Workflow Optimization: 3 Examples and Best Practices

Think about a time when insufficient information or inaccessible data slowed you down. Or maybe a time when your work required manual data entry that resulted in human error and rework, taking time away from higher value tasks. These moments of process frustration and inefficiency are exactly what workflow optimization helps address.

Workflow optimization describes the strategies and measures taken to improve the flow of daily tasks and make processes more efficient. Common workflow optimization methods include identifying and removing bottlenecks and process deficiencies, eliminating unnecessary steps, automating repetitive tasks, and standardizing processes.

Workflow optimization strategies often include a combination of project management tools and workflow management software with built-in capabilities for process orchestration, automation, and intelligence. And these usually include a mix of process modeling tools that produce workflow diagrams of your current processes, management and automation tools to help you streamline individual tasks and reduce the likelihood of errors, and workflow templates that help you build apps and processes more quickly. 

Efficient workflows boost productivity, save time and resources, increase your ability to adapt to change, and improve customer and employee satisfaction. And with smooth workflows, your business will likely see reduced costs, and, ultimately, more business success. It's all part of continuous improvement—making small, iterative changes to improve processes, products, and user experience that are tailored to your organization’s workflows. What works for one organization might not work for another, and your workflow optimization methods should be selected to meet your unique organizational goals and needs.
 

Process vs. workflow

What makes a process different from a workflow? These terms are often used interchangeably; however, workflow is typically used to describe a set of tasks that make up part of a process, whereas process is more often used to describe the complete set of end-to-end activities.

Your organization probably relies on dozens to hundreds of complex workflows—many of which may be great candidates for workflow optimization. Here’s a quick look at a few basic examples:

Most organizations, regardless of industry, rely on onboarding workflows to orient new customers, employees, and partners. Customer onboarding workflows can benefit from optimizations like self-service portals and automated document processing to speed up data entry and document reviews and improve the user experience.

Streamlining invoice processing workflows can lead to faster payment cycles and improved accuracy. By automating data extraction and validation and connecting data across different systems (like accounting software and vendor management tools) organizations can reduce manual data entry, minimize invoice discrepancies, and optimize the accounts payable process.

Optimizing workflows for customer support can lead to improved response times and greater customer satisfaction. By implementing ticketing systems, knowledge bases, and automated routing, organizations can ensure efficient case assignment, effective communication, and timely resolution. And as every business knows, strong customer relationships are often the key to long-term business growth.

To set yourself up for success with your workflow optimization efforts, consider these best practices:

To get started with optimization, you need to first understand the as-is state of your current workflow. You can use process mining and intelligence tools, which analyze event logs from your processes to automatically generate a visual representation of your entire workflow—including every step and variation. These tools even help with workflow analysis, pinpointing the root cause of bottlenecks and inefficiencies. And don’t forget to monitor workflow performance over time so you can stay on top of potential issues and continuously improve over time.

[ Want expert advice? Get the Process Mining Guide for tips on process discovery and process optimization success. ]

Setting a business goal for your optimization project helps you prioritize which areas to address first based on your business needs and objectives. It also helps build ownership among stakeholders and gives you a directional clue for how to fix a workflow problem or address an inefficiency. This is important because without a clear objective in mind, your business process improvement efforts might not have the effect you were expecting.