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Planview Customer Success Center

Overview: Challenges

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Overview

A Challenge is a time-bound event (unless it's an Always On challenge) that seeks to gather input from an audience or crowd around a specific question or topic. This short video explains "what is a challenge" in more depth. Duration 3 min.

How it Works

Challenge functionality is at the core of the Planview IdeaPlace platform. Inside IdeaPlace, the term Challenge relates to an area of the platform where ideation happens. The challenge functionality is flexible and can run the traditional time-bound events, longer continuous improvement, or LEAN events, and even post-idea selection workflows. The key element is that the term Challenge refers to a space in the platform rather than methodologies per se.

Why should we ideate inside challenge frameworks?

  • Challenges have a full set of IdeaPlace functionality which provides the ultimate flexibility.
  • The use of phases, including pairwise, and predictions allow broader methodologies to be utilized.
  • Common methodologies employed are:
    • Challenge / Timed Event
    • Always on / Continuous Improvement / LEAN / Six Sigma
    • Rapid IdeaPlace (a short, sharp, single event methodology—hours long rather than days)
    • Post selection/implementation workflows
  • Challenges can be run with closed crowds, demographic-based crowds, and more public or inclusive crowds.
  • Visibility of challenges can be controlled easily on a challenge-to-challenge basis.
  • Challenge spaces can be cloned easily to scale up your innovation program.

Challenge spaces are always parented from a community. This means that they can operate semi-autonomously from their parent, but within the database (and often the user journey), they are inextricably linked.

Ideation is still possible inside the older style communities but it lacks the flexibility to utilize phases and predictions. This can limit options with regard to methodology and implementation.

           

NOTE

 The status of an archived Challenge cannot be changed.

           

 

           

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can I create a challenge, and use that configuration again?

A. Yes. Challenges can be fully configured, then saved as a template. The result is that when the next challenge is created, the template can be used to install all key elements (including widget content and design) into the new challenge. Please note that ideas, comments, reviews, and evaluations are not cloned.

 

Q. Is it possible to inherit users and user data from the parent community?

A. Yes. This is a key part of the challenge construction. Unless using a template, the challenge will take the configuration of its parent community (which includes users and user details).

 

Q. When creating a challenge, can I make it visible in multiple communities?

A. Yes. When creating a challenge, it is normally visible within its parent community's Activity Stream and Challenge Carousel. However, if it is set to Private-Required Login in Site Themes and Access Settings, then it will be visible to users who may have access to other communities inside the instance.

 

Q. Can I run the same challenge content in multiple languages or to different crowds?

Yes. Challenges could, in theory, run the same content, at the same time, to different audiences or crowds. This works well when using IdeaPlace languages. If you are using languages, please remember that only the labels and navigation buttons are translated, not the administrator or user-entered configuration.

 

Q. Who can access the New Challenge button?

A. This is limited in the parent community to Administrators. This role has the ability to create and edit challenges. The Administrator can designate a Challenge Sponsor, and that role can edit the Challenge they are sponsoring once it has been created.

 

Q. Once I have created a challenge, can I change its URL?

A. No, changing a URL is not possible. The only point at which you can select the URL is at the new challenge creation point. Please note that the URL will not accept special characters or extra "." characters.

 

Q. If I mark a challenge as Draft will it launch?

A. No—and it will only be visible to Challenge Sponsors and Administrators until it is set to Scheduled. If you set a launch time and leave the challenge in draft mode, then miss that time to switch it to Scheduled, your challenge will not launch. Only challenges set as Scheduled will launch.

 

Q. When my challenge closes, it is marked as Closed. What does Archived mean?

A. Archived is the equivalent of Draft but in the closed state. Setting a challenge space as Archived means that it is no longer visible to any user who previously had access to the challenge. This is an excellent way to remove visibility on a challenge.

 

Q. I noticed that when my challenge launched, I could not edit the first phase anymore. Is that correct?

A. Yes. Challenge phases lock out once they become active. This is the design of the system and it cannot be overridden. Please plan your phase activities carefully to avoid mistakes. Pairwise and Predictions can only be used once in a challenge so please ensure that you correctly configure their availability, should you be using them.

 

Q. When are new account points awarded?/When are points awarded upon login to a Challenge or Community?

A. New Account Currency is a community-specific setting. The points can be awarded through multiple Communities/Challenges, but only once per Community/Challenge. It's recommended that New Account should be the same for each Community/Challenge. In order for the points to be awarded, the user must access the Community/Challenge directly. The currency will not be awarded until the user logs in for the first time.