Task Checklist functionality

[beth_murphy]

We are piloting the Task Checklist functionality and some concerns came up which I am hoping to get some feedback from other companies on how they use Task Checklists.  The user does not have the task checklist visible to them, the only way we can see to do this is to add the individual tasks to the description of the TC item or create an item cover page.  There are 2 concerns with this, one being we have some that have 10+ tasks & would be time-consuming & the other concern is that if the tasks change & the description/cover page doesn't get updated then it may not always align to what the Task Checklist displays to the User & Observer.

One other concern we received was that as an Admin with Proxy right you can launch proxy for the user and select an observer.  And then you can proxy the observer selected and complete the task checklist for them.  We did reach out to SF and the solution was to remove the workflow for Edit Task but we have several admin roles we would have to do this for and some need to have the ability to edit a task.

And, lastly, the feedback we received on the functionality is they would like to have the employee somehow confirm they have been trained, not just the observer performing that confirmation by recording the completion of the TC. How do other companies handle that?  Since we are all in a regulated industry we (through our current paper process) have the employee/trainee & trainer both sign-off showing completion of tasks.

Any feedback would be much appreciated!

[pdumont]

Hi Beth,

I would add that the tasks are not localized, which may lead to a multiplication of the tasks and related items to be created and maintained.

Maybe you could put all this in an enhancement request?

My experience is that clients don't use tasks and rather document them in the item description, because task maintenance is too time consuming. The observer provides his observation to a Training Coordinator, who then records item completion or failure.

[beth_murphy]

Thanks for the feedback!  Can you explain a little further the information regarding the process where the observer provides his observation to the Coordinator.  Is this a paper process where they turn it in and then it gets data entered manually in the LMS?  And, if so, is the paper document retained for a time period per the company's record retention policy?

[Zachary_Menshou]

@beth murphy  - I assume your question is for @Pauline Dumont .  I can explain how a post-Task Checklist eSignature process would work if desired.

[beth_murphy]

Yes, that would be helpful if you can explain the Post-Task Checklist eSignature would work. 

For your company do you have a process in place for the employee that covers any Quality or Legal concerns about their consent of the task checklist being completed without the employee actually doing anything in the LMS except selecting the observer?

Thanks!

[pdumont]

Hi Beth,

yes exactly. 

The paper is scanned and stored as per the retention policy. And the document is referenced in the comment field by the Training Coordinator when he records the learning event.

[beth_murphy]

Thanks for the clarification!  That is the process we have currently and are trying to streamline it by doing everything online if possible.

[Zachary_Menshou]

@beth murphy  My organization uses Task Checklists for regulatory compliance.  Hopefully I can provide some insight/help for you based on our own usage.

Trainee Visibility of a Task Checklist Prior to Evaluation

Concerning your need for the trainees to see the checklist.  Unfortunately, there is no "easy" way for this to occur.  You mention re-entry of the task checklist on the item description page.  This is what some of our business units do -- by entering the task checklist on a cover page of the item.  It is time-consuming and a very manual process.  Our previous LMS easily allowed for this functionality, so transitioning to a system so burdensome was tough to swallow.

Admin Proxying

Although this doesn't appear to be something you want, we've found this to be a lifesaver.  Our previous LMS provided a very user-friendly process to use user demographic data to dictate exactly who to send the evaluation to (similar to Assignment Profile logic).  In SF Learning, we find many users struggle with selecting (or fully completing the selection) of an appropriate evaluator.  We use admin proxying a lot to fulfill the evaluation request for users who struggle with the interface.

Trainee Sign-Off

The best I can think of is that you may want to explore eSignature with a Task Checklist.  After the Task Checklist is marked complete the user would then need to use eSignature to validate credit.  This would probably satisify your need...BUT it provides another layer of complexity -- essentially needing the Evaluator to sign-off, the Trainee to sign-off, and then an eSignature Approver to sign-off.

I believe everything you have mentioned are valid and reasonable functionality features customers should expect to have in the system.  I am support of (and would vote for) any/all of your needs as viable product enhancements.  Additionally, the following are things we discovered that are detrimental for standard system Task Checklist utilization for highly regulated industries.

1. No Standard Reports exist for Task Checklists.  It is very difficult to use system functionality that customers are unable to report on.  We have developed Custom Reports that we would be willing to share -- we'd prefer to share with SuccessFactors so that the reports can be used as a baseline for addition to standard reports for all customers.
2. Tasks are limited to 200 characters.  Technical tasks with specific details may not be supported as they are likely longer than 200 characters.
3. No N/A option for any tasks.
4. ISD information is not visible to instructor/evaluator, only LMS admins.
5. You cannot provide "Blended Training" with ONLINE content prior to a Task Checklist.  The moment you add ONLINE content, it negates the usability of a Task Checklist.  Users will only receive the online content -- no Checklist.

[beth_murphy]

Thanks Zachary for your feedback! 

My intention is to put in an enhancement request once I have been able to review all the comments & feedback. 

One other piece that I did not put in my post was around our desire to have the functionality in the future where 2 different observers could complete tasks within the same Task Checklist item assigned to an employee.  We have several operations areas that have more than one trainer for a particular task checklist and the work-around we have is to put in the comments of those tasks who the trainer was if different than the observer, but this as you can imagine is a time-consuming process. 

Agree with you on the reports, we would welcome any that you have created but it would be most helpful to have them as standard reports.  We haven't had issues yet with the task character limit but can see where that may happen as we roll this out to areas outside our pilot group.  One question is ISD information is not visible to the instructor/evaulator, what are you referring to here?

[Zachary_Menshou]

@beth murphy  When building a task there is an ISD Analysis section that has space for things such as Task Condition, Initiating Cues, Terminating Cues, Task Standards, Consequences of Inadequate Performance, Tools & Equipment, Required PPE, etc.  These things would be very useful for the evaluator to have access to while performing an evaluation, but it is only visible to administrators -- neither trainees nor evaluators (instructors).

[BrianLearnTech]

Thanks for the offer to share the custom Task Checklist report.

Could you post the ZIP file attachement to this thread?

Thanks,

Brian

[Zachary_Menshou]

@BrianLearnTech  I'll work on getting a post in the Custom Report Exchange (if I hadn't already done that) and provide links to Report Exchange post inside a reply to this thread.

[BrianLearnTech]

Can you provide some guidance on how to  locate teh "Custom Report Exchange". I didn't know such a thing existed. Thanks.

[Zachary_Menshou]

It used to be really easy to get to in the older community interface... now not so much. It is just another sub-forum of the Learning forums..but I too am struggling to get there with this new interface.

[pdumont]

Hi Zachary,

could it be this one?

https://community.successfactors.com/t5/Custom-Report-Exchange-Forum/bd-p/Report_Exchange

Best Regards,

Pauline

[mpond]

Hello,

Within the new community look and feel here is where you can find the LMS Custom Report Exchange.   This group is where you can find reports created by other users and also share reports that you have created and think others might find valuable.   These are all use as your own risk however its pretty easy load and test a report in your test instance.   If its not beneficial or what you are looking for a quick delete will erase it from your system.

Community Home Page > Products > Learning > Quick Links at the top > Custom Report Exchange Forum

I hope this helps,

Michelle

[Zachary_Menshou]

Thanks @MichellePondSAP I glazed over that area of the site and was looking for it in "Discussions and Groups."  Thanks for pointing that out (and making me aware of the obvious).  

[BrianLearnTech]

Yes, this is the place. Will you be posting your Task Check List report there?

Brian

[Zachary_Menshou]

@BrianLearnTech - Yes it is.  It is now posted.  See link below.

https://community.successfactors.com/t5/Custom-Report-Exchange-Forum/Task-Checklist-Results-Report/m...