Name the job, then name the person
First, list what the work needs at each step. Someone gets the request. Someone checks it. Someone makes a choice. Someone does the work. Someone checks the result. Someone handles special cases.
Next, name the person or team for each step. Name the role or team, not one person, when you can. The rule will still work when a person is out or changes jobs.
Show what comes next
A work label should tell the team what to do next. For each label, show who has the work, the next step, and what they need.
For example, “Waiting for a sign-off” should show who must sign off, what they must check, and what happens next.
Plan for work that does not fit
This is where work often gets lost. List the times when the usual steps do not work. A special case may need more facts, a new choice, or a new person.
Give each special case clear steps. Do not make the team rely on a quick chat, one person's memory, or the one person who knows the answer.
- What can stop the usual steps?
- Who picks what happens next?
- How will the team know the problem is fixed?
Fix the moves that hurt most
You do not need to write down every step at once. Start where work waits, gets done twice, makes a customer wait, or has no clear next person.
A few clear rules about who does the next step can help before you change any tool.