Workflow Matters

A workflow represents the sequence of steps or the path that work follows from initiation to completion. In Jira, a workflow is composed of statuses and transitions that your issues pass through in your defined delivery lifecycle. The workflow is a representation of the process being used by your team or organisation.

Workflow Categories

Workflows play a crucial role in the generation of flow metrics. Workflows can be allocated to one of 3 workflow categories and the workflow category utilised by your team directly influences the quality of insights that can be derived from your issue history in Jira. The three distinct categories are explained below:

1) Single-Step Workflow

A Single-Step Workflow consists of one status that encapsulates all work activities in a process. An illustration of this is found in the Jira workflow in Figure 1, 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.

 

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_{Figure 1. Single-Step Workflow in Jira}

 

2) Multi-Step Workflow

A Multi-Step Workflow is a more structured approach where the work activity associated with issues 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.

 

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_{Figure 2. Multi-Step Workflow in Jira}

 

Workflow Category Benefits

The flow data and insights generated by Delivery Flow are heavily 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.

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 analyse the time spent in each work step 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 Wait-Step workflows. The benefits of this shift can be transformative. Wait-Step 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.

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 and value of Wait-Step 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 Wait-Step 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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