Professional Process Steps

What is the function of process steps? How is completing the process steps efficiently and accurately connected to success?  Why do the process steps serve as an important tool for professionals? 

            The International Baccalaureate Program is a worldwide non-governmental educational organization began which began with the establishment of the Diploma Program (similar to high school). The IB program website says that “students in the 21st century are faced with the challenge of learning about an interconnected world where knowledge is constantly developing;” it requires that students be active community oriented global citizens. The requirements to graduate include that students must complete a large community action project of their own design, finish an extended essay (thesis) of their own investigation, and pass a theory of knowledge class which helps them to understand what they have practiced and learned. Later the Middle Years Program (MYP) was generated to prepare students to enter the DP program followed soon by the Primary Years Program (PYP).       
  

          It was said to me by an IB expert that the PYP program teaches students about the Profile (Learner Profile - the IB set of learning outcomes), MYP about the Process, and the DP about the Product. I better learned how to manage 17 different ‘process steps’ through teaching in the PYP and MYP program and as a result have been better capable of being more efficient and successful in completing my own professional projects.  The process steps serve as an important tool for professionals because it helps to systematize and manage tasks and projects which are done both in on the job and at home.  When practiced, these steps will help to ensure you that projects can be seen as simplified undertakings rather than a large overwhelming obligation.  

Process Steps  

1. Expectation is your first introduction to the goal which must be completed. This is where the bottom line of the assignment is presented.  
2. Deadlines are the time constraints which you face during the completion of all steps.  These constraints include the various project requirements such as staff meetings and publishing dates but also personal responsibilities such as doctors’ appointments and grocery shopping trips.
3. Rubric for Grading is your assessment criteria for the venture including knowing who will be reviewing it and on what grounds – is it an internal job or one for an important outside prospective client.  
4. Background Information is the prior knowledge that is collected to help facilitate the understanding of the questions surrounding the expectation. It is any details which are provided alongside the goal such as a client’s company profile and previous marketing history.  
5. Choose Topics is in regards to how to adequately choose the direction of the project investigation and explanation.  
6. How and Where to Research is when you actually go out and investigate the subject and questions which you have prepared to answer.  You can find new information from the internet, data and analytics which were generated, and maybe the library to help support your knowledge.
7. Taking Notes is when you highlight, copy and paste, create excel spreadsheets with data, and write down information that was found during the investigation.  
8. Avoiding Plagiarism is a reminder to always make sure you do not copy another’s work and claim it as your own original idea. Give adequate citation to the sources which are being used for your assignment by linking or creating an adequate work cited page. Plagiarism can lead to serious repercussions including termination or being blacklisted in certain fields.  
9. Thesis Statement is the main topic or purpose of the assignment. It is usually the focused idea of the expectation connected with the topic direction which you chose. It will be highlighted at the beginning of the project explanation whether it written or oral form.
10. Mind Mapping is a graphic organizational tool to help you sort out and categorize the various stems of understanding which have been researched and identified. The thesis statement is in the center and then there is spider webbing that comes outside it.  
11. Outline is when you structure the mind map information to frame and structure that knowledge into what will eventually be the first draft of the Power Point, speech, or written report that is created. This is where the information is shaped in the beginning, middle, and end format.     
12. First Draft is the first almost full version of the assignment. It is often prior to editing but where ideas are further developed into complete sentences and connected with others.  
13.  Editing is the revision of the first draft to assess and progress the content and grammar. Checking can be done first by you but then it is a great idea to have peer editing between people of the same age or level to critique and improve the work followed again by you finalizing the any and all changes.  
14. Final Draft is your last version of the project which takes place after editing. It is ready to be submitted, published, or presented.
15. Submission is the act of giving the finished work to another for assessment example being your group, superior, or client.  
16. Presentation is when you share your project and investigation with your clients or colleagues whether it’s done by a short speech, Power Point, or email summarization in bullet point form.
17. Reflection is the last but the most important process step because it should actually be done after each other step before moving forward to the next. Just doing and acting can create a chaotic, stressful, or boring work routine which limits your true abilities from flourishing. If you are reflective by reviewing, being mindful, and personalizing the mission and process steps and task completion than you will make great strides in your personal and professional career.