THE STARTING POINT
A way to frame modernization around workflows, dependencies and a manageable first phase.
Draw the current path.
Follow a task through the people and systems involved. Record handoffs, repeated data entry and exceptions. Ask stakeholders to verify the map. A shared description of today’s process helps the team decide which change matters and which dependencies it must respect.
Separate the problem from the preferred tool.
Describe the outcome the workflow needs to support before choosing a platform. Consider whether the issue is a missing integration, unclear responsibility, outdated interface or a combination. Keep options open until the requirements and constraints are understood.
Choose a first phase with clear boundaries.
Define what changes in the first phase and what remains outside it. Agree the users, systems and data included. Plan how the changed workflow will be reviewed and what happens if a dependency is not ready. This gives the project a practical decision point.
Include ownership and transition.
Discuss the people who will use, approve and maintain the revised workflow. Include documentation and any required training in the scope. A technology change still needs a workable transition for the organization around it.
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
Your discovery checklist
- Where does the current process become difficult?
- Which handoffs and systems are involved?
- What belongs in the first phase?
- Who owns the revised workflow?