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14 published lessons with this tag.
You need capture tools available in every context where you think — desk, commute, shower, conversation, bed. A gap in coverage is a gap in your thinking.
Objects often move through defined states — tracking these states enables workflow.
Some agents must run in a specific order — define the sequence explicitly.
Defining your workflows turns inconsistent effort into reliable output.
Some steps must happen in order while others can happen simultaneously.
Start with the simplest version that works and add complexity only when needed.
Identify the slowest step in each workflow — that step determines your throughput.
Look for steps that can be handled by tools or systems rather than manual effort.
Define clearly what goes into each workflow and what comes out. Without precise input-output specification, you cannot chain workflows, automate steps, or diagnose failures.
Where one person or system passes work to another is where errors are most likely.
After each execution look for one thing to improve in the workflow.
Complex workflows are built by combining simpler workflows. The output of one becomes the input of another. Composition is the mechanism that turns a library of small, proven workflows into an infrastructure that handles arbitrarily complex work.
Documenting workflows well enough to share them multiplies their value. A workflow that lives only in your head dies with your attention. A workflow shared becomes a reusable asset — for your team, your community, and your future self.
Treating your recurring activities as designable processes is a fundamental operations skill.