> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://irisdocs.prescientlabs.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Refining Process Maps

> Simplify and validate the map so it remains faithful to evidence and useful in a client discussion.

Refinement is about clarity, not cosmetic perfection.

## Simplify where appropriate

Merge nodes when:

* they describe one coherent activity;
* the distinction adds no diagnostic value;
* the source evidence is too vague to justify separation.

## Preserve important complexity

Keep separate activities when they reveal:

* ownership changes;
* controls;
* material waiting;
* rework;
* decision points;
* system boundaries.

## Represent loops honestly

Where rework returns to the same activity, a loop can begin and end on that node rather than creating duplicate versions of the same step.

## Validate labels

Use client language where possible. Avoid internal model labels that do not help the executive reader.

## Client validation questions

* Is anything materially missing?
* Which path is most common?
* Which exceptions matter commercially?
* Where does work actually wait?
* Which activities happen in parallel?

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