Visual Workflow Management

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When it comes to large-scale projects and big businesses, it can be difficult to envision the entire work process. This confusion and uncertainty can harm a workflow, simply because the members of the team are not sure about the steps to take to reach the final goal.

This is a problem that is too often seen in many businesses, and it’s becoming a hindrance to productivity and the ability of a team to meet corporate goals. That’s where the importance of visual workflow management comes in.

Through this technique, a project or venture can be seen from a bird’s eye point of view, with all the processes lined up and visible to the executors of the project. With virtual workflow management, everyone has eyes on the entire phase of the project, helping them see the processes clearer and understand them better.

How Visual Workflow Management Can Help Your Business

A visual workflow is similar to the way a flowchart works, outlining every step of the project and enabling teams to visualize the steps that they need to take to achieve the ultimate goal. Taking the time to visualize a workflow can help businesses in many ways, overall increasing the efficiency and productivity of a team. Here are some ways that visual workflow management can benefit your business.

  1. Helping the team find clarity

    With the steps outlined and seen from a top view, the team can easily determine what they need to do to contribute to the project. It also allows them to determine how they fit in the overall workflow and what their specific tasks help achieve in every phase of the business feat.

    This not only helps the team find clarity in their specific scope of work but also boosts their morale knowing that they are part of something bigger.

  2. Aligns the team

    When everyone in the team fully understands the project and their specific roles, they can work towards the common goal more effectively. It helps reduce the risks of miscommunication and roadblocks that hinder the process.

    Teams that are aware and aligned when it comes to strategies, plans, and processes can take on tasks with more precision, keeping the entire process on track and focused on the common goal.

  3. Helps monitor progress

    Visual workflow management helps you track and monitor your team’s progress much easier as the workflow designer can tell you exactly how a certain step is supposed to work and where you are at a specific point in the project. A visual workflow would have systems in place that can show you things like problems that are hindering progress, who among the members was last to edit the document, etc.

    With easy monitoring and tracking, the project will not fall victim to unnecessary delays. It also allows you to spot problems before they even arise and determine steps that need to be improved or modified.

Important Features of a Visual Workflow Designer

To reap the benefits of a visual workflow, it’s crucial to get a good designer who can make the project visually-oriented to meet your business’s specific needs. A visual workflow designer will be in charge of the following tasks:

  • Assign action items and tasks to members of the team
  • Collaborate with other members about the task and provide whatever is needed to accomplish it
  • Create processes and ensure that they flow seamlessly
  • Formulate simple rules that help drive the project forward
  • Create an approval system for easy monitoring and quality checks
  • Run parallel and sequential workflows
  • Set up notifications, reminders, alerts, etc. to help keep the project on track
  • Educate the members regarding the process flow
  • Conduct tests to determine the effectiveness of the visual workflow.
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Considerations for Visual Workflow Management

An effective project is not just born out of creating a visual workflow. A couple of hands from management, the team, and different organization units are also needed to ensure the best results. In order to foster a strong workflow, you should consider these factors:

  • Management and the executive team should show strong support and communication all throughout
  • Resources should be allocated for the visual workflow management efforts
  • A formal workflow plan should be formulated to help align the team and help them work towards the common goal
  • There should be a clear and streamlined process of approving tasks and implementing changes in the workflow
  • The project should have defined responsibilities and milestones.

Get Started

Want to start building your visual workflow and improving the effectiveness and productivity of your team? Get a demo today and see how our services fit into your project and how we can help you achieve your business goals.