely familiar with business process mapping. You may not, however, have ever heard of logic modeling. So, I wanted to define these tools and compare and contrast them for you. A logic model is a tool used to distinguish and evaluate the effectiveness of programs in an organization. Programs are activities with a common desired result or outcome. Logic models are a depiction of the logical relationships between the resources, activities, outputs, and outcomes of a program. There are many different formats for capturing the relationships between these components.
A logic model is used to illustrate the hierarchy of strategic, intermediate, and internal operating outcomes in an organization. It can also be used to provide a pictorial view of the products and services delivered to accomplish these outcomes.
An important distinction to be made are those activities that are "projects", rather than ongoing "products and services". Projects are time-limited and do not require ongoing resources. The logic model provides a framework that captures agreement and understanding throughout the organization as to the "why", "what" and "how" that is being done. It ensures a comprehensive, balanced set of qualitative and quantitative performance measures for all levels of management can be established. Examples of levels of management are Strategic (where in the world are we going?), Intermediate (are we delivering the right products and services to get there?), Internal Operating (are we operating at the optimum level of quality and efficiency?). Business process mapping refers to activities involved in defining exactly what a business entity does, often showing interfaces with customers and responsible individuals. Business process mapping is best done once the "logic model" has been completed. The business process mapping details the flow of activities of product or service delivery for a program.
Business process mapping provides an illustration that can be used to assess customer service by identifying all points of customer interface. It also enables an assessment of process quality and efficiency, facilitating identification of the root cause of any problems impeding quality and efficiency.
