Ronni Marshak. 1993b. "Young & Rubicam Improves Productivity With Workflow." Workgroup Computing Report 16, 5 (May), 12-20. Published by Patrica Seybold Group, 148 State Street, Boston, MA 02109.
Ronni Marshak says "Workflow is the technology buzzword for the '90s." While there is great interest, very few companies have implemented systems. One that did is Young & Rubicam, a well known and respected advertising agency headquartered in New York City. Young & Rubicam used ActionWorkflow Management System from Action Technologies Incorported (Alamedia, California) to automate their project traffic control system. The resulting automated workflow has not only made its team more productive but has also improved job satisfaction considerably. In the article, detailed survey results are cited which show that the workflow system helped some areas dramatically (eg. preparing briefs and filing), while some areas saw a signifigant improvement (the amount of time spent on overtime was cut in half.) Interestingly, composite measures of effectiveness and satisfaction show that the workflow system was very good at improving the satisfaction of those who had very low satisfaction previously, while those who were only moderately satisfied with the system remained unchanged. Survey results were taken at one and three month intervals after the project start. The pilot project was implemented in Lotus Notes. It was noted that one drawback to the system was that not all of the necessary personel were on the system. However the advertising clients were enthusiastic about the project and were recomending that it be continued.
MRH
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