Learn in the textbookBusiness Modeling and Business Improvement / Automation
DefinitionA workflow (ワークフロー) is a system that defines in advance the flow of routine work, such as requests and approvals, that passes documents or cases between staff, and automatically sends each one to the next person in the system.
ExplanationOnce the route of who enters, who checks and who gives final approval is registered, the next person is notified every time a request arrives. Compared with passing paper documents by hand, procedures move faster, and it is easier to see where a case is stuck and to check its processing history. The route can also include branches that change the approver depending on conditions such as the amount, and returns for correction when something is missing.
AnalogyLike a relay baton passed from runner to runner in a fixed order, the document lands in the next person's hands automatically.
Memory hookWork that flows: the picture of work moving from one person to the next.