Introduction

This article describes how to get started with LYNX TameFlow.  The following topics will be addressed:

• Set-up and Configuration
• 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 Taskboard, 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:

• Get started with LYNX for CCPM in 30 minutes
• LYNX TameFlow - Setting the Scene
• LYNX TameFlow Main Concepts and Implementation Choices
• Get started with LYNX TameFlow Kanban and Buffer Management
• LYNX TameFlow Card Type Configuration Templates

Download the Manual (Optional)

If you prefer you can also download the manual, holding all screen captures used in this article, at the bottom of this article.

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:

The next step is to identify the fields that need to appear on a 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 will appear later again 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. 

Explanation:

• 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 want to identify "Open" and "Done", you can identify only these 2 states
  • 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 Team member can be shown on the card, so it is clear who is working on a particular Subtask. See figure 2.

Figure 2: Team member coupled to 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

You've now added these fields to the Unit of Measures. But if you now press Card Configuration and Properties of the Subtask card, these are not visible yet. Therefor, you have to add these Unit of Measures to cards via the Custom Fields. Again go to: configure, press Custom Fields and select Card custom fields, see figure:

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

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). 

 Notes:

• 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

 

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 a 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.

In this example we just will set-up one Stream, with one Board, without selecting further options. 

Ensure that as Controling property the Status field is selected!

 

Add a Workpackage and its Cards

As the configuration of Subtask and LYNX TameFlow Stream and Board is completed, you can now start adding 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:

Or via 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. 

Add Cards (Subtasks) via the Cards View

Once a Workpackage is added, you can start adding the first cards, via the Cards view. In the example below 3 cards have been added:

 

The 3 cards represent in total 32 hours, which also means that the team or team member still has room to add more cards later via the Taskboard, without extending the Workpackage duration (working the Agile or Kanban way requires this room to manoeuvre)

Sequence Cards

Via the Cards View it is also possible to sequence Cards. Typically Cards that are on top of the list are expected to be completed first. You can use the arrows on top of the screen or just use drag-and-drop.

The Cards will also be published on the TameFlow board later, in the sequence as set via this Cards View (and My activities Cards View):

 

Prepare for getting Cards done

The next step is assign skills and resources, and eventually publishing cards on the LYNX TameFlow board to the selected Team Member(s) or resources. 

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. 

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

Route Cards to the board of Mike Dempsey

The following conditions for showing cards on the board of Mike are applicable:

• Configuration:
  • Mike 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 "This is a 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.

Add yourself as a "Design" resource and resource user ("Mike")

 LYNX needs to know which user-ID belongs to a resource defined in the resource table:

 

Process Conditions for publishing Cards on the Taskboard of Mike

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

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

The project is released:

Mike is assigned:

 The Workpackage is Started:

 

Continue with the next article: Get Cards done with the LYNX TameFlow Taskboard