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How well does your workflow flow?

How well does your workflow flow?

A workflow is a process in which work flows through until it is completed - at least that’s what the name suggests. Based on my experience working with and talking to teams, workflows don’t always facilitate flow. Instead, they are often built to function as ways to keep everyone at 100% capacity and/or act as mazes with many places where you can get lost for quite some time. The problem is, that’s usually not the intent.

This deck was used in a session that aimed to deliver the following learning objectives:

understand what the terms flow and workflow mean
learn what signals workflows can send and which ones yours might be sending you
avoid making common missteps that cause workflows to actually impede, rather than facilitate, flow

Julia Wester
PRO

May 30, 2022
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Transcript

  1. How well does


    your work
    fl
    ow


    fl
    ow?
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB #LALDN22
    Julia Wester
    /in/juliawester/
    @everydaykanban
    Co-Founder, 55 Degrees AB

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  2. @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
    Follow us on social media
    /company/55degrees
    @55degreesAB
    @55degreesAB
    /55degreesAB
    /c/ActionableAgileAnalytics
    Got stress?
    f
    l

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  3. 3 #LALDN22
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
    What is
    fl
    ow?

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  4. 4
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
    Flow is movement of potential value through a system
    £
    💡
    #LALDN22

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  5. 4
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
    Flow is movement of potential value through a system
    £
    🎉
    💡
    #LALDN22

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  6. 4
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
    Flow is movement of potential value through a system
    £
    🎉
    💡
    #LALDN22
    A work
    fl
    ow is
    a model of
    that system

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  7. 5
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB #LALDN22
    Options Liabilities
    Finish
    Start
    Assets
    One way to look at it…

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  8. 5
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB #LALDN22
    Options Liabilities
    Finish
    Start
    Assets
    Optimising
    fl
    ow minimizes liabilities
    One way to look at it…

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  9. When columns re
    fl
    ect stages of a lifecycle
    6
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
    Finish
    Start
    #LALDN22

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  10. When columns re
    fl
    ect stages of a lifecycle
    6
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
    Finish
    Start
    Closer to
    Farther away
    #LALDN22
    An item’s position is a signal of time to value

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  11. When columns re
    fl
    ect stages of a lifecycle
    6
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
    Finish
    Start
    Closer to
    Farther away
    #LALDN22
    An item’s position is a signal of time to value
    How does this connect to
    fl
    ow?

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  12. 7
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
    and how to


    avoid them
    Common work
    fl
    ow choices
    that block signals


    #LALDN22

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  13. Columns represent functional silos
    8
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB #LALDN22
    I work
    in this
    column

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  14. Move the people to the work
    9
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
    Share collective responsibility until work is done
    #LALDN22

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  15. The right names make it easier
    10
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
    Describe the lifecycle stage, not the role or task
    Creating Validating
    Considering Delivered
    #LALDN22

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  16. Columns can’t handle cyclical activities
    11
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
    Don’t plan for your work to move backwards
    I found a
    bug so back
    to Develop it
    goes…
    #LALDN22

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  17. Build in cycles to your work
    fl
    ow
    12
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
    Gather data on how long items spend in the cycle
    Validating
    #LALDN22

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  18. Build in cycles to your work
    fl
    ow
    12
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
    Gather data on how long items spend in the cycle
    Validating
    We’ll
    fi
    nd and
    fi
    x things here!
    #LALDN22

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  19. Build in cycles to your work
    fl
    ow
    13
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
    Gather data on how long items spend in the cycle
    Reviewing
    #LALDN22
    Fixing

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  20. Build in cycles to your work
    fl
    ow
    13
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
    Gather data on how long items spend in the cycle
    Reviewing
    #LALDN22
    Fixing
    Validating

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  21. Use Exit criteria as a tool to help
    14
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
    Complete before exit


    •Code committed


    •Pull Request approved


    •Code in staging & tested
    Complete before exit


    •Testing results verified


    •User Acceptance completed


    •Support docs ready
    Complete before exit


    •Item refined


    •Dependencies coordinated


    •Stakeholders identified
    Building Prepping for Release Releasing
    Under Consideration
    Complete before exit


    •Item available to end users


    •Support team up to speed


    #LALDN22

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  22. Columns don’t represent a lifecycle stage
    15
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB #LALDN22
    Blocked

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  23. Columns don’t represent a lifecycle stage
    15
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB #LALDN22
    Where does
    this occur in
    the lifecycle?
    Blocked

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  24. Block items in place
    16
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
    Or move issues to a more appropriate place in the work
    fl
    ow
    #LALDN22

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  25. Block items in place
    16
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
    Or move issues to a more appropriate place in the work
    fl
    ow
    #LALDN22

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  26. Ensure handoff columns
    fi
    t into your work
    fl
    ow
    17
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
    Do they happen in a predictable place in the lifecycle?
    #LALDN22
    External Handoff

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  27. Ensure handoff columns
    fi
    t into your work
    fl
    ow
    17
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
    Do they happen in a predictable place in the lifecycle?
    #LALDN22
    When its back, does it
    move to the right?
    External Handoff

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  28. Share your stories about missteps and your tips to
    avoid them in social media.


    Use #LALDN22 and #55DegreesofFlow!
    18 #LALDN22
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB

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  29. 19
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
    remember


    this…
    If you only remember


    one thing
    #LALDN22

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  30. Model your work
    fl
    ow so that how you move is
    signal of movement towards or away from
    realising potential value
    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
    Finish
    Start
    More
    Less
    #LALDN22

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  31. @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
    Follow us on social media
    /company/55degrees
    @55degreesAB
    @55degreesAB
    /55degreesAB
    /c/ActionableAgileAnalytics
    Subscribe to our newsletter


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