Input, Output, Transformation

Every process should be understood through three questions:

1. What enters the process?
2. What leaves the process?
3. What changes between input and output?

These questions keep the map grounded.

Input

The input is what enters the process. It may be a request, document, email, phone call, form, data file, payment, referral, or signal.

Output

The output is what leaves the process. It may be a decision, record, scheduled appointment, completed file, customer response, invoice, assignment, or next-step routing.

Transformation

The transformation is what changes between the input and output.

Transformations may include collecting, verifying, approving, assigning, summarizing, routing, reconciling, organizing, or converting information.

Why This Matters

If the input is unclear, downstream work may suffer.

If the output is unclear, the process may not have a useful success condition.

If the transformation is unclear, the map may show movement without explaining value.

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Source: modules/friction-mapping-understanding-work-before-recommending-solutions/sections/04-input-output-transformation.md