Concept dictionary
Workflow
A workflow is the operational path work follows through a system.
It shows the sequence of steps, handoffs, decisions, people, tools, and information involved.
- Review state
- Reviewed in POC
- Freshness
- Current
- Version
- 2
Also called
- work flow
- workflow
Remember it this wayFollow the work to see what actually happens.
In plain language
A workflow follows the work from one action to the next. It shows who does what, which system they use, what information moves, where decisions happen, and what must occur before the next step can begin.
Why it matters
A documented process describes the related activities intended to produce a result.
Following the workflow helps us see how work actually moves through the larger system, including workarounds, delays, and hidden handoffs.
Example
A customer emails a request, an office manager copies details into a spreadsheet, a dispatcher checks technician availability, and the customer receives a scheduling confirmation.
Common misconception
A workflow is not the same as a process or a system.
A process describes related activities that transform inputs into a result. A system is the larger arrangement of interacting elements. A workflow follows the operational path work actually takes through both.
Related terms
Sources
- NISTIR 7316, Assessment of Access Control Systemsworkflow discussion and task dependencies, sequencing, performers, and data; see page 9.
- IBM, “About workflows”guided steps, dependencies, sequence, and performers.