How Can We Create an Ideal Workflow

Done is Better than Perfect

To start, it’s important to remember that perfection is often impossible to attain, so it’s better to focus on progress instead of aiming for perfection right off the bat. Creating an ideal workflow isn’t about developing an intricate plan and setting it up perfectly, but rather about taking an iterative approach through trial and error.

Trial and Error

Trial and error is crucial in workflow management. It’s important to jump right in and create your first draft of a workflow template, even if it’s not perfect. You might be surprised by how often it proves “good enough” and can last long term with minimal changes. However, if the workflow causes issues and is causing problems, it’s time to go back to the drawing board and make changes.

Data Analytics is Key

In an iterative trial-and-error process, data is crucial. Tracking how workflows perform is essential for making improvements. Industry standards for similar jobs can be useful for comparison purposes. If you have a workflow management system, it will likely have an accessible dashboard or API, allowing you to analyze data to your heart’s content. Without data, it’s easy to feel lost in a sea of chaos.

Evolution Beats Design

It’s better to think of improving your workflows in terms of evolution rather than design. Evolution involves small incremental changes that can improve performance and stats over time. This approach is more practical than design, which assumes an all-knowing creator.

Role Separation

When switching from unstructured Kanban-like management systems to structured business processes, it’s important to make sure team members are not overloaded with information. The workflow should be designed to deliver all the necessary information for completing each task, and team members should clearly understand what’s required from them to complete the job.

Clear Definition of Done

To ensure your business process moves smoothly and without bottlenecks, it’s important to provide each participant with a clear understanding of what needs to be done and in what form. Your workflow platform should support due dates, built-in logic, conditions, and enforceable output fields.

Good Enough

Similar to “done is better than perfect,” “good enough” often beats perfection in the real world. It’s essential to keep tweaking and refining your workflow until you eventually hit the wall of diminishing returns. When you’ve put in all the effort into improving and refining it, it’s time to let it work for you.

Changing World-Changing Goals

It’s important to track workflow stats constantly to avoid being caught off guard when the business environment changes. No workflow is ever perfect, and it’s essential to keep an eye on how it’s performing and make changes as needed.