Overview
The recent update to the UNTAP web app, version 1.5.0, introduces significant enhancements and new features aimed at improving user experience, operational efficiency, and the overall functionality of the system.
This release focuses on:
- New Value Creation Plan module
- Major updates to the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) List
- Addition of a Risk/Issues pane.
Value Creation Plan: New Initiative Management Home Page
The Value Creation Plan (VCP) module has been completely refreshed to make it more intuitive, fast and user-friendly, focusing on aligning initiatives directly with business goals.
The new VCP starts from the Initiative Management home page containing a clear summary view of all Initiatives (Projects) offering a great overview of activities happening in the VCP.
Each Initiative is managed directly in the detailed VCP page accessible by double-clicking on the name of the Initiative in the list.
Value Creation Planning: Initiatives Pages
The new Initiative pages (VCP IP) are designed to streamline and enhance the process of managing activities and collaboration. This tool transforms how initiatives are structured, reported, and collaborated on, bringing several new capabilities and improvements:
Initiative Page Overview
The VCP IP provides a configurable and structured approach to problem-solving and project management. The team collaborating on a specific Initiative can use the VCP tool to collaborate and share information on their activities in a clear and complete format.
The default structure of the VCP includes problem definition, background information, root cause analyses, recommendations, outlining action plans, and linking relevant KPIs. The VCP tool ensures that all aspects of an initiative are captured and managed effectively, tailored to the unique requirements of each project.
Action Plan
The Action Plan for each initiative is now part of the VCP IP, providing a faster and dedicated work process for the team to collaborate on. The plan can be expanded by clicking on the arrows on the top right corner, to allow a more detailed view of the actions and timeline.
When you click on the expand button, you will see a comprehensive overview of the entire plan, including detailed timelines for each task and their progress across different quarters. This expanded view gives the user better visibility to keep track of the actions in the action plan.
Editable Textboxes
The VCP IP features editable textboxes in each section, allowing users to easily update and modify content as the initiative progresses. This flexibility ensures that the tool remains dynamic and responsive to changes in the project environment.
Linked KPIs
Users can view and analyze the impact of initiatives on key performance indicators, making it easier to measure success and make data-driven decisions. This integration ensures that all performance metrics are directly tied to company objectives, facilitating better tracking and management of business strategies.
Quality Assurance Process Overview
The VCP IP incorporates a robust optional Quality Assurance Process (QAP), ensuring that each initiative meets high standards before achieving a "Passed" status. The QAP can be activate/defined by the Admin user and involves several checks and controls that validate the thoroughness and accuracy of the information provided for the Initiative. By following these standards, users can ensure that their initiatives are well-defined, actionable, and continuously monitored for progress. The quality assurance process helps maintain consistency, reliability, and effectiveness in managing and executing initiatives.
Collaboration Hub
The Initiative Management Home Page is at the heart of the collaboration. Users can work collaboratively within the tool and share updates with other participants in the initiative to provide feedback. This team environment helps support teamwork, engaging and informing all stakeholders in the life cycle of an initiative.
Changes to KPI-List
Objectives List Display:
- Optimization: The objectives list display has been optimized for better visibility and navigation, aiming to improve user efficiency in managing KPIs. This includes clearer distinction between different KPIs and improved categorization.
Addition of New KPIs:
- Direct Addition: When adding a KPI, it is no longer necessary to publish it for it to be enabled. Once a KPI is added, it is automatically published in the system. This change should speed up the data entry process and ensure consistency.
Configuring and Editing a KPI:
- Basic Configuration: The basic configuration pane allows users to enter essential details such as the name, owner, deputy, format, frequency, and definition of the KPI.
- Target Configuration: In this pane, users can set the target values for the KPI. The pane provides fields for entering the target value and selecting the tracker type. Additionally, users can configure the target by period, specifying start and end dates for each target period.
- Optional Configuration: This pane allows users to enter additional details such as the data source URL, exit target value, and exit target date. Users can also choose a template from the KPI Library that corresponds to the KPI being configured.
- Relations Pane: A new pane will be introduced where users can apply and view relations of the KPI. This pane is designed to enhance the contextual understanding of the KPI by showing its connections with other KPIs, Initiatives, Actions and Risk and Issues and relevant company metrics.
Bulk Actions Overview
The new Bulk Actions allows users to perform large-scale edits efficiently. This feature enables assigning owners, deputies, and tags to multiple selected KPIs simultaneously, significantly reducing the time and effort required for manual updates and ensuring consistency across the KPI management process.
Filtering Improvements:
- Advanced Filtering: Enhanced filtering options now allow users to locate specific KPIs based on multiple criteria. This improvement is expected to save time and improve the precision of searches.
Risk/Issues List Overview
The new Risk/Issues list allows users to effectively manage and track potential risks and issues. This feature provides a clear categorization of risks and issues, detailed entries including owner, impact, probability, and the number of KPIs impacted. It also supports action tracking and tagging for better organization. By centralizing risk and issue management, this pane enhances accountability and ensures proactive measures are taken to mitigate potential impacts on business operations.
Conclusion
The UNTAP web app version 1.5.0 introduces substantial improvements and new features designed to enhance user experience and operational efficiency. Key updates include the optimized KPI-List, the new VCP tool and the addition of a comprehensive Risk/Issues pane. These changes are designed to streamline processes, improve usability, and provide more robust functionality within the system, ensuring that users can effectively manage and execute their business strategies.