Swim lanes help in distinguishing what?

Swim lanes are an effective visual tool used in process mapping to clearly delineate the various roles and responsibilities across different participants or entities involved in a business process. Each "lane" in the diagram represents a specific role, and the activities conducted by that role are organized within that lane. This organization facilitates a clearer understanding of who is accountable for each part of the process, eliminating ambiguity and promoting accountability.

By visually separating tasks based on roles, swim lane diagrams assist teams in identifying overlapping responsibilities, potential bottlenecks, or gaps in the process. This ultimately contributes to improved communication and collaboration among team members, as everyone can see their specific role in relation to others.

In contrast, the other options pertain to different aspects of process mapping that swim lanes do not specifically address. For instance, while process phases involve stages of a workflow, swim lanes do not inherently show these phases unless they are part of a broader diagram. Input sources refer to where information or resources are coming from, and measurement metrics involve evaluating performance, which are not the primary focus of swim lane diagrams.