Types of Workflow Management

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Workflows fall into one of these categories:

Sequential Workflows
As the name suggests, a sequential workflow is a diagram with a sequence of tasks. The process progresses from one task to the next. However, the distinguishing feature of this workflow is task dependency. This means that the process does not change from one task to the next before the current task is completed. Therefore, there is no back-and-forth.

EXAMPLE OF THIS WORKFLOW Consider the production line manufacturing processes because they do not allow the product to return to previous stations. It works like a one-way river.

State Machine Workflows
Unlike sequential workflows, state machine workflows can flow both forward and backward. They revolve around the concept of a "state" rather than a "task." In other words, the process moves from one state to another, not from one task to another. They are event-driven processes, meaning they advance to a state when something happens, not necessarily the completion of a task.

EXAMPLE OF THIS WORKFLOW Think about a social media workflow . It contains content review payroll directors email list tasks that might result in content being sent to authors for editing. Another example is an agile workflow . For example, a Scrum-based software development project requires user acceptance of the product at a certain point in time. And that can prevent the process from moving forward at that point.

Rule-based workflows
Just like a sequential process, you mix this workflow with a set of rules that dictate the execution of the process, and voilà! You have created a rules-based workflow management system.

These rules are "if, then" conditions that have the potential to be automated workflows. They express alternatives that shape the process flow. Thus, the process progresses based not only on completing tasks, but also on selecting alternatives.

EXAMPLE OF THIS WORKFLOW Think of it as if you were making a dish in a food truck, taking into account that the customer can choose the meat, sauce and topping they want.

Find some workflow examples in this blog and see what are the best workflow management tools that might work best for you.