Workflow Analysis Process

Transcription

1 Workflow Analysis Process Department: Date: Purpose: Workflow analysis is used to 1. Examine and evaluate current work strategies and tasks in a specific department. 2. Identify current needs of the department. 3. Project future needs and predict tasks and strategies needed to achieve the future state. Process Step 1: Current Task & Strategy Identification 1. Identify existing staff: include positions and job descriptions, but not specific names or duties. 2. Identify current department strategies. What are your priorities and why? 3. Identify current tasks performed in the department. 4. Identify tasks that need to or should be performed, but are not currently assigned to a specific position. Evaluation Current Tasks & Strategies 1. Separate current tasks into critical, necessary, and nice but not necessary, and should stop doing. You can also use the MacMillan Matrix to assess value of current tasks. (See attached.) It is often easiest to do this kind of evaluation using notecards and a sorting exercise with your staff. This method does require that someone transcribe the results of your staff task recording and other exercises on to notecards, but this gives staff and leadership greater flexibility in shifting things around during evaluation and discussion. (Note: Graphics can supply a template and paper for business card sized cards so the transcription can be done on computer.) 2. Separate tasks by job description. Carefully examine the job descriptions for each position in the department and sort tasks based on level of authority and skill. IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not assign tasks based on who does the work now. Do not think in terms of people, but in terms of positions. Assign tasks based solely on how they fit into the job descriptions used in the department. One of the purposes of this exercise is to determine if the right positions are responsible for the right tasks. 3. Develop new job descriptions and work plans that incorporate results of task and strategy evaluation. Each position should have a distinct work plan at the end of this exercise. Process Step 2: Future Task & Strategy Identification 1. Identify department priorities for the next five years. Do you want to grow a certain aspect of what you do? Are there certain segments of the community you want to reach? Do you anticipate changes in how you do things technology, personnel, collections, etc.? 2. Identify tasks that will be required to fulfill those strategies as best you can. This step will take some critical thinking. Evaluation Future Tasks & Strategies 1. Separate current tasks into critical, necessary, and nice but not necessary. 2. Separate tasks by job description. Carefully examine the job descriptions for each position in the department and sort tasks based on level of authority and skill. See if you can fit the tasks into the current job descriptions. You may have to entertain the idea of creating new job descriptions to fit the task or strategy. Department Heads should use this exercise to develop future budget requests for staffing. 3. Develop new job descriptions and work plans that incorporate results of task and strategy evaluation. Existing job descriptions may have new responsibilities, and new positions should have a distinct, developed job description at the end of this exercise.

2 Workflow Analysis Process Staffing Identification List all current staffing positions within your department. List each position as many times as necessary e.g. if you have two Librarian II s, list them both. Do not list specific tasks or duties here; stick to the key responsibilities as defined in the general job description. Position Key Responsibilities Example: Librarian I 1. Provides reference and reader s advisory services and instruction to library users; 2. Performs collection development by recommending titles for purchase and/or deletion; 3. Plans and implements library programs for adults or children; 4. Compiles bibliographies and functions as subject specialist;

3 Workflow Analysis Process Strategy Identification List all the current strategies for your department by priority level. Rank from 1-5 with 1 being the most important and 5 the least important. Strategy Priority Level Example Deliver fast, efficient, accurate reference service to in-person customers 2

4 Workflow Analysis Process Task Identification List all the tasks currently being performed in your department. Give each staff member a sheet and ask them to fill it in as completely as possible over the course of a week. They should indicate how often the task is completed (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.), roughly how long the task takes to accomplish, and the overall priority (1-5, with 1 being the most important) to the department. Position: Task Frequency Time Priority

5 Workflow Analysis Process Task Identification Part II List all the tasks that are not currently being performed by a specific position in your department. These are things that the department head and staff believe should be done, but are not currently assigned to anyone. Also indicate how often the task should be done and the overall priority (1-5, with 1 being the most important) to the department. Task Frequency Priority

6 Workflow Analysis Process Future Strategy Identification Brainstorm with your staff a list of future strategies desired for your department. Do you want to grow a certain aspect of what you do? Are there certain segments of the community you want to reach? Do you anticipate changes in how you do things technology, personnel, collections, etc.? Attach a priority to each strategy (1-5, with 1 being the most important). Strategy Priority level

7 Workflow Analysis Process Future Task Identification List all the tasks that will be necessary to achieve the future strategies for your department. If possible, assign frequency, time, position responsible, and priority to each task. Task Frequency Time Position Priority