workflow
I've been really fascinated lately with the idea of workflow. More and more I'm starting to think about how creating (and sometimes documenting) workflow is a really important part of any job.
I'm doing some work for the Stroum Jewish Community School, and I have to be able to show them how to do what I'm doing next time. So I'm making little workflow descriptions for each task. More and more I'm seeing how valuable good workflow is.
For instance, the workflow for washing the dishes starts with putting away all the dishes that are in the rack. The workflow for creating a new website starts with making a list of all the information and ideas that the website is going to be a container for. More and more I see that establishing an efficient workflow is what allows a person to make money with their time.
Indeed workflow is an industry in and of itself. PERT Charts, Flowcharts, The Workflow Management Coalition.
I'm getting kind of curious...what is your workflow like? What workflows have you established that are valuable to you? What workflows have you developed that help you make a living?
Comments
I write software for NASA. It's all about the workflow, baby. Especially the "meta" workflow -- requirements, process definition, continuous improvement, capability maturiy models, all that.
If you're fascinated by workflow. My day job is in your Nirvana!
Posted by: Cody | June 26, 2003 9:27 AM
So that's what you're fascinated by. I'll have to make a mental note to talk about the value of flowcharts next time you're massaging my petulance.
:)
Posted by: rzan | June 26, 2003 11:03 AM
Crazy, Mr. Cross Impact. NASA huh? Yeah, I guess they take thier meta workflow pretty seriously. I do, actually, think I could get into that...but I think my educational past as it were dooms me to self-employment and creating my own meagre workflows.
Posted by: Daniel Talsky | June 26, 2003 9:18 PM
Yeah, crazy. And if you want to get way meta with the workflow thing, plug "process ontology" into Google and smoke it. Whew!
Posted by: Cody | June 27, 2003 7:08 AM
Actually "process ontology" didn't yield all that much definition. It was really mostly commercial products and services.
Do you have some specific URL?
Posted by: Daniel Talsky | June 28, 2003 1:45 AM
This entire thread sounds like it could be used as the basis for about 3 months of "Dilbert" strips.
Posted by: Bill | June 29, 2003 11:48 AM
Yeah, I guess "process ontology" sounds like something people chuckle at when doctors tell them it's thier specialty at a cocktail party.
Posted by: Daniel Talsky | June 29, 2003 11:51 AM
Actually I had a very vivid image of Dogbert with a worklflow chart showing how he could get stupid people to make him rich by selling a nonexistant product to even stupider people and giving him the profits. Probably something involving Elbonia.
Posted by: Bill | June 30, 2003 10:10 AM