AI Process Mapping: A Powerful Tool, Not the Silver Bullet

I've been hearing a lot about AI process mapping lately. One such tool allows you to call up, describe a process and it does the rest. It can quickly capture what people say they do, highlight potential bottlenecks, and help visualize workflows across complex operations. For teams lacking experience or expert support, it provides a useful starting point to understand processes and identify opportunities.

But what people say they do is key. There’s a huge difference between telling and doing, and I see it constantly when helping organizations implement Lean.

One example: I visited a plant in Indiana to support a Lean initiative. I reviewed the procedure manual, then spoke with staff to understand how work was actually being done. What they told me didn’t match the procedures. When I observed their actual behavior, it was different again—sometimes even better than the manuals suggested.

AI can help set a baseline, but without on-the-ground observation, monitoring, and consistent leadership follow-up, it won’t reflect reality. Improvements risk being built on assumptions, not facts.

The truth? AI amplifies insight—but it can’t replace seeing and verifying the work yourself.