Solve (Solve a Problem)

Got a problem that’s blocking progress on a key project? With the Solve app, you can easily set up a challenge for employees to contribute fresh solutions. Read below to learn more about this process and how to progress through the pipeline.

 

Table of Contents

• Getting Started
• Selecting a Great Topic
• Access
• *Updated* Responsive/Challenge Brief Home Page
• Pipeline Step View
• Challenge Feedback Survey

Getting Started

• To get started, navigate to your Products screen and select the Solve app.

 

• Once there, select Set Up Solve Challenge

• Follow the steps and fill out the required information to complete the wizard.

 

Selecting a Great Topic

PRE-SCREEN

Challenge Sponsors will reach out to you for a broad range of issues. Encourage your Sponsors to select Solve Challenge Topics that will result in an actionable solution. Start by screening out topics that are too broad or cannot be implemented in the near-term.

• The Right Problem - A Solve Challenge is meant to tackle a black-and-white problem where, once the right solution is applied, the problem is resolved once and for all. Solve Challenges are NOT about continual, incremental improvement, where you might slowly chip away at a problem over time.
• Ability to Execute - For the given topic, ensure that the Sponsor has budget to support the expected cost of implementing the solution. Ideally, Sponsors should plan for solution implementation costs at the onset of the budget planning cycle.

TOPIC SELECTION CRITERIA

The following criteria will separate a great Solve Challenge topic from a good Solve Challenge topic. Work with your Challenge Sponsor to evaluate potential topics against these criteria to select the topic that will result in a solution with the highest potential outcomes.

• Strategic Alignment - The best topics are aligned with the underlying strategic goals of the organization. 
• Topic Definition - The topic should be focused and clear; the audience must understand exactly what the Sponsor needs help with.
• Audience Engagement - Choose a topic that is interesting to the target audience, to drive widespread and deep engagement.
• Audience Expertise- The best topics leverage untapped audience expertise that already exists within the organization; there should be a high likelihood that someone, somewhere within the company, has the capability to come up with a solution.
• Crowdsource Benefit - The topic should be challenging enough such that it cannot be solved simply by getting a few local teammates together in a room. The best solution can be found by leveraging the abilities and perspectives across departmental, functional, and geographical boundaries.
• Solution Value - The opportunity (net of implementation costs) should have a projected value greater than $250k.

ACCESS

When setting up a Solve challenge, you can select user groups with participants who will be able to contribute to your topic. Users given general access will be able to see the challenge once it launches, while those given early access can see it before launch. During the challenge creation process, you can select users and groups for each access type.

• If a desired group does not exist, users can be imported into a new group that will have access to the challenge.
• To import, upload a completed template with all users intended to be in the group, and choose a group name.
• New accounts are created for users that do not have an existing one.

 

*UPDATED* Responsive/Challenge Brief Home Page

• Once you create your new Solve challenge, you will be brought to your newly updated Challenge brief home page!
  • This new design includes a modern design layout, easier editing, and mobile responsiveness out of the box!
  • A Visual Check-In feature displays the most recent users who have checked in to the challenge site (had an initial view of the challenge site) with the highest affinity rank to the user.
  • A Challenge Brief Q&A section allows users to provide feedback on the effectiveness of the challenge brief.
    • Users can ask questions and make comments on the challenge brief and give a thumbs up/down on whether it was clear.
  • This new page makes it easier to add in images and text to help break down and explain the problem you are trying to solve.
  • The new Challenge Brief page takes information from the Solve Setup Wizard including Title, Description, Challenge Sponsor, and challenge dates.
  • Every new challenge brief will come with stock information and imagery to help you shape your own challenge topic.

• Here, you can update site hero image, change your submission form, and more!
• For more suggested edits, refer to our Solve App - Launch Playbook here.
• Review this list of user roles that are recommended for the Solve app here.

 

 

• Going forward, all new Solve challenges will have the new default design. However, you can still revert to the previous Solve default design under Site Setup > Site > General Settings.
  • Navigate to the After Login Page dropdown and select Home Page to revert:

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• Important things to note about the Challenge Brief Home Page :
  • The home page does not support any standard widgets.
  • The home page does not support public initiative settings, users must be authenticated before they can view the page!
  • The overall page layout and design is not editable, however, the content within the Rich Text areas can be edited as required. 
  • The rich text widgets on the page will not automatically update based on site configuration and must be updated manually.

Pipeline Steps View

 

• After successfully creating your Solve challenge, you will see that it comes with preconfigured stages and steps.  
• To navigate there, select Admin > Manage Pipeline
• For a quick recap on the overall Solve process flow, refer to this process overview here.

• The Solve App comes with the following out of the box preconfigured stages and steps:
  • Evaluation
    • Rate Potential Solutions
    • Evaluate Potential Solutions
    • Prepare for Handoff
  • Implementation 
    • Monitor Project
  • Solution Applied 
  • Track Business Impact

 

Evaluation

• Rate Potential Solutions
• As potential solutions are submitted by participants, they are automatically added into this first step.
• This step comes pre-configured as a "Single Scale" tool type. Single scale action items are sent to evaluators to quickly rate.
• After all evaluations have been completed, move the top rated submissions to the following step.

• Evaluate Potential Solutions
• This step comes pre-configured as a "Scorecard" tool type.
• As potential solutions are added to this step, evaluation scorecard action items are triggered to evaluators to assess the potential impact and feasibility.

 

• Prepare for Handoff
• Any solutions that are added to this step have been selected for implementation. The challenge is now complete!
• There is no configured tool type for this step.
• The selected solution(s) should be announced and the Sponsor Survey should be sent to the sponsor to determine whether the challenge was successful or not.
• The solutions will remain in this step until the implementing team begins work on the project.

 

Implementation

• Monitor Project
• All ‘projects’ in this step are currently being implemented, and are monitored by the Sponsor and innovation team.
• There is no configured tool type for this step.

 

Solution Applied

• Track Business Impact
• Once the solution is applied, the innovation team (in partnership with the Sponsor’s team) track the qualitative and quantitative impact.
• There is no configured tool type for this step.

 

 

Challenge Feedback Survey

• After completing your Solve challenge, send a survey to your Challenge Sponsor to build your track record and uncover ways to improve. 
• To get started, navigate to your Solve Challenge Pipeline menu, and select 'Feedback Survey'

• Once there, select 'Send Survey' to compose your email to your Sponsor. Here, you can add in any further text or dynamic fields to send to your Sponsor.

• Once all set, select 'Send Survey'
• The Sponsor will then receive an email with a link to the survey.  
• Note! The survey is responsive for mobile devices! 
• The Sponsor will receive a survey much like the below:

• Once the Sponsor completes the survey, all Site administrators will be notified to navigate back to the "Feedback Survey" to view the results. 
• Note: Questions and answers cannot be edited at this time.