Activity Description

Work Product Description

A processClosed set of interrelated or interacting activities that use inputs to deliver an intended result. ISO 9000:2015. is a set of interrelated or interacting activities that use inputs to deliver an intended result. ISO 9000:2015.

Interrelated or interacting: The activities within the process work together to produce the intended results required to achieve the objectives and goals of the process.

Activities: descriptions of two or more activities to be carried out by people in the organisation. The activities also identify the Technology Interaction Points.

Inputs: The work products to be used or conditions necessary to carry out the activity

Intended Result: The intended result can be an output of a process, a product or service from the organization. Other terms used are work product, outcome, etc.

Each activity within a process has an Activity Description. This is typically a one page description of the activity. This provides an overview of all of the aspects of the activity.

These activity descriptions are written with the following assumptions about the people using the people carrying out the activity:

  • A person has the appropriate skills, knowledge and experience to carry out their responsibilities in the activity
  • Training on the process and this specific activity has been provided including any examples.
  • Any additional details necessary to carry out the activities are described in the supporting documentation.

The activity is also shown in the Process Activity Model for this process to show the relationships of this activity to all of the other activities found in this process.

Contents

  • Activity Name
  • Role Responsible for the Activity
  • Activity Description, including any Technology Interaction Points and input work products
  • Work Product Description (input or output) .. see Examples below.
  • Completion Criteria (Outcomes)
  • References and supporting documentation, including identification of work product descriptions for outputs

Processes Creating, Updating and Using this work product:

The creation, analysis and identification methods are found in the Capability Innovation Life Cycle. A Capability Innovation Team is responsible for creating, analysing, and identifying an activity description.

Completion Criteria:

Activity Description is complete and reviewed

Activity Description includes all of the

Examples

Work Products

Quality Reviews

This section builds on the quality review section of PRINCE2 or the inspection process from Tom Gilb. (to be updated)

Types

  • formal
  • informal

Inspections

SpecQC <- Gilb

Quality Inspection <- PRINCE2

Quality Check <- PRINCE2

very powerful part of any work .. most value if done correctly

purpose identify and remove faults

Data, Capta, Information, Knowledge, Understanding, Wisdom (DCIKUW)

This section builds on the information from Peter Checkland and Russell Ackoff. (Peter Checkland provided the Capta step; the others from Russell Ackoff). (to be updated.)

This area is necessary for process / product improvement and organisational learning.

shared understanding of a particular area.

  • best practice
  • product understanding
  • customer understanding

Knowledge

Wisdom

Learning