Delivery · Intake Queue
Setting up a work stream
Give a work stream on an intake item its owner, dates, workflow and requirements, then hand its tasks over for promotion.
A work stream is one strand of delivery work, such as the front end, an integration or a data migration. Before an intake item is promoted, each of its work streams needs to be ready to start: someone accountable for it, a window to deliver in, a workflow to follow, the requirements it covers and a first set of tasks.
Setting a stream up is shared work. The lead decides the shape and assigns an owner. The owner prepares the tasks and hands them back when they are ready.
Before you start
Open the intake item from the Intake Queue, then select the work stream in the setup rail on the left, or select its row in the work streams table.
| Who | What you can do on a stream |
|---|---|
| Lead | Set the owner, workflow and where tasks are managed. Set dates and type. Move requirements. Rename or delete the stream. Review, accept or reopen its tasks. |
| Work stream owner | Set dates and type. Hand back requirements that do not belong. Draft and edit tasks. Mark tasks done or send them for review. Hand the stream back if you cannot take it on. |
| Anyone else | View the stream read-only. |
Understanding the stream’s properties
The properties appear as a row of chips under Work stream properties. A dashed amber chip is something the item still needs before it can be promoted.
| Property | What it sets |
|---|---|
| Owner | The person accountable for the stream. Shows Assign owner when empty. |
| Dates | The stream’s start and end dates. Shows Set dates when empty. |
| Workflow | The delivery workflow the stream will follow once promoted, which decides its stages, boards and approval gates. Shows Choose workflow when empty. |
| Managed in | Where the stream’s tasks are tracked. Shown only when your organisation has connected another system. |
| Type | Feature, Issue, Tech debt or Maintenance. |
Workflows are set up by your organisation in Governance → Delivery → Workflow. See Workflows.
Assign an owner
Only leads can assign the owner.
- Select Assign owner.
- Choose a person from the list.
The owner gets the work stream in My Tasks straight away, and the stream’s status changes to With owner.
To change the owner, select their name and choose someone else. To remove them, clear the selection. The stream goes back to No owner.
Set the dates
- Select Set dates.
- Choose a start date and an end date.
The dates appear on the chip, for example 3 Mar → 28 Apr. Leads can also set dates straight from the Dates column in the work streams table.
Choose the workflow
Only leads can choose the workflow.
- Select Choose workflow.
- Choose a workflow from the list.
Choose where tasks are managed
If your organisation has connected another system, such as an external issue tracker, a Managed in chip appears. It starts as Next, meaning the stream’s tasks are worked on here. Only leads can change it.
- Select the Managed in chip.
- Choose Next (this workspace) or one of the connected systems.
- Fill in any details the system asks for.
When tasks are managed in another system, Paradym Next keeps a read-only record of the tasks for reporting. See Work stream board.
Check the stream’s requirements
Below the properties, Requirements lists the requirements this stream covers, with how many tasks each has. Select the heading to show or hide the list, and select a requirement to read it in full.
- Leads can move a requirement to another stream. Select … on its row, then choose a stream, or type a name to create a new one.
- Owners can hand back a requirement that does not belong. Select Not ours, enter a reason and select Hand back. The requirement shows Handed back and goes back to the lead to place again.
See Intake requirements.
Hand the tasks over
When the owner has drafted the tasks, they tick the square check button at the top right of the stream. What happens next depends on whether your organisation uses the Review step.
| Review step | What the owner does | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| On | Selects the check button, then Send. | The stream goes to In review, and the lead reviews the tasks. |
| Off | Selects the check button, then Mark done. | The stream goes straight to Complete. The lead can reopen it. |
The check button is disabled until the stream has at least one task.
Your organisation turns the Review step on or off in Governance → Delivery → Promotion. Without it, a stream is accepted as soon as its owner hands it over. See Promotion.
Review a stream’s tasks
When a stream is In review, the lead sees an amber check button.
- Select the check button. Review tasks opens, saying who sent how many tasks.
- Choose one of the following:
- To accept the tasks, leave the note empty and select Accept. The stream becomes Complete and the check button turns green.
- To ask for changes, enter what needs changing under Request changes (optional) and select Send back. The stream returns to the owner, who sees Changes requested: with your note.
Reopen a completed stream
Leads can reopen a stream that is Complete.
- Select the green check button.
- Enter what needs another look. This is optional.
- Select Reopen.
The stream goes back to the owner to rework.
Hand a stream back
If you are the owner and cannot take the stream on:
- Select … at the top right of the stream.
- Select Can’t take this on.
- Enter why you can’t take it on.
- Select Hand back.
The stream goes back to the lead to reassign. Its status returns to No owner, and your reason is shown under the stream’s heading.
Rename or delete a stream
Only leads can rename or delete a stream.
- Select … at the top right of the stream.
- Select Rename or Delete.
When you delete a stream, its drafted tasks go with it. If the stream covers requirements, choose another stream to move them to before you confirm. If there is no other stream, add one first.
What happens next
Once every stream has an owner, workflow, dates and tasks, and has been accepted if your organisation uses the Review step, the lead can promote the item. See Intake item.