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Process Fundamentals: The Process Flow U...

Chao, Raul O., Gol...

Technical Note

Process Fundamentals: The Process Flow Unit

Chao, Raul O.; Goldberg, Rebecca

OM-1644 | Published September 3, 2025 | 2 Pages Technical Note

Collection: Darden School of Business

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Product Details

This technical note is part of a set that focuses on process fundamentals, including process analysis, process flow diagrams, and the process flow unit. While designed to be used together, these three notes can also be used as stand-alone documents to support particular learning objectives. The other two notes in this set are “Process Fundamentals: Process Analysis and Process Definition” (UVA-OM-1642); and “Process Fundamentals: Process Flow Diagrams” (UVA-OM-1643). These materials form one module in our collection of introductory operations management topics, and all are appropriate for an advanced undergraduate- or graduate-level introductory course on operations management. The complete list of the materials in this collection is available in the teaching materials included with this technical note.

- Present the basic elements of process analysis and how they work together, including activities, resources, inputs, and outputs. - Describe the key components of a process flow diagram and discuss examples of common process flows, including processes that are in sequence or in parallel, decision points where process flow work streams are split, and points in the process flow where work streams are gathered together. - Explore common reasons to include more or less detail in process flow diagrams, including the importance of considering available data and the management purpose. - Present the concepts of the flow unit, single-piece flow and batch flow, and equivalent units. - Introduce the concept of setup time, as well as the difference between internal and external setup tasks.