How-to... Tasks

Tasks are work activities performed in the process. In the task, Doer expects detailed information about:

  • what should be done
  • how it should be done.

The task must be written in a short and easy-to-read manner so that it can be used effortlessly in the course of work, especially by employees in plants, warehouses, the field, etc.

The task is usually described in one to a maximum of ten sentences. If necessary, they also contain pictures or videos with explanations. And links to other documents, tables, charts, etc.

The tasks are arranged in a step-by-step manner.

Task tags

The purpose of the tags is to highlight tasks that create a connection between TaskPacks. Processes are built with them. Then it is necessary to specify which TaskPacks we connected in this way.

Note

TaskPacks within a sequence are automatically interconnected automatically so there is no need to link them in the manner described here. There are cases where within a sequence there are additional interconnections other than successive ones. Then it is necessary to add them in this way.

(input)

Each TaskPack must have at least one task with the tag input.

  • You should create such a task and mark it with a tag (input). They are usually found at the very beginning of TaksPack. This task takes over the results of a previous TaskPack and introduces it into the current TaskPack as a subject of work.
  • Then it is necessary to "+ Add Input TaskPack". This means that you need to find and select the above-mentioned previous TaskPack that delivers its result to the current TaskPack.

Note

It may happen that when you try "+ Add Input TaskPack" the required TaskPack does not exist. There can be two reasons.

The first reason is that the required TaskPack has not been created yet. At the beginning of the construction of the process, this will often be the case. However, this situation is under control. In this case, we need to declare that we "Requires Input" for the current TaskPack. By default, this information is published until the appropriate TaskPack appears and is selected. The list of TaskPacks for which there are no input TaskPacks can be found in the "Dependencies" module.

Another reason is that in the required TaskPack, not a single task carries a tag (result). Because of this, TaskPack has no results to offer and therefore does not appear on the list. (That state represents an irregularity that is also listed in the Dependencies module.)

(ext. input)

External input is a tag for an input task in which the input does not come from within the company but from outside the company (such as from a supplier).

(result)

Each TaskPack has its result. That result delivers a specific task that is usually among the last tasks in the TaskPack. We mark it with the tag (result).

With this tag, we have also ensured that this TaskPack appears in the list for connection with other TaskPacks that follow.

Note

There are rare cases when one TaskPack can produce two or more main results. For example, when we cut lumber into two parts, one of which is used for the production of a toy and the other for the production of a kitchen cutting board.

Secondary results and multiple main results should be avoided. We do this by splitting the TaskPack into two or more shorter TaskPacks. But sometimes it can be counterproductive, ie. to slow down the process.

(ext. result)

An external result is a tag for a task in which the result is delivered outside the company (such as a customer, the tax administration, etc.).

[ctrl]

This tag is not related to connecting TaskPacks. Some tasks in TaskPack can be used for internal control. This means that it performs control within the TaskPack itself. We tag these tasks with [ctrl]. 

We distinguish three places of internal control within TaskPack:

Input control

At the very beginning of work in the current TaskPack, the Doer checks with this task whether he received the result of the previous TaskPack in the appropriate norm. If so, TaskPack can continue. If it is not, it stops the execution of the TaskPack and informs the Process Manager about it. Doer's interest in having all received input results in the required standard is obvious because otherwise, he will not be able to execute his TaskPack at all or with the appropriate quality.

Output control

The control task can be placed among the last ones in the TaskPack. With this kind of task, Doer checks before his delivery whether his result is within the norm as requested. If not, then he repeats the tasks on his own initiative in order to meet the norm of results.

Intermediate control

When the TaskPack is more extensive, significant, or critical, a control task can be placed in it. Its purpose is to find out if TaskPack execution is running properly.

Doer uses the control tasks for himself to correct his mistakes.