Workflow & Task Management
Establish structure, boost efficiency
Workflow and task management keep development processes clear, traceable, and efficient. It helps teams plan tasks, assign responsibilities, and manage approvals.
Clearly defined workflows make sure that no steps are overlooked and every activity gets done in the right context. This allows you to manage projects better, spot bottlenecks early on, and improve collaboration across all disciplines
Why workflow and task management are indispensable
In today's engineering projects, numerous activities can run in parallel – from requirements analysis to design and implementation to testing and releases. Without a structured control of workflows and tasks, there is a risk of losing information, delays, and duplicate work.
Proper workflow and task management provide clarity: everyone is aware of what needs to be done, when, and by whom. Workflows tailored to the project ensure smooth handover and adherence to release processes.
The result is shorter turnaround times, greater transparency regarding project progress, and significantly improved planning capabilities.
Success factors for effective workflow and task management
Successful teams define their workflows precisely in line with their processes – yet flexibly enough to accommodate necessary and aligned adjustments. Transparency regarding task coverage is key: the process only runs smoothly if all participants can see the status of tasks being processed.
Integration with other disciplines is also crucial: only cross-disciplinary workflow and task management facilitate a complete view of the processing status of requirements, modeling tasks, and tests.
In addition, workflow-driven, automated task creation and assignment between disciplines ensures that defined processes efficiently support everyday project work rather than generating additional effort.
How workflow and task management interact with other disciplines
Ideally, workflow and task management spans all disciplines in the engineering process and keep things running smoothly. Requirements are passed on, modeling tasks are started, and tests are scheduled in a timely manner.
In a good setup, workflow and task management also cover handling of engineering artifacts in their different versions and support concurrent development of multiple versions of shared artifacts. This also includes approval and change processes.
Audits and review tasks, as essential activities in quality management, should also be covered. This creates a continuous flow of information – from the initial idea to the final product.
Some examples of popular tools in workflow and task management
IBM Engineering Workflow Management (EWM)
A powerful platform for task, workflow, and version management. Particularly suitable for complex projects with clearly defined development and approval processes.
Jira
A widely used tool for agile project and task management. Supports Scrum, Kanban, and hybrid process models and can be flexibly adapted to development processes.
Trello
A visual, intuitive tool for task management and team organization. With its customizable boards, lists, and cards, Trello offers an easy way to structure workflows and make projects transparent – ideal for smaller teams or creative development environments.