Workflow Best Practices - DeVry University

Workflow Best Practices
Andrea Passas – DeVry University
Jenna Frist - Aprimo

Copyright © 2011 by Teradata Corporation

Agenda

• Planning
• Design
• Implementation
• Testing
• Maintenance
• Close
• Q&A

2

Planning


Planning - Discovery

• Identify process need
• Should they be automated
• Identify current process
• Different people different processes
• Should they be the same
• End user experience
• Easy to understand
• Different then they except

4

Planning - Build outside of system

• Build outside of system using Microsoft Visio
• Benefits
• A place to start conversation
• Something for users to react to
• Get feedback on process
• Reference for future updates
• Include in user manual/reference guide
• Makes building in system quicker with less back
and forth

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Planning - Team Approval

• Show them what they asked for
• Meet with all affected members
• Make sure they understand the process
• Make any modifications
• Get buy in and approval then build in system

8

Planning – Build in System

• Great foundation started
• Line of communication open with team
• Willing to work with you as you build inside of the
system
• Easier to build in system
• Reference
• Less back in forth

9

Design


Design - Request Form

• How many questions to ask
• Required
• Order
• Hide or show
• Verbiage
• Words they are use to using
• Descriptive
• Attribute Type
• Think through upfront
• Reporting
• Drive workflow activity with branch steps
• Reports

11

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Design - Manual vs. Automatic

• Approval
• Request review action upon submission
• Approval workflow assigned
• Workflow
• Manually applied by Project Owner
• Automatically assigned upon submission
• Activities can operate as different as you want
them to
• Mixture of both manual and automatic

16

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Design – Naming Workflow & Sub
Workflow Templates
• Workflow Template Names
• Titles users see when selecting a template to apply to an activity

• Sub Workflow Template Names
• Titles workflow admins and system admins see when they are
selecting a sub workflow in an iterative review or sub workflow
step

• Name Accordingly!

19

Design – Naming Auto Close Steps

• Auto Close steps:
• No Assignees
• Branch
• Action
• Milestone

• When titling an auto close step, use a naming
convention in order to easily remove from
reports, task lists, etc..

20

Design – Actions to be Performed

• Action Steps are Powerful - Automatic
• Multiple Actions on one Action Step

• Commonly Used Actions:
• Update Activity Status – throughout the process
• Send Notifications
• Promote an attachment to a Digital Asset
• Update a field
• Count Iterative Review iterations

• Benefits:
• Automatic
• No forgetting
• Saves time
• System keeps a record

21

Design – Utilizing Step Checklists

• Multiple tasks in a row assigned to the same
person: Could they be combined?
• Utilize a Step Checklist to ensure the assignee
completes each separate task
• Extend Estimated Duration to account for extra
work
• Checklist Links
• Give full users the ability to link directly to any
part of the activity via a checklist link
• Where?
• Important Task Reminders
• Utilize a Step Check List with Required
Checkboxes to ensure task assignee completes
work

22

Design – Utilizing Data Collection
Templates (DCT)
• Sections on DCTs
• Organize DCTs into sections for easy viewing
• Display Important Activity/Project Data
• Place important attributes on the DCT as Read-
Only so users can immediately see key attributes
when they view their task but cannot modify
• Collect Important Activity/Project Data
• Place attributes on the DCT for users to fill out in
order to collect data with tasks
• Collect data for an attribute that is key to a
branch step rule later in the same workflow
• Update Important Activity/Project Data

23

Design – Data Collection Templates

24

Design - Link to Digital Asset Library

• Upload asset via promote task
• Pro’s
• Anyone can do it, no one forgets
• No additional full user seats
• Con’s
• Permissions and folder links need updated
• Key word limitation
• Upload via an assigned task
• Pro’s
• Can assign permissions & folder links
• Can tag with appropriate keywords
• Con’s
• Must be a full user to upload
• Could hold up the entire workflow

25

Implementation


Implementation – Build In System

• What branch steps do you need?
• Where should they go
• What do you need them to do
• For each step think through
• Forms needed
• Checklist
• Data Collection Templates
• Description
• For review steps
• Number of reviewers
• Voting Style
• Status changes
• Notifications

27

Implementation – Shortcuts in
Workflow Designer
• Fit All
• Zoom Out
• Zoom In

• Highlight a group of tasks and move together!
• Ctrl & click
• Saves so many clicks!

• Comment Box
• Organizes the Workflow Designer

28

Implementation – Using an Action
Step as a Path “Catcher”
• A blank Action Step works perfectly as a path
catcher
• Direct the workflow
• Allow the workflow to wait

29

Implementation – Effectively Using
Branch Steps
• Trickle Down vs. Blast

30

Implementation – Utilizing
Milestones
• Auto close step – No Assignees
• Purpose: record a date
• Best for use in the Marketing Calendar
• Reportable – use naming convention
• Milestone Examples:
• Webinars
• Events
• Conferences

31

Implementation – Confer with Team

• Building outside of system only shows so much
• Limited in showing system functionality
• Show them how things will be working in the
system
• Walk through everything
• May change their mind
• Get final approval by team

32

Implementation – Finalize

• Update
• In
• Out
• Validate
• Promote
• Test
• Use

33

Testing


Testing – Utilize a Testing Activity
&/or Testing Activity Type

• Create an Activity Type called Test Activity
• Use a single testing activity to perform workflow tests
• Call it Workflow Testing Area – easy to find
• When specifying a specific activity type on any extended
attributes, also include the Test Activity Type so all attributes
will be displayed on the testing activity

• Easily remove testing activity type from reports, activity list,
etc.
• Less activities in the system to manage

35

Testing – Utilizing a Test Template

• A Workflow that has been validated successfully
can be applied to an activity as a test template

• Avoid mistakes and mishaps that are risks of
untested workflows by utilizing a test template

36

Testing – Work out Kinks

• Order of tasks
• Document Uploads
• Data Collection
• Branch Rules
• Task Activations: Any Path or All Paths Required
• Action Step Actions Performed

• If Discovery & Design go well, there will be less
kinks!

37

Testing – Validate & Promote

• Make any changes needed to the template
• Validate – test again as a test template
• Promote makes it live to your users who apply
workflows to activities
• Workflow Templates cannot be added to Activity
System Type Actions until promoted

38

Maintenance


Maintenance – Open Houses

• Hold monthly
• Show enhancements
• Show new or updates to request forms or processes
• Address issues or challenges
• Listen to feedback on the system or processes
• Keep lines of communication open
• Follow up with highlights/notes

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Maintenance – Semi Annual Review

• Clean up request forms
• Clean up processes
• Streamline where possible
• Keep lines of communication open
• Keep team engaged

43

Close


Close – Extended Services

• Analytics
• Training & Enablement
• Strategic / Planning / Execution
• Project Management & Workflow
• Digital Asset Management
• User Adoption
• Questions about system capabilities
• Best practice advisement

45

Close – Closing thoughts

• What works for us may not work for everyone
• Always keep your end user in mind
• Think everything through
• Keep an open mind to feedback
• Keep your team engaged
• Learn all you can
• From users
• From Aprimo

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Workflow Best Practices - DeVry University

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