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Collaborative or process: how to choose the way to build.

A short guide for process owners deciding how an app should be built. It gives the six questions, the signs that point each way, the mistakes people make and a worked example of each choice.

Two ways to build
COLLABORATIVE APP · LEVELS FIRSTProcurementLevel 1screen · usersLevel 2screen · usersLevel 3screen · usersFinanceLevel 1screen · usersLevel 2screen · usersLegalLevel 1screen · usersFlow and trigger criteriaPO value > 250,000 → start at Procurement L1 → L2 → L3; Finance L1 in parallelDefine the functions and their levels, attach a screen to eachlevel, assign the people at each level, then write the criteriathat start the flow and move it between levels.PROCESS APP · LANES AND BOXES FIRSTRequesterBuyerFinanceSupplierRequestscreen · roleCheckscreen · roleDecide?Approvescreen · roleConfirmscreen · rolesubmitted> 10,000approvedDraw the lanes, place the boxes, attach a screen to each box, namethe role that owns each box, then write the criteria on eacharrow. Users join through their roles.any process, any function, inside or across companies
Levels first, or lanes first.
Six questions

Answer them in order

Does the work follow the organisation?Up and across functions and their levels: collaborative. Between roles that may sit in several organisations: process.
Signs and mistakes

Signs that point to collaborative

  • The process owner describes it as a meeting or a review cycle.
  • Each function has a view of its own, on the same data.
  • Escalation follows reporting lines.
  • The same hierarchy will serve other processes.

Signs that point to process

  • The owner draws boxes and arrows on the whiteboard.
  • An outside party performs a step.
  • Steps run in parallel and join.
  • A step writes to a system of record before the next can start.

Mistakes

  • Building a review cycle as a chain of forms: the sign-off record becomes hard to read; build the hierarchy.
  • Building a supplier process as a hierarchy: the supplier lands at an awkward level; build lanes with a portal lane.
  • Starting with screens: the screens follow the model; draw the levels or the lanes first.
  • Writing the criteria last and untested: write each one in the editor and test it on live rows as you go.
Worked examples

Budget variance review, collaborative. Cost center owners, department heads, controllers and the CFO each see their own view of the same variances; the flow moves up the organisation on working days 3 to 8; the record is the chain of sign-offs. Budget variance review.

Supplier onboarding, process. Buyer, supplier, compliance, finance and category lead each own a lane; the supplier's step is a portal screen; compliance and finance run in parallel; the vendor is created in the ERP at the end. Supplier onboarding.

Bring a process; leave with an app

The first session builds the first screen on your live rows.

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