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Workflow is synonymous with process flow whereby events and
work-items are routed from one process participant to the next.
It traditionally has been used in the context of person-to-person
information flows. Workflow
automation software is often used
to perform automatic routing from one user or program to another.
What makes understanding workflow important is that work tends
to move from the end of a process to the front, when process
improvement occurs. Thus, if several people are involved in the
workflow of a particular process, then improvement in the process
could cause significant change in people’s jobs, including
the complete elimination of certain jobs.
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For example, suppose
there is a process comprised of a clerical receipt, verification,
logging and batching of certain documents, which are then passed
on to another clerk for a minimal amount of review, analysis,
and prioritizing, which are finally passed to a senior individual
who agrees or disagrees with priorities and makes go/no go decisions
on the documents.
This workflow could be improved upon by moving the final step
in the process to the front, thereby eliminating up the two other
jobs in the process. Combined with a certain level of automation
and process intelligence and there could be significant savings
in time in affecting workflow in this manner. |
