Workflow Best Practices - DeVry University

Andrea Passas – DeVry UniversityJenna Frist - Aprimo

Workflow Best Practices

Agenda

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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..

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

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

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

Design – Data Collection Templates

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

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

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

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

Implementation – Effectively Using Branch Steps

• Trickle Down vs. Blast

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

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

Implementation – Finalize

• Update• In • Out

• Validate • Promote• Test• Use

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

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

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!

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

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

Maintenance – Semi Annual Review

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

Close – Extended Services

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

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

Workflow Best Practices - DeVry University

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