In 30 seconds

Use this template while someone walks through a recent case. Capture their words first. Tidy the language only after they agree that the notes reflect the work.

The template

# Workflow discovery notes

## The real case

- Date or reference:
- Person walking through the work:
- What arrived or triggered the work?
- What counted as a good result?

## What happened

1. First action:
   - Information used:
   - System or document:
   - Person responsible:
2. Next action:
   - Information used:
   - System or document:
   - Person responsible:

## Decisions

- Decision:
  - What information supports it?
  - What are the possible outcomes?
  - Who decides when the answer is unclear?

## Handoffs

- From:
- To:
- What is passed along?
- How does the next person know it is ready?

## Exceptions

- What went wrong or could not continue?
- Who noticed?
- What happened next?
- Who owns the unresolved case?

## Sources and rules

- Which source was treated as current?
- Which rule or policy mattered?
- What important knowledge was not written down?

## Questions to resolve

- [ ]
- [ ]

## Playback

Describe the workflow back in five to ten lines. Ask the person doing the work what is missing or inaccurate.

How to use it

Do not try to complete every field from memory. Keep the real example open and follow it in order. Add another copy of a section when the case contains several decisions or handoffs.

What this does not solve

One set of notes does not prove that every person, team or case follows the same workflow. Compare examples when those differences could change the design.

Good enough to move on when

  • The trigger and expected result are clear.
  • Each meaningful action has an owner and source.
  • Decisions and exceptions are visible.
  • The person doing the work recognizes the playback.