Processtankar

Processtankar, or process thinking, is a cognitive and practical orientation that prioritizes understanding and managing processes—sequences of actions, decisions, and interactions that produce an outcome—over focusing solely on end results. Proponents argue that mapping workflows, identifying bottlenecks, and clarifying responsibilities can improve efficiency, quality, and adaptability. In education and professional training, processtankar emphasizes procedural fluency: learners reason about steps, conditions, and contingencies that influence outcomes.

The term is widely used in Swedish-language management literature and is applied across fields such as process management, quality improvement, and organizational learning. It relates to broader traditions of process thinking in systems thinking and process optimization methods such as value stream mapping, Lean, and Six Sigma, though it is distinct in its emphasis on the cognitive representation of processes rather than only the tools.

In practice, processtankar appears through process maps, flowcharts, checklists, and decision trees. Performance is commonly assessed with process-oriented metrics (cycle time, lead time, throughput, defect rates) in addition to traditional outcome measures. The approach supports design of procedures, training programs, and continuous improvement initiatives, but may be criticized for potentially overemphasizing processes at the expense of outcomes or external factors, and for requiring careful data gathering and discipline to avoid complexity.

Related concepts include process thinking, systems thinking, workflow optimization, and process management.