Workflow
Workflow is the series of activities that are necessary to complete a task.
Each step in a workflow has a specific step before it and a specific step after
it, except for the first and last steps.
In a linear workflow, an outside event usually initiates the first step. If the
workflow has a loop structure, however, the completion of the last step will
usually restart the first step.
Tools such as flow charts and process maps are used to visualize the steps
involved in a workflow process and the order they should go in. Flow charts
use simple geometric symbols and arrows to define if-then relationships.
Process maps look similar, but they can also include support information. That
information documents the resources that each step in a business
process requires.
Workflow can be automated with software tools that use business rules to
decide when one step has been successfully completed and the next step
should begin. Some workflow management apps also coordinate dependent
relationships between individual steps, a concept known as workflow
orchestration. Workflow management software also provides templates for
documentation and business process modeling, two important aspects of
business process management (BPM).
Examples and uses of workflows
Business workflows exist in every organization across all industries. Some
follow similar, if not identical, steps from one organization to another. Others
are unique to industries or the enterprise that's using them.
Workflows can be found in all departments and functions in an organization
from product development and project management to back-office
administration and front-end customer service. Some workflows are highly
structured, while others are completely unstructured. Many fall between those
two extremes.
Each workflow moves data from one step to the next. That's what
distinguishes a workflow from a checklist, which is a collection of related and
unrelated tasks.
A company can use a workflow to describe the process for paying an electric
bill, for instance. It likely involves the following steps: receiving the bill,
reviewing the bill, approving payment and disbursing the funds for payment.
A checklist can ensure team members adhere to a routine for powering down
all electricity in a facility at the end of a business day. That's a process that
doesn't necessarily involve specific steps where each one must happen in a
certain order.
Typical examples of workflows include the following:
Approval of employee paid time-off requests.
Billing and invoicing.
Customer onboarding.
Intake of a customer request.
Onboarding new employees.
Performance assessment.
Processing sales orders.
Product assembly.
Sales fulfillment.
IT help desk ticket submission.
Challenges of workflows
Enterprises often experience challenges with the workflows they put in place
to run their operations. The following are some commonplace ones:
Complexities and delays. With a complex process, a workflow can
be devised in a way that doesn't meet its needs and causes
bottlenecks and delays. Also, if a workflow doesn't articulate the
technology or other resources needed to finish a process, delays can
occur.
Lack of communication. If a workflow is insufficiently detailed, this
lack of communication could bring the process to a halt as roles and
responsibilities must be clarified, tasks reinterpreted, and technical
issues come up.
Data management problems. A workflow must account for how
data must be managed, otherwise human error can lead to bad data,
or inadequate technology can cause data loss. In addition, data
privacy and security can be compromised if data management isn't
given priority.
Automation issues. A business might pick the wrong software for
needs when automating a workflow. Employees might be skeptical of
such tools or reluctant to learn how to use them, especially if they
are complex.
Workflow Management
Workflow Management is the discipline of creating, documenting, monitoring,
and improving upon the series of steps, or workflow that is required to
complete a specific task. The aim of workflow management is to optimize the
steps in the workflow to ensure the task is completed correctly, consistently
and efficiently.
Different Types of Workflow Management
Sequential Workflow
