Post by account_disabled on Mar 5, 2024 23:16:03 GMT -5
One of the keys to a successful workflow implementation is planning for things to go wrong. Part of the workflow mapping process will be to anticipate any delays or setbacks in your workflow ahead of time. You should notice that, for almost every step, there is a plan for failure: if something is rejected instead of approved, the next step in the process is clearly indicated. From a mapping standpoint, your workflows should include steps for things like rejected approvals, edits, and expired workflows (for when things or people take too long and cause problems). Beyond that, it's also important to make notes about what happens when a workflow fails to execute correctly. What happens when manufacturing delays affect customers.
What's the plan if your software crashes and you lose important files? You should always have a contingency plan in place when it comes to your workflows. Prioritize your workflow steps Each step in your workflow is important, but not equally important. You'll notice that certain Fax Lists steps are more "vital" to the workflow than others. The first step is the most important as it starts the entire workflow, for example. But a second approval step is only essential to the workflow if things go wrong. It's there "just in case" (which is good) but if things go well it can be ignored. That makes it somewhat less important in the grand scheme of things. If something goes wrong, however, it becomes a much higher priority. It's important to understand.
How each step in the workflow impacts the workflow as a whole, because your priorities will change when you're in "fix it" mode. Bottlenecks change the dynamics of your workflow, so you'll need to know where to "apply pressure" when you notice delays or setbacks. Ensure everyone has what they need to complete tasks When things go wrong, it can be easy to blame the people who are assigned to certain steps in the workflow. If an approval step is delayed, for example, the person responsible for approving it might receive emails about it until the step is approved. Because notifications and reminders can be automated, it's easy to forget that people sometimes need human help too. Before jumping to conclusions about why a certain workflow step has not been completed, it is important for management or leadership to ask questions first.
What's the plan if your software crashes and you lose important files? You should always have a contingency plan in place when it comes to your workflows. Prioritize your workflow steps Each step in your workflow is important, but not equally important. You'll notice that certain Fax Lists steps are more "vital" to the workflow than others. The first step is the most important as it starts the entire workflow, for example. But a second approval step is only essential to the workflow if things go wrong. It's there "just in case" (which is good) but if things go well it can be ignored. That makes it somewhat less important in the grand scheme of things. If something goes wrong, however, it becomes a much higher priority. It's important to understand.
How each step in the workflow impacts the workflow as a whole, because your priorities will change when you're in "fix it" mode. Bottlenecks change the dynamics of your workflow, so you'll need to know where to "apply pressure" when you notice delays or setbacks. Ensure everyone has what they need to complete tasks When things go wrong, it can be easy to blame the people who are assigned to certain steps in the workflow. If an approval step is delayed, for example, the person responsible for approving it might receive emails about it until the step is approved. Because notifications and reminders can be automated, it's easy to forget that people sometimes need human help too. Before jumping to conclusions about why a certain workflow step has not been completed, it is important for management or leadership to ask questions first.