What is an important characteristic of an effective workflow?

An important characteristic of an effective workflow is clear documentation of each step involved. This clarity helps ensure that everyone involved in the workflow understands their roles and responsibilities, as well as the sequence of tasks to be completed. Proper documentation provides a reference point that can enhance consistency, reduce errors, and facilitate onboarding for new team members. Moreover, it allows for better communication among stakeholders and teams, which is crucial for identifying bottlenecks and areas for improvement in the process. Clear documentation also supports compliance and audit needs by providing a trail of the workflow's operation and decisions made at each stage.

In contrast, high levels of repetitiveness may hinder innovation and efficiency, minimal use of technology can limit the potential for automation and reporting, and dependence on a single individual poses risks to continuity and scalability, as it creates a point of failure in the workflow.