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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

May 30, 2022
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  1. How well does your work fl ow fl ow? @everydaykanban

    | @55degreesAB #LALDN22 Julia Wester /in/juliawester/ @everydaykanban Co-Founder, 55 Degrees AB
  2. @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB Follow us on social media /company/55degrees @55degreesAB

    @55degreesAB /55degreesAB /c/ActionableAgileAnalytics Got stress? f l
  3. 4 @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB Flow is movement of potential value

    through a system £ 🎉 💡 #LALDN22 A work fl ow is a model of that system
  4. 5 @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB #LALDN22 Options Liabilities Finish Start Assets

    Optimising fl ow minimizes liabilities One way to look at it…
  5. When columns re fl ect stages of a lifecycle 6

    @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB Finish Start #LALDN22
  6. 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
  7. 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?
  8. 7 @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB and how to avoid them Common

    work fl ow choices that block signals #LALDN22
  9. Move the people to the work 9 @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB

    Share collective responsibility until work is done #LALDN22
  10. The right names make it easier 10 @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB

    Describe the lifecycle stage, not the role or task Creating Validating Considering Delivered #LALDN22
  11. 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
  12. Build in cycles to your work fl ow 12 @everydaykanban

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

    | @55degreesAB Gather data on how long items spend in the cycle Reviewing #LALDN22 Fixing
  15. 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
  16. 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
  17. Columns don’t represent a lifecycle stage 15 @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB

    #LALDN22 Where does this occur in the lifecycle? Blocked
  18. Block items in place 16 @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB Or move

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

    issues to a more appropriate place in the work fl ow #LALDN22
  20. 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
  21. 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
  22. Share your stories about missteps and your tips to avoid

    them in social media. Use #LALDN22 and #55DegreesofFlow! 18 #LALDN22 @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB
  23. 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
  24. @everydaykanban | @55degreesAB Follow us on social media /company/55degrees @55degreesAB

    @55degreesAB /55degreesAB /c/ActionableAgileAnalytics Subscribe to our newsletter