A workflow represents the sequence of steps or the path that work follows from its initiation to its completion. In Jira, a workflow is composed of a set of statuses and transitions that your issues navigate through during the defined delivery lifecycle. The workflow is a representation of the process being used by your team or organisation.
Workflow Categories
Workflow categories play a crucial role in generating flow metrics. The type of workflow utilised by your team directly influences the quantity of flow metrics and insights that can be derived from your issue history in Jira. There are three distinct categories to consider:
1 Single-Step Workflow
A single-step workflow consists of one status that encapsulates all activities related to a work item or issue. A classic illustration of this is found in Jira's default workflow, which includes the statuses To Do, In Progress, and Done. The To Do status signifies an item that is currently in your backlog, while In Progress indicates that work has commenced on the issue. Finally, Done denotes that the work has been completed.
This is classified as a single-step workflow because all actions pertaining to your issues are represented by a single step: the In Progress status.
2) Multi-Step Workflow
A Multi-Step Workflow is a more structured approach where each work activity associated with an issue is depicted through various steps or statuses within your workflow.
In the Multi-Step example shown on the right, the single In Progress status from the single-step workflow has been expanded into three distinct work statuses: In Development, In Review, and In QA. This breakdown allows for a more detailed representation of the workflow process.
3) Complete Workflow
A complete workflow encompasses all the active and waiting phases that your tasks must traverse to reach completion. For instance, in the Complete Workflow example illustrated on the right, the In Review stage from the multi-step workflow has been divided into two distinct statuses: Wait Review and In Review.
This thorough breakdown of all working and waiting statuses enhances the workflow's completeness and facilitates the generation of a comprehensive set of flow metrics, accurately reflecting the true performance of your team's delivery system.
Workflow Category Benefits
The data and insights produced are influenced by the specific category of workflow employed as issues progress through your process. Below is a detailed overview of the benefits associated with each type of workflow.
Benefit | Single-Step | Multi-Step | Complete |
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Work In Progress Metrics |
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Average Cycle Time Metrics |
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Throughput Metrics |
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Issue Type WIP Metrics |
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Issue Type Cycle Time Metrics |
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Issue Type Throughput Metrics |
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Flow Demand |
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Time In Status |
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Work Breakdown Insights |
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Flow Efficiency |
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Queueing Insights |
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Utilising Single-Step workflows can yield a wealth of insightful and valuable flow metrics. When you opt for a Multi-Step workflow, you not only gain all the insights provided by a Single-Step workflow but also benefit significantly from the ability to analyze the time spent in each phase of your process. This approach allows you to deconstruct your process, enabling a clearer understanding of where time is being spent. This analysis can be conducted at both the system level and the individual issue level.
While both Single-Step and Multi-Step workflows offer significant benefits, we strongly encourage you to transition your process definitions to Complete workflows. The benefits of this shift can be transformative. Complete workflows enable the production of Flow Efficiency metrics and insights into the level of queuing within your delivery system. These metrics are essential for identifying waste, bottlenecks, and inefficiencies in your processes, allowing you to fully comprehend the impact of excessive dependencies and demands on your teams.
Start where you are by using your existing workflow, then evolve towards a Complete Workflow.
If you are currently utilising a Single-Step or Multi-Step workflow in your project, then this is where you should start. Begin by creating Workflow Maps based on your existing workflows to generate flow metrics for your work. However, to develop a deeper understand of the inherent challenges within your Delivery System, we cannot emphasise enough the importance of Complete workflows.
Related:
For more information on Flow Efficiency, read Flow Efficiency – The Most Important Metric When Developing Software?.
If you are thinking about evolving to Complete Workflows, read Amending Jira Workflows to Improve Flow Metrics.
If you use Single-Step or Multi-Step workflows, read Using Jira Cycle Time to Improve Delivery.
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