Have you ever tried to explain a messy process to someone outside your team — only to watch their eyes glaze over?
Whether it’s a cross-functional stakeholder, a new hire, or a senior leader with limited time, translating complex process logic into clear, simple language is a skill every process practitioner needs.
And it’s one AI can help you sharpen dramatically.
In this article, we’ll show you how to use tools like ChatGPT to break down complex processes for different audiences — without losing the important details or sounding like a robot.
Why Clarity Matters
Process practitioners often live in the weeds: exceptions, swimlanes, subprocesses, integrations. But the people you’re sharing those processes with? They want the big picture — fast.
If you can’t explain it, they won’t follow it. And if they don’t follow it, the process will fail in execution.
Clear process communication isn’t a “nice to have” — it’s how you:
- Earn trust
- Get alignment
- Accelerate adoption
How AI Helps You Simplify Without Dumbing It Down
AI models like ChatGPT are incredibly good at transforming technical, jargon-heavy, or structured content into plain English.
Here’s what it can do:
- Translate BPMN descriptions into plain language walkthroughs
- Turn SOPs into “how this actually works” narratives
- Reframe workflows for specific audiences (e.g., marketing, ops, execs)
Condense detailed logic into visual-friendly descriptions
Sample Prompts to Try
“This process has 7 steps with 3 exceptions. Write a summary a non-technical stakeholder could understand in under 150 words.”
“Here’s a BPMN description. Turn this into a scenario-based walkthrough with a real-world example.”
“Rephrase this SOP to match the tone of a team lead coaching a new hire.”
“What parts of this process would likely confuse someone not in the operations team? Point them out.”
You can also ask ChatGPT to create analogies, comparisons, or executive-level one-pagers.
Real Use Cases from Practitioners
- One team used AI to rephrase a service design flow for customer service reps — reducing training time by 40%.
- A project manager created multiple audience-specific versions of the same process description — one for execs, one for frontline staff.
- Another used GPT to generate slides that summarized their process for quarterly business reviews.
Path Forward
The ability to explain a complex process clearly is what separates great process professionals from good ones. With AI, you don’t just save time — you get better at doing the work that earns trust and unlocks action.
Next time you’re stuck trying to translate a complicated flow, don’t start from scratch.
Start with GPT.
