Introduction

This article describes how to get started with the TameFlow board in Lynx TameFlow. The following topics will be addressed:

Set-up and Configuration (via Lynx)
Add a Workpackage and its Cards (e.g. Subtasks)
Prepare for getting Cards done

A card may represent for example a Subtask. Multiple cards can be grouped within a Workpackage within the workflow of a project plan, as is illustrated in the following picture:

Subtasks can have their own workflow and are presented to resources, team members, teams and team managers on the Lynx Tameflow Board, where they can get done though moving a card from left to right, following the workflow steps.

In this article we will illustrate a quick and common way to get started with Cards and the Lynx TameFlow board.

However there are many more configuration options to optimize working with Lynx TameFlow. We recommend reading the following articles as well:

Card Set-up and Configuration

Define your first Card Type

The most common and basic Card Type, which is typically called Subtask. In this example we will use the following set of fields:

Mandatory:
- Status (like Open, In progress, Review, Done)
Standard Field Examples:
- Category (example picklist)
- Description (example field)
- Team member
A size field holding the size of a card (optional):
- Card Estimate (in hours)

Note: in the most simple form the only field that is mandatory is a status field, containing your workflow with status values.

To start, open Configure and press Card configuration, see figure:

Add your first Card Type

In this example we enter Subtask as the first Card type. After that, we can identify the fields that need to appear on the Subtask card. These fields can be selected via the tab Properties. However, as you can see the list with properties is still empty:

Enter Card Fields (Units-of-Measure)

Therefore, the next step is to define a set of fields via the Unit-of-Measure table, which we can assign later as properties that can be selected by Card type within the Card Configuration Editor.

Enter a Status Unit of Measure

A Status field is the most significant Unit-of-Measure, as it determines the workflow steps of a card. The workflow and its steps are fully configurable by the user. For this example, we have created a Status field, with the following values:

Background:

We have linked a Picklist to the status field, representing a workflow with in this case 4 basic steps (Open, In progress, Review and Done):
- If you just prefer to identify "Open" and "Done", you can identify only these 2 statusses;
- You are able to set a default value, which is automatically populated when you create a new card;
The fields can be configured and named as you like to match your own terminology.

Add some standard additional Units-of-Measure (Card properties)

In this example the following additional standard Units-of-measure are added:

Category, (with Picklist);
- Note: other examples are Product group, Section, etc. etc.
Description (you can also select: Multi line text);
- Note: by default any Card will have a short description field, also called Caption, automatically. In this example the Description fields adds a multi-line text box as well, see figure.
Team member (coupled to System User)
- Note: through the Team member field, the name of the User can be shown on the card, so it is clear who is working on a particular Subtask. Therefor, you select the Data type: System User.

Add a Card Size Unit-of-Measure

In this example we add an Estimate field to define the size of the Subtask card, expressed in hours.

The total size (or workload) is calculated as the sum of all individual Subtask Card sizes, which used as an input for determining the remaining duration of a Workpackage by a user and when using Standard Skills (Normal or Virtual) as in this example.

Alternatively, the remaining duration of a workpackage can even be determined fully automatically using Team Skills- see this article.

Note:

To prevent that team members spend a lot of time on detailed estimating, many customer have chosen to use for example T-short sizing (like S,M,L) in combination with a rough estimate in for example Days (like Developer Days or Points).
Subtasks do no need to have an estimate or size field! You can choose just to add a set of cards to a workpackage without any detailed card estimate

Add Unit Of Measures to Cards - Custom Fields

These fields are now added to the Unit of Measures table. But if you select the Properties of the Subtask Card, within the Card Configuration again, these are not visible yet. Therefor, we have to add these Unit of Measures to cards via the Custom Fields.

The reason for this is that, besides cards, the Unit of Measures can be used on other objects as well: Projects, Tasks and Notes. To add these Unit of Measures to the Cards, go to: configure, select Custom Fields and select Card custom fields, see figure:

Press the '+'-sign, and add the fields separately to the Card custom fields, see figure:

Note:

Required: Make sure that this field always has a value, in case of Status, this makes sure that the card will always be shown on the board (it can't be forgotten).
Arrow Up/Down: determines the place of the Custom Field on the card. In the example above the Fields will be in numerical order, but the order can be changed;
ReadOnly: mostly used for fields that are filled in by an external database;
Trigger: The option to include, for instance, an if-statement to trigger a specific action on a card.

Complete your Card Type configuration

Go back to Card Type Configuration to select Card Property fields, which just have been added via the Unit of Measure and the Custom Fields table (see above).

Note:

Show on Card means that the field is shown on the Card Header.
Ensure the Special Property type is set for the Status field and the Estimate field

Auto close cards

Through setting a rule within the 'Auto close' card condition box in the General tab, the card can be automatically closed when a card comply with that condition. In this case, FIELD_0001 equals the status custom field. So, if the cards is moved to the Done column the card will be automatically closed.

Note: setting this rule for automatic closing is optional, however many customers add such and auto-close condition, which also triggers a visual effect (Card is darker, with a visual "tick").

Add a Stream and Board

The TameFlow Kanban configuration options contain many optimization options to tune the workflow the TameFlow way. See also the following articles:

Introduction: Try some TameFlow Kanban Features
More info: Get started with LYNX TameFlow Kanban and Buffer Management.

To create a TameFlow board, go to Configure and select the TameFlow Kanban option. Within this configuration, we will create the Stream and Board on which the cards will be visible. Make sure that as Controling property the Status field is selected. This Controlling property will be the same for the board that are part of a specific stream.

Note:

If you have another card type with a different status field, you should create a separate stream and board within this configuration.

Add a Workpackage and its Cards

As the configuration of Subtask and Lynx TameFlow Stream and Board is completed, we are now able to add cards to projects and workpackages.

Add a project and a Workpackage(s)

Start with adding a new project:

Learn more about how to add a new project in this article: Get started with Lynx for CCPM in 30 minutes and this paragraph.

Once you added and opened a project, add a new Task (5 days) and set this task to Tasktype "Workpackage", via the dropdown under the General tab. Besides, add yourself via the pencil as a Task Manager for this task, see figure:

Note:

There are multiple ways in which you are able to see the cards. For now, the fastest way is to be assigned as a Task Manager, but you can also be assigned as a Resource, Team Manager or Resource Managers (of another resource).

Another way to change the Task to a Workpackage is within the Workpackage tab:

Ensure that Output is selected as the Size Unit-of-Measure (see below). LYNX will calculate a Workpackage size of 40 hours, per default set in the Units-of-measure table.

Note:

The counter on the right side is based on the selection of Show Sum(), selected in the Card Type Properties, see paragraph

Add Cards (Subtasks) via the Cards View

Once a Workpackage is added, you can start adding the first cards, via the Cards view. Use the Goto button and select Cards.

In the example below 4 cards have been added:

Note:

In the top middle, you have the possibility to:
- Sequence: Use the arrows up/down (or drag-and-drop) to move cards higher or lower in the list. This influences the location in the Cards view, but also the location of the cards on the TameFlow board. Typically Cards that are on top of the list are expected to be completed first.
- In/outdent: Create Parents/Childs cards, for instance "split" a Card in multiple sub cards.

The 4 cards represent in total 28 hours, which also means that the team or team member still has room to add more cards later via the TameFlow board, without extending the Workpackage duration (working the Agile or Kanban way requires this room to manoeuvre):

Prepare for getting Cards done

If you have assigned yourself as a Task Manager, you have the option to skip this task. But, it could be helpful to understand the process of assigning skills and resources to a task or workpackage. This is needed to publish cards on the LYNX TameFlow board for the selected Team Member(s) or resources.

Create Skill and Resource

Create (normal) skill

To create a skill, open Configure, and select Skill. Within the skill table, you can create a skill and more in not really needed in this case.

Create Resource

Likewise, you are able to create a resource. Within this example, we use Mike Dempsey but you can also create yourself. Therefor open Configure again, select Resources and add a new Resource via the '+'sign. Besides you should select a calendar for this resource.

After that, you should do two more things: 1) select yourself as the user of this resource and 2) select the skill that we have just created:

Assign a "Skill" to a Workpackage

We recommend to always first assign a Skill as a Resource Requirement, before confirming a named a resource (principle of Late binding). The latter can always be done later, upon starting of a workpackage.

There are multiple option to assign skills to a task/workpackage:

Via the Skill tab on the right side of the project;
Via the Resource Requirements tab, and then select Edit;
Via the Resource Requirements in the table, and then select Add:

Route Cards to the board of Mike Dempsey

To make sure that the cards show up on (your/) Mike Dempseys' board. The following conditions are applicable:

Configuration:
- Mike Dempsey must exists in Lynx as a user and have a role that grants him access to the Workpackage when it is published in other screens (My activities and Taskboard). In this example the role of a Resource User is assigned to Mike via the "Resource Table" .
  - Note: Read more about roles in these articles: User Roles and Adding Users by Invitation and Distribution of Tasks and Workpackages via My activities.
Process conditions:
1. The "Project Status" should be set from "Not started" to "Released"
2. Mike should be assigned (or confirmed) as a resource to the Skill Designer for "Workpackage"
3. The Workpackage status should also be set to "Started"

The process conditions are intended to ensure that the volume of Work-in-process is being kept as low as possible (being the amount of cards published on a Taskboard): it is not productive if cards are published for workpackages that are not started yet, when they are only scheduled several months from now for example.

Process Conditions for publishing Cards on the Taskboard of Mike

In the screenshot below the 3 process conditions mentioned above are illustrated:

Project Status is "Released"
Mike is assigned (or confirmed) as a resource to the Skill Designer for "Workpackage"
Workpackage status is "Started"

The project is released:

Mike is assigned:

The Workpackage is Started:

Now you can open Lynx TameFlow and the see the cards from the workpackage!

Extra: Standard Skills or Team Skills

In this article we are using assignment of Standard Skills. However, it is also possible to introduce and work with a Team Skill. Through the use of a Team Skill it is possible to automatically calculate the (remaining) duration of a workpackage, from a Team Productivity estimate and the size of a workpackage (expressed in hours, points, etc.).

See this article with more information on configuration of Standard Skills as used in this example: Skill and Resource Configuration
See this introduction article to get started with a Team Skill: Get started with a Team Skill
See also this article to learn more about the concept of Team Skills LYNX TameFlow Main Concepts and Implementation Choices

Articles in this section

Get Started - Lynx TameFlow!

Introduction

Card Set-up and Configuration

Define your first Card Type