Delivery step 01
Define the operating problem
Every engagement starts from the workflow as it runs today, with its delays and rework measured. A feature is not built until the problem it solves has a baseline.
What happens
- Write down the current workflow: each step, its owner, and each hand-off between people and systems.
- Measure delay, rework, and errors from the existing records for a fixed period.
- Name the evidence that is missing at each step and the person who would supply it.
How the platform carries it out
- The problem statement is written against the case stages on this site, from referral to billing, so every problem maps to a stage or a capability.
- Each baseline is kept as the reference for later measures, such as the report service level and the batch quarantine rate.
- A problem without a baseline is logged as an open question and is not built until it has one.
AI role
Drafts a first problem statement from the coordinators notes and the records of past cases. A person confirms every statement before it is used.
Approval
The operating owner signs the problem statement and its baseline.
Systems involved
- Current spreadsheets and mailboxes (read only)
- Records of past cases
- Problem register
Reference components
- Designed for this solution. The measures used are listed on each stage page.
Pre-sizing
Business case, effort, time, and cost for this step.
These are planning estimates for scoping. They are based on the work listed here and must be checked with the client before a commitment is made.
Business justification
Every later stage is only as good as the problem it solves. A written, measured baseline stops the build from starting on assumptions and gives the business a way to show a change.
Business value
- A signed problem statement with measured delay and rework for the current workflow.
- A baseline against which every later release can be judged.
- A short list of the stages where the most time and money are lost.
Documentation to produce
- Current-state workflow map
- Baseline measures and data sources
- Problem register with owners
- Signed problem statement
Work breakdown and effort
| Work item | Person-days |
|---|---|
| Map the current workflow, step by step, with owners and hand-offs | 5 |
| Measure delay, rework, and error counts from existing records | 5 |
| Write problem statements and the problem register | 3 |
| Review and sign-off with the operating owner | 1 |
| Total effort | 14 |
Delivery time
2 weeks for the full step.
Resources required
- Business analyst: 1 FTE
- Solution architect: 0.5 FTE
- Data analyst: 0.5 FTE
MVP: 2 weeks
Scope
- Problem register for the first two stages of the case workflow
- Baseline for the report service level and the referral intake time
Exit criteria
- Operating owner signs the problem statement
- Each problem has a baseline or an open question logged
Assumptions
- Existing records can be read for the measurement period
- One operating owner is available to sign off
Risks
- Records are incomplete, so the baseline has gaps
- The workflow differs between offices
Cost calculation
Enter your own day rate and weekly platform cost. Until they are entered, the calculator shows effort and delivery time only.
- Effort
- 14 person-days
- Delivery time
- 2 weeks
- Labor cost
- 0
- Platform cost
- 0
- Total estimate
- 0