Section 8.5. Extending the Application

8.5. Extending the Application

This is a simple version of an application that I have used in several projects. It is most likely to be part of a larger effort including the application in Chapter 7. The data on completed items is the input to the Chapter 7 application. Keeping the data available after an item is complete also allows you to add more functions to this chapter's application.

Sometimes it is helpful to make the arrows on the Display sheet clickable (like the charts). A report and chart can be displayed showing how many work items have moved through that arrow during a given period of time, giving a more complete picture of the operation. It is also possible to change the thickness of the arrows to indicate the relative amount of work moving in different parts of the workflow.

The data from finished work items could also be used to populate an application like the one in Chapter 6. This could let managers know if there is a change in the work process.

The important point is that the same data can be used to answer different questions.