RDI

05 Jun 2024 / Workflows

The trigger, evidence, action loop

A workflow is a closed loop, not a feature list. Two examples make the shape concrete.

Field note

Workflows are not features. A feature is a button or a screen. A workflow is a closed loop that begins with a trigger and ends with a recorded outcome. The same shape applies whether the work is a progress dispute or a near-miss on a stair core.

A progress example

The trigger is straightforward: a programme dispute raised at the weekly OAC meeting about whether a wall section was complete on the date claimed. The evidence is a time-aligned record of that area, cross-checked against the programme baseline and the delivery docket for the relevant material. Interpretation compares the captured state to the claimed state. Action either closes the dispute or escalates to a formal claim. The outcome is logged so the next dispute starts from a settled record.

A safety example

The trigger is a near-miss reported by a foreman: a load swing came close to a working group below. The evidence is the captured footage of that lift, plus the plan-of-the-day that should have established an exclusion zone. Interpretation asks whether the procedure was followed and whether the exclusion was clear. Action routes the finding to the lifting supervisor with a 48-hour response. Outcome captures the procedural change and closes the loop.

  • Trigger names the condition that starts the work.
  • Evidence is the record that supports the next step.
  • Interpretation gives the record meaning in context.
  • Action assigns a step with an owner and a clock.
  • Outcome records what changed and what closed.

Field notes are part of the public RDI reference. For shorter definitions, use the glossary. For full reference articles, see the knowledge base.