What is Workflow?

Work•flow /ˈwərkflō/

“The sequence of industrial, administrative, or other processes through which a piece of work passes from initiation to completion.” – lexico.com

What is a quality workflow?  How do we develop it?  Below are elements of the production cycle that most creative people move through as they create something.  First, we must identify the stages of project production. What is each stage and what are the quality checks for each stage.  Read on and find out!

Stages of Creation Development

Inspiration

How do we find ideas to develop?

• We should use websites and ideas that we can build off of and grow inspiration from.
• We should work with a process that allows us to be able to be inspired by whatever we want.
• I measure quality by if I think an idea will be able to be built off of.
• I think that everyone is able to measure their own quality of imagination.

Intention

How do we clarify our specific goal(s) for a project?

• We should use the tools of learning what is important to us and using either current event tools or learning about what impacts our lives, we can learn to set an intention for our work and set those goals.
• We should use a process where we first make a decision of what we want to show through our piece and then find ways to deliver it.
• I measure the quality of setting an intention to something I’m creating by seeing if what I am doing will be showing the point that I want it to show.
• Anyone can measure the quality of an intention and goal by knowing that they are confident in what they want to show and make an impact.

Pre-production

How can we brainwrite, brainstorm, storyboard, and plan our ideas at this phase?

• We should use software where we can all share our brainstorms and show our thinking even from a distance.
• We need to use a process of sharing ideas that is safe and welcoming.
• I measure quality by if I can tell that good work is being done and if it will be productive to our final product.
• Anyone on a team can measure quality by seeing if everyone was abe to say their ideas.

Production

How do we communicate with each other and execute our plan for this phase? This is where we actually make the project.

• We can use tools where we can contact and show each other the work that we are doing and gain feedback to improve that work.
• The process that we need to use is one that will be able to discuss and see each others work and use constructive advice so that everyone’s part of the project will be well done.
• I measure quality if everyone is working hard and to the best of their ability.
• Anyone on a team can measure quality by seeing if anyone is putting in the effort.

Post-production

How do we communicate with each other and execute our final stages of the project for this phase? This is where we publish the project.

• We should use the tools of communication to execute the final stages of a project.
• We need to not only discuss how to finalize the project but also congratulate each other on our work.
• I measure the quality of post-production by seeing how the project turned out.
• Yet again, the team itself can each measure the quality of our work.

Presentation/Performance

How do we share our project with our learning community, advisory members, and the world?

• We can share our work using media outlets like social media, YouTube, or Vimeo. We can also use the classroom setting to share what we have done.
• I think that the process we should use, similar to a brainstorming and pre-production process, is to create a welcoming and comfortable space to share the work that we have done.
• I measure quality by being able to share my work in a clear and concise manner that is interesting and people like to see.
• Every person can measure the quality of a presentation by first being able to take something away, and also being able to see the intention behind the piece.

Feedback

How do we conduct a feedback session at the end of the project development cycle?

• We need to make sure everyone has a chance to express either their opinion or show their gratitude towards the piece.
• We need to make sure that there is a good way that no matter what it is all constructive.
• I measure quality by being able to take away constructive criticism but also being proud of my work.
• Anyone can measure the quality of feedback, it just depends on if you decide to apply it to your future work.