Table of Contents

Workflow Audit

A Workflow Audit helps an agency understand how work actually moves before introducing new technology, automation, or artificial intelligence.

The purpose is not to criticize staff. The purpose is to identify where requests slow down, where information gets lost, where duplication occurs, and where accountability becomes unclear.

What a Workflow Audit Examines

Area Questions to Ask
Intake How do requests enter the organization?
Classification How are requests categorized, prioritized, and assigned?
Records Sources Where does the information needed to complete the work live?
Custodians Who owns, maintains, or approves the information?
Handoffs Where does work move from one person, team, or system to another?
Search Process How do staff locate records, policies, procedures, and prior responses?
Approval Process Who reviews, approves, escalates, or closes work?
Communication How are updates shared with requesters, staff, leadership, or external parties?
Documentation What evidence shows what happened, who acted, and why?

Typical Findings

A workflow audit often reveals patterns such as:

Why It Matters

A workflow cannot be responsibly automated until the organization understands:

OKF Expert Role

OKF Expert helps agencies turn workflow findings into structured, reusable knowledge that can support: