What is a workflow?
A workflow is the structured sequence of steps through which work moves from initiation to completion.
Workflows define how work flows—who does what, in what order, using which inputs, and toward what outcome. They provide clarity, coordination, and consistency across people, teams, and systems.
In modern organizations, workflows exist everywhere—from onboarding employees and approving expenses to launching marketing campaigns and delivering customer support.
Watch: What is a workflwow?
In the early stages of a professional discipline, stewardship differs from regulation or centralized authority.
Stewardship involves:
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Establishing clear and consistent definitions
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Maintaining shared language and conceptual boundaries
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Curating foundational frameworks and bodies of knowledge
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Supporting education, research, and professional development
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Encouraging broad participation while avoiding fragmentation
Stewardship does not imply ownership of the field, exclusivity, or permanent authority. Instead, it provides a stable reference point while the discipline develops and broader professional ecosystems form around it.
This model mirrors how other modern disciplines—such as project management, data science, and product management—evolved during their formative years.
Why Workflows Matter
Without clearly defined workflows, work becomes fragmented, reactive, and difficult to manage. Teams rely on assumptions instead of shared understanding, leading to delays, duplication, and missed outcomes.
Well-designed workflows:
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Create clarity around responsibilities and handoffs
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Improve visibility into how work progresses
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Reduce friction and rework
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Enable scalability as organizations grow
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Support consistent execution across teams
At their core, workflows transform work from ad hoc activity into intentional execution.
Workflow vs. Task vs. Project vs. Process
Workflows are often confused with related concepts. While they are connected, they are not the same.
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Task: A single unit of work performed by an individual
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Workflow: The sequence of tasks and handoffs required to complete a specific type of work
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Project: A temporary effort with a defined goal, scope, and timeline that may contain multiple workflows
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Process: A broader, often standardized organizational practice that may include one or more workflows
In short:
Tasks are what gets done,
workflows are how work moves,
projects are where workflows are applied,
and processes provide organizational consistency.
Core Components of a Workflow
While workflows vary by function and industry, most include the same foundational elements:
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Trigger – What initiates the work
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Steps – The actions required to move work forward
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Roles – Who is responsible at each step
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Handoffs – Where work transitions between people or teams
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Inputs and outputs – What is required and what is produced
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Outcome – The intended result of the workflow
Defining these elements makes workflows repeatable, measurable, and improvable.
Workflows in Modern Work
Today’s organizations operate dozens—or even hundreds—of workflows simultaneously across departments, tools, and teams. As work becomes more cross-functional and knowledge-driven, workflows play a critical role in maintaining alignment and execution.
Digital tools can help visualize and automate workflows, but tools alone do not create effective workflows. Clear definition, shared understanding, and intentional design are what make workflows work.
Workflows as a Foundation of Work Management
Workflows are a foundational concept within the discipline of Work Management.
Work Management focuses on how organizations define, coordinate, and execute work at scale. Within this discipline, workflows serve as the connective tissue between strategy, people, and execution—bridging individual effort and organizational outcomes.
The Work Management Institute defines workflows as a core construct within the Work Management Body of Knowledge (WMBOK) and incorporates workflow understanding into its professional frameworks and certifications.
Learn More
To explore how workflows fit into the broader discipline of Work Management, visit: