Feedback task progression management overview
A task is a discrete action that must be completed as part of a wider feedback case. Each task has three constituent elements that are defined as part of its configuration: an owner (automatically determined through the overarching stage), a service level agreement (dictating the duration over which it must be completed) and, optionally, a direct relationship to other prerequisite or dependent tasks. Task ownership always mirrors that of the associated feedback stage and can be linked to multiple user accounts and roles.
Depending on the complexity of any given feedback task, it will likely be progressed in phases, with each phase being thought of as an event within the lifecycle of the task. As events are added to the task, a historical picture of the progression status is compiled, ready for further review and analysis. In terms of the completion deadline allotted to the task, the expectations placed on the owner are governed by the overarching Service Level Agreement (SLA), as defined by the housing organisation in line with their published customer charter. Whilst the SLA operates right down to specific task level, it is applied in the wider context of other dependent tasks that coexist within the parent feedback stage. The SLA is set within the task definition, comprising a unit (days, weeks, months) and a period multiplier (an integer). Therefore, the target completion date for a live task is automatically calculated from the associated definition, based on the planned start date. Undoubtedly, there will be circumstances arising outside of the owner's control which they can influence through the adjustment of the planned target completion date. An owner also has the ability to place a task on hold in situations where no action can be taken for a set period of time, and where the SLA might otherwise be unavoidably exceeded. For instance, it would be legitimate to place on hold a case where a follow-up telephone call has been scheduled with the principal complainant who is known to be on holiday. As part of the process, a future release date would also need to be specified, ensuring that no open tasks remain static without a set progression point. Any number of discrete notes can also be appended to the feedback task as an aide memoir to the owner, these appearing as separate entries within the event log.
From an end user perspective, all assigned feedback tasks can readily be viewed and progressed via the 'cases and tasks' Home pane. This is in essence a 'to do' list, with real time information presented on the status of each task. Simply by double-clicking on an entry included within the list, an end user can launch and progress the task.
Separate help articles have been created for each key aspect of feedback task progression management, including: