StreamFocus™ Blog

Case Study: Architecture - Back to: 50% Productivity Increase with Better Quality?

In StreamFocus, a Workflow is a connected flow of actions that creates a value for the customer. A Workflow template establishes a company-wide template for carrying out a Workflow. The diagram below is a simple example of a Workflow template:

Flow Constraints Within a Workflow

Within the template, constraints are set to control the flow of actions. A solid line indicates a mandatory path, and a dashed line indicates an optional path. An oval shape is an action, and a triangular shape is waiting for action. So in the above diagram, the “Building Survey” action can not be worked on until “Signed Contract” is waiting for action. After performing the “Review Survey” action, either the survey is approved and information can be sent on to the “Survey Files” wait for action, or errors were found in the survey and thus the survey information is sent to “Building Survey Revisions” wait for action and then sent back for revisions in the “Building Survey” action.

Flow Constraints Between Workflows

Constraints can be set on a Workflow which indicate that other Workflows must be complete prior to working on it. This allows for dynamic priority setting when unforseen issues arise. An example Project hierarchy:

For example, the Workflow “14. Model Structure” in the lower right of the diagram above has an available action to work on under SubProject “1. First Floor Plan” and is currently the top priority. Then the structural engineer submits revisions to his design because of an unforseen issue with the existing structure which affects Workflow “11. Prelim Design”. Because this issue is in Project priority 3, it overrides “14. Model Structure” and becomes the top priority on the project. Additionally, because “14. Model Structure” is constrained by “11. Prelim. Design”, “14. Model Structure” is no longer available to work on until “11. Prelim. Design” is complete.

Setting constraints between Workflows allows simple but effective project management. The combination of Project priorities and Workflow constraints allows for dynamic setting of priorities that flow with changes that occur on most projects, helping the team stay focused on the top priority and avoiding costly rework.

Next: Contextual Information Retrieval

©2007 Organon Technologies LLC