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Modeling Routine Processes
In different phases of product development cycle, routine processes are repeated in various workflows. For example, joint review as a sub-process is executed to review different types of work product like a project plan, system design architecture, etc. Though the processes will differ, some of the sub-processes like review go through same steps to achieve the end result.
In Stages, such routine processes can be modeled once and reused in workflows which consume the process.
Define a Routine Process
Model the routine process process in a workflow. The details of this routine process should be generic enough for it to be consumed in other workflows.
Joint Review Process is a typical peer review that happens at differents areas of product development lifecycle. It is held within development phases, between milestone reviews, on completion of work products. Defining it as a routine process allows to keep the details of the process consistent and standard across any form of review.
The activities in this routine process contain generic work products (e.g. work product under review) and roles (e.g. Joint Review Coordinator) which can further be assigned to specific work products or roles in the process where they are consumed as sub-process.
Use a Routine Process
Only activities in a workflow can be linked to routine process. For example, in Project management, 'Review Software Project Plan' activity refers to the 'Joint Review' routine process to show how to perform the review. When a user clicks on this activity, they will view the joint review routine process below the project management workflow.
To model a routine process into a workflow, select the activity (e.g. Review the Software Project Plan) and navigate to the widget
Find Details in
and select the routine process (e.g. Joint Review). Additionally, specify the work products, phase, roles and other details for the activity in context of the workflow it belongs.
On the other hand, all the processes that use the routine process can be viewed in the Shows How to Perform
widget of the routine process. A Joint Review routine process contains the peer review details which are used in review activities for different workflows like project management, system and component design, etc.
Use Routine Processes to Simplify Process Architecture
Product Development Process is a complex mesh of processes and sub-processes and same would typically reflect in the process architecture in Stages. Routine processes can be used to bring standardization of sub-processes across products of similar nature.
For example, system and software design workflow is a fairly complex, but standard process. The activities in this process typically remain the same for system and software design phase for different components. System and software design process can be used as a routine process for development of different components of the vehicle.
This can help to greatly reduce the variance in components as well as channelize resources to create a sturdier system and software process.
Use of such processes allows to baseline and release such routine processes in thier own workspace and be reused in other workspaces.