If you’re new to business analysis or process work, the idea of “taxonomy” or “grouping processes” can sound a bit academic or confusing.
But it’s actually simple once you break it down.
This blog will walk you through what taxonomy is, why it matters, and how to group processes in a way that makes sense—especially if you’re starting from scratch.
🚦 What Is Taxonomy?
Let’s start with the basics.
Taxonomy just means a system for organising things.
In the context of business processes, it means creating a logical structure that groups similar tasks, workflows, or processes together so that people can find them easily.
Think of it like this:
- A supermarket has aisles for meat, dairy, fruit, and household goods.
- Netflix has categories like “Comedy,” “Drama,” “Action,” and “Kids.”
Your business needs the same for processes.
📦 What Is Process Grouping?
Once you understand taxonomy, the next step is grouping.
Process grouping means putting similar processes together in buckets or categories that make sense.
For example:
- Everything related to hiring staff goes in “HR”.
- Everything related to taking payments goes in “Finance”.
- Everything related to onboarding clients goes in “Customer Service”.
This makes it easy for anyone in the business to know where to look and what’s related.
🛠️ Why It Matters
Here’s why you need a clear taxonomy and good process grouping:
- Makes processes easier to find
- Helps new staff understand your business faster
- Avoids duplication of effort
- Keeps your documentation consistent
- Prepares your content for things like AI or digital transformation
If you want to build a knowledge base or manage SOPs in SharePoint, Confluence or Notion, you need a solid structure.
🧱 How to Start Building a Taxonomy
Step 1: List All Your Processes
Start simple.
Just get everything written down in a spreadsheet or whiteboard.
You don’t need fancy tools.
Ask yourself:
- What tasks does each department do?
- What workflows or forms already exist?
- What do people repeatedly ask for?
This will become your “process inventory.”
Step 2: Group by Function or Department
Now take that list and group them by type.
Here’s a basic example of top-level groupings:
- People and Culture (HR)
- Finance and Admin
- Sales and Marketing
- Customer Service
- IT and Systems
- Operations
Start slotting your process list into these.
You’ll see patterns emerge.
If something doesn’t fit anywhere, flag it. That’s a clue your taxonomy needs to evolve.
Step 3: Break Groups Into Subgroups
Once your big categories are set, you can create smaller groups within them.
Example:
Operations
- Inventory Management
- Procurement
- Logistics
- Order Fulfilment
HR
- Hiring
- Onboarding
- Payroll
- Performance Reviews
This helps create a hierarchy where each layer gets more specific.
Step 4: Give Each Process a Clear Name
Keep names short and consistent.
Examples:
- “Approve Staff Leave”
- “Process New Supplier Invoice”
- “Raise Purchase Order”
- “Reset Password Request”
Avoid vague titles like “General Admin Tasks” or “Random Process.”
Clear names make it easier to search and easier to train others.
🧠Tips for Structuring Taxonomy in Tools
If you’re building this in SharePoint, Confluence, or Notion:
- Use folders or parent pages for top-level groups
- Subfolders or sub-pages for categories
- Individual pages for each process or SOP
- Keep naming conventions tight (e.g. use verbs: “Submit Leave Form” not “Leave Form Page”)
🧩 Real-World Example
Let’s say you work at a company with 3 main departments: HR, Finance, and Customer Support.
You’ve been asked to organise their SOPs in SharePoint.
You create this structure:
People & Culture (HR)
- Hire New Employee
- Onboard New Starter
- Manage Performance Reviews
Finance
- Submit Expense Reimbursement
- Raise Purchase Order
- Process Payroll
Customer Support
- Handle New Ticket
- Escalate Issue to Tier 2
- Log Client Feedback
Each of these folders contains SOPs or how-to guides written in a consistent format.
Now, anyone in the business can go to the right folder, find what they need, and follow it.
That’s taxonomy in action.
🛑 What to Avoid
- Don’t create 50 different categories—keep it simple
- Don’t name files or processes inconsistently
- Don’t overcomplicate—structure should help, not confuse
- Don’t duplicate content across different folders
If you can’t explain it to a new staff member in under a minute, it’s probably too complex.
âś… Checklist for Beginners
- Start with a list of processes
- Group by top-level function or department
- Create clear process names
- Break down further if needed
- Build your structure in whatever tool you use
- Test it with other people
- Update as your business evolves
đź’ˇ Final Thought
Process taxonomy and grouping isn’t about getting it perfect.
It’s about creating a simple, repeatable way to organise how your business works.
Start small.
Build as you go.
And remember: the best structure is the one people actually use.
