A workflow is a sequence of fixed tasks that are performed to achieve a common desired goal. Workflows automate specific steps or an entire business process to align and provide guidance for getting work done, increasing productivity, and eliminating repetitive tasks, you can read more here.
To design more efficient workflows for your processes and help you make the most of their capacity in your organization, we present the following tips and best practices:
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Take note of current processes, identify workflows currently in use in your business, and discuss with process owners the issues they face or encounter in current practices.
Record all the activities involved in your workflow and define the relationship between them, including any steps that may need review or approval. Remember to indicate the sequence of the tasks and if they depend on each other, or if they can be completed at the same time.
Determine who is responsible for each task in the workflow, especially for approvals and reviews, since this tends to be the place where processes stall.
Identify what are the deliverables of your process: documents, desired results, design materials, or assets. Doing so will allow you to optimize the process to deliver these items more quickly and efficiently.
Make a basic flow chart that documents each step of the process. Create clear start and end points so you know how the process should start and what needs to be completed to finish it. It includes the necessary stakeholder review or approval points, as well as specific decision points.
When possible, divide your workflows into sub-flows. Using smaller workflows that are easier to understand and complete results in higher efficiency, faster testing, and better overall workflow performance.
Once you’ve created all the major components of your workflow, try to incorporate as much automation as possible to simplify the process, eliminate repetitive manual tasks, and boost collaboration, transparency, and visibility.
Implement the new flow by testing it with all team members and stakeholders involved in the process. Encourage everyone to provide feedback and take note of any issues or bottlenecks that occur to help you figure out what works and what doesn’t.
Once you’ve completed initial testing and made any necessary improvements, implement a training program that guides your team through the visual diagram. In addition, each member and stakeholder is required to participate.
Start by implementing the new workflow in a small team to demonstrate the benefits and begin the process of gradual change. Then, once you’ve reached an appropriate level of maturity, leverage the workflow across the organization as appropriate.
As you design, edit, use, and implement your workflow, look for opportunities to make process improvements and refine the steps as much as possible to make them simpler. Remember to keep a clear structure so that you can easily identify and fix any problems that may arise.
Take advantage of a workflow management tool as it allows your team to create, implement and complete all types of business processes with ease and autonomy. For example, with the help of creatio.com, any team can generate customized workflows according to their specific requirements, without technical programming knowledge. In this way, creatio.com will take care of following the established steps, involving and informing stakeholders, eliminating repetitive tasks, and freeing up valuable time for more productive activities.
We hope this article has given you a reference on workflows and remember that all workflows must be flexible and must be adapted to your needs. The most important characteristic that a workflow must fulfill is to generate the much sought-after business synergy. An efficient workflow translates into an efficient company.
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