Workflow Sample

In Japan after the earthquake, products and services related with BCP are in "emergency demands". Demands for Cloud-related products are growing also in IT industry. (Everyday we find in newspapers such words of "electricity saving"and "telecommuting" and "BCP")

BCP stands for Business Continuity Plan. Compare to "Contingency Plan", BCP defines actions that "action in order to recover the business" in relatively long-term, whereas Contingency Plan is focused on "actions in emergency"

But creating "business continuity plan" is not easy. It is necessary to consider during peacetime "How should major operation processes be recovered"on assumed scenarios such as "blackout" or "traffic network breakdown". So to consider this, not only one must be familiar with the flow of operation in peacetime, in some cases he also will be required consideration of the perspectives advanced management.

The following is a Workflow model "to prepare for Workflow under assumed condition"

<Tasks>
1. Workflow and Assumption, 2. Study Flow chart, 2b. Discussion, 3. Review, 4. Confirmation

[Creating Flow chart: "2.Study Flow chart" screen]

One of the motivations for introduction of BPMS or Workflow System is "De-email".

Email is certainly useful, but It is difficult to organize as the "record". And in fact mailing list is used in many case, but it is wasting of time for everyone reading those email. Yet, it's not sure that the contents must be read is read by who needs it. (...like Journals)

A. Important knowledge is kept as a record that anyone can refer at anytime.
B. Urgent information that needs to be shared is informed to who needs it, and participants can recognize if he checked it.

It is true to say for any improvement activities, important thing is to set targets. If you challenge daily in-house information sharing flow, We recommend A. and B. above as "initial goal". And authorization to view

<Tasks>
1. Create Journal, 2. Check Journal, 2b. Send Back, 3. Check Journal

Let's talk about Business Process Outsourcing.
Even if there is a centralized organization responsible for specific tasks within the group companies, may say that is outsourced.

Now a days, not only Information Technology department and Call Center sector, but also General Affairs and Accounting department be outsourced. It's a very rational way of thinking that each company does "specialized"job. But in the real scene, it's not only few cases that you want to be done in-house. We often feel dissatisfied with "speed" or "quality", not "cost"

However, what if company that provides BPO services made full use of BPM system, and successively got closer to what customer demand? What if they could suggest improvement in the monthly meetings, and revise Workflow at the day by using "Workflow diagram"?

To make it simple, we inquire into a Workflow of outsourcing General Affairs to make Business cards.

<Tasks>
1. Business Card Request, 2. Approval, 3a. Undertake, 3b. Q & A, 4. Completion Report, 5. Completion Confirmation

[Business Card Order "3a. Undertake" screen]

At this moment, 'how many' estimates that not expired been presented?
At right this moment, 'how much' expected total sales that probability counted will be.
Or...
What Is 'current status' of the XXX case?
How much is the 'latest estimate' of the YYY case?

Sales-related information is essential for management decisions and business policy decisions. Sales support system of today (SFA) can visualize sales-related information in "real time". Especially, managing on the line (cloud computing) means a lot. For example, it is possible to find an estimate submitted in the past anytime anywhere. You will never present different estimate to the same customer.

But if "Estimating process" or "Order accepting process" can be defined itself, Business Process Management system (BPM) can accumulate "Sales-related information". (Furthermore, it will be connected into "Production process".)

<Tasks>
0. Lead, 1. 1st Contact, 2. Proposals, 3. Estimate, 4. Order

[Lead-Estimate : "2. Proposals" screen]

In some company, task of Translation occurs in "department here and there". Such as translating "Web Site" or "materials for presentation" or even "Notes that printed directly on the product"... In this situation, translation team will respond to requests from many departments. And then "Translation Flow" doesn't belong to any particular department.

In the process of maturation of Business Process Management, they often make certain process into common task (into Service). This translation team is now an organization that provides "In-house translation service".

The following Workflow model is an example of English-Japanese translation that is assumed to be called from business process of several departments.

<Tasks>
0. Manuscript/Nomination, 1. Nomination, 2. Translation, 3. Review

[English-Japanese Translation[1. Nomination] screen]

Writing proposal, creating web content, drafting press release, making business report... Any document should be reviewed, and it is important to make it a habit. One who done the job gets a chance to be advised form a third party perspective.

In the following workflow model, workers ask to be reviewed each every time on their deliverables such as proposal. He may designate his boss or coworker as a reviewer.

<Tasks>

1. Review Request, 2. Action, 3. Confirmation

[All-purpose Review Request: "3. Confirmation" screen]

<Items>

Title(text)

-Content-

Request to(user)
CC address(string)
Complete until(date)
Detail(string)

-Information-

Correspondent(discussion)
Files(file)

Actually the workflow model above is exactly the same structure of "All-purpose Request Flow. If you already have applied "All-purpose Request Flow", you will soon get used to "All-purpose Review Request Flow" as well.

This workflow is not only to make easy to designate and ask for reviewing, will always be able to find deliverables of past. And "The most complete deliverables" will be referred many times as knowledge.

Instead of completing deliverables secretly, to create a culture of being reviewed open and proudly, I want you to operate "All-purpose Request Flow" and "All-purpose Review Request Flow" together. For knowledge sharing...

Mini-Blogging with General Review Workflow! (2011-04-09)
Review by Team or Department? (2011-03-09)
Proofreading Blogs (2011-01-29)
Sometimes We Want One Peer Review; Sometimes We Want Two (2010-12-10)

All-purposed Review Reauest

Operating Workflow system, jobs come in through workflow one after another. From your supervisor or Web form, or registered on the clock. Workers give them priority then deal with them untiringly.
But now, how do you deal with jobs that don't know how to be handled. it occurs often... However, we hesitate to thrust jobs into the flow by email or oral.

The following Workflow model is very simplified "All-purpose Request Flow". And it's also convenient to experience Workflow system. It helps to request 1 on 1. Specifically, in those situations.

<Examples>

[Execution Request] Please review on document A.
[Execution Request] Please answer to Mr.C about subject B.
[Consideration Request] I think it's time to execute idea D. Please give a consideration on it.
[Consideration Request] We should correct an expression on the web site as "AAA". Please consider on it.

Tru ly, this Workflow model is very important to the theme of "Discovering undefined Workflow". Just because it is undefined, we apt to tell requests by email or oral. Eventually, there will be no record of the job. "No sight, no improvement"
And you find a job often comes on the record of "All-purpose Request", you should start defining it as a workflow.

<Tasks>
1. Request, 2. Action, 3. Confirmation