tell you what you need to know about Workflows, how they can help you and what their impact is on a company.
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What is Workflow from a business perspective?
Let's start by defining what a Workflow is. Well, it is a sequence that is executed routinely with the aim of automating processes to improve the productivity of a team or company.
Therefore, this way of organizing processes through a sequence of tasks allows connecting the work of different areas or people in the same team, as well as the technological platforms they use on a daily basis. From the possibility of communicating important information internally, to following up with potential clients via email .
We know that this is a very general definition, but in reality, this type of automation can be used in many ways. The key will be to adequately define the logic behind each of the steps and tasks.
How to create a Workflow for your business?
Now that you know what a Workflow is, you should keep in mind that, although a Workflow can be a tool to manage your processes manually, the ideal is to use technology to benefit your company.
The most important thing is to define what the objective or friction is that is identified in a given process and from there, define the appropriate way to facilitate it with automation. The steps to create a Workflow are:
Set the goals.
Model.
Implement.
Measure the results.
Remember that you will need to acquire a platform or tool to generate automated workflows with tasks, notifications, segmentations, conditionals, etc.
Establish Workflow Objectives
As we mentioned at the beginning, setting the objective will always be essential if you want to have positive results when implementing your Workflow.
It's not about creating workflows for no reason or just for the sake of creating them. You should start with specific needs that need to be resolved, try to lead them to a concrete objective and take into account the information you have available.
In addition, when setting your objective you should also think about what factors or key indicators you will take into account when measuring the effectiveness of your Workflow, so, when you reach this results stage, you will know exactly if it has been successful or requires improvement.
Model or design a workflow
A drawing or diagram is the key to success in this step, as it is about being able to visually understand how the process will be carried out with the support of the workflow.
This is ideal for considering all scenarios and better understanding the actors involved, when a flow should be stopped or branches generated, etc. Later we will give you details on how to achieve this successfully.
Implement the Workflow
Before implementing a Workflow in your company, it will always be essential that the team or people involved receive some kind of induction on how it works, this will allow them to know what to expect and when they should intervene.
On the other hand, multiple tests will also be necessary to identify details that can be fine-tuned before officially launching it.
Measuring the results of your Workflow
You can define a trial period during which you will measure the results and make the corresponding improvements.
It is clear that measuring will always be essential when you have defined an objective, only then will you be able to know if what your company had set out to do has been achieved. If you do not achieve it, you will have to rethink the design of your Workflow and measure its performance.
At this step, it may be helpful to have people involved in the process give you feedback on how it has worked and whether any friction remains or has been reduced.
How to model and automate a workflow?
Now let's talk about how to model and automate a Workflow. Well, to do this you will need to start by drawing the process taking into account:
Stages of the process
Tasks that arise at each stage
Responsible for each task
Time between tasks
Information needed to move forward in the process
Exceptions or ramifications
Stages of the process
This is the way to have an overview of what the process is. By dividing it into stages you will be able to better understand the steps that are key in the sequence for it to be successful.
Tasks that arise at each stage
Now that you have the stages clear, let's start to approach each one with a magnifying glass. The intention is to identify the subprocesses or tasks that must be carried out within that stage before moving on to the next one.
Here we recommend that you take a few minutes to talk to the people involved in the process, since they are the ones who can give you more insight into the tasks they perform and that are essential at each stage.
Responsible for each task
For the Workflow system to work correctly, it is essential that you clearly identify who is responsible for each task that arises throughout a given process.
That is, it is not enough to know the tasks, because if they are not assigned to a specific person, they can easily be overlooked.
Time between tasks
Another key to ensuring that your workflow takes into account every detail is knowing the maximum time that should be allowed between one task and the next.
In fact, some platforms will allow you to send notifications and reminders to the people netherlands whatsapp number data involved, in order to ensure that the team does not lose track of pending activities.
Information needed to move forward in the process
This is a very important point when designing a workflow for your company. Here you will have to pay attention to the data that must be available before moving on to the next step.
For example, if you identify that in order for the subsequent task to be completed successfully, you need to be clear about the client's budget, then you can ensure that this information is already in place.
Exceptions or branches of a Workflow
When drawing up the workflow system, it will be essential to identify whether the process can vary under certain conditions. This will allow you to recognize what the ramifications in the workflow would be and how they can be activated.
Create Workflows with Scale
After learning what a Workflow is, how it helps your company and how you can design it, you are probably wondering how to start working on it. We have the answer for you!
Well, as we have mentioned throughout this article, relying on technology is very important to create a Workflow that allows your company to save time, automate repetitive processes, schedule reminders, etc.
