Transparency Newsletter
Table of Contents
YEAR IN REVIEW
This section revisits some of the questions posed in last year’s report.
This section reflects on the level of transparency within and across portfolios. REFLECTION 2
This section explores ideas for enhancing our team and guiding future initiatives.
April 2023 - April 2024
Year in Review
Which Phase of the Design Process Do You Think is the Most Overlooked?
Analyze (identify training needs and goals)
Design (create blueprint/outline)
Develop (prototype learning materials)
Evaluate Editing (gather feedback from learners) (send to Jess/SME for review)
Without proper analysis,Ioftendon'tfullyunderstandlearners’ needs, leading to content that doesn't resonate with them.
I think kickoffmeetings and a focusonameasurablebusiness metrictoimprove are sometimes overlooked.
I just don't know if I've specifically ever done this When a new project comes to me, I have assumed the SME has already determined this and amnotsurehowtofurtheranalyze.
Blueprinting & outlining can be easily overlooked. SMEs sometimes want to go in another direction after seeing them, so having asolidoutlinebeforedevelopmentsavestime.
I sometimes feel like we're"throwninto"aprojectwithout room for analysis and flexibility on design / methods. Actionmapping/otherpre-workensuresuccess, but are sometimes overlooked.
In my portfolio, there are rarelyanyopportunitiestodesign/ develop learning content that isn't a workshop or SRG / QRG. Often, thereisn’tenoughtimeforthoroughcontentcreation. While there are timelines established for developing content, those areoftenoverriddenwhenaSMEsendscontentlate. Once content goes live, Idon'teverknowhowwellit'sdoing. I’ll sometimes send a module for peer feedback, but that's about it.
I feel that we do a good job of evaluating before publishing, but post-publication,Ihaven’tseenusassess if the training is engaging or something that the learners are wanting / needing. We hardly hear learner feedback / become a part of evaluation for improvements.
Some of my work is finalized without Jess’s review. For some, the contentissosmallthatitseemslikeawasteoftimetoinvolve her. In other instances, I’mgivensomethingwithturnaround timetooquickforhertofeasiblyreviewit. Iwishwehadanothereditor; I feel Jess is overloaded with work.
Rate Familiarity with Other Teams’ Major Projects
In what way(s) could transparency be improved within your portfolio moving forward?
UNDERSTANDING WORK ASSIGNMENTS
Disclosingwhyacertainproject/taskwasassigned to me vs. to another team member
Moreunderstandingofwhateachpersondoesandforwhat departments. Not exactly sure what some people are working on or how I could possibly help if they needed it.
Idon'tknowwhatmypeersareworkingon unless I ask.
RECEIVING FEEDBACK
Using portfolio/team meetings as an opportunity to receive feedback on a project: While this is always an option, I think there needs to be more of an expectation that IDs bring up a challenge or question with a project, and then the team spends time discussing how to address it.
UTILIZING TRELLO
Continuing to integrate Trello/Kanban: Seeing how to leverage chattoimprovecrosscollaborationandcommunicationthatis bakedintoourdailyroutine.
Now that we have moved into Trello, transparency has improved. This year, as we learnmoreaboutdifferentfeaturesTrello offers, I think transparency will continue to improve.
INCONSISTENT
Sometimes High, Sometimes Low
It's apparent that portfolios manage their materials differently. It would be nice to have a level of semblance between portfolios, so if someone was to move from one portfolio to another, the processes would be familiar.
Reflecting on how effectively information flows across portfolios, which best describes how you feel about project/team updates? 70%
I have noticed a lack of transparency when projects are assigned to an ID in a different portfolio and the portfolio that “owns” the training material is unaware that the material is being updated. This has led to confusion among the IDs involved.
20%
OFTEN NOT ENOUGH COMMUNICATION
A handout was updated by someone outside our portfolio without our knowledge, but it also exists in our workshop materials. We found out later in the updating process and had to revisit those slides to align. This could've been prevented if the appropriate team was made aware of the update.
Completed an SRG originally meant for medical but later included FO. I shared the completed and signed off SRG as well who I collaborated with. I was met with questions about why I worked on it and told that they’d need to review it and have their SMEs approve it.
There is a lack of transparency across portfolios as I have no idea what the other portfolios are working on and feel like some team members don't want others outside their portfolio to help.
10%
MEETS MY NEEDS
The Current Level is Ideal
I've seen transparency positively impact work during Epic Upgrades. The IDs in all portfolios attended SME reviews together and also shared and reviewed release notes so that training for shared changes look uniform across portfolios.
The ROC and FO portfolios maintain close communication with weekly touch base calls. Despite some gray areas where a topic might overlap both portfolios, clear and constant communication allows us to delegate tasks to the appropriate portfolio without much needing to be “handed off.”
The transparency during XP templating was helpful in knowing the current status of PPTs and also understanding what other team members were working on. It also provided an opportunity to collaborate across portfolios.
April 2024 - April 2025
Wishlist
What types of projects would you like to work on in the future?
Storyline Modules
Ones That Use Adobe Products
Revamp of Published / Internal Content
Creative Projects
Ones That Allow Live Testing / Feedback
What changes could we make as the entire ID Team to better support other portfolios?
Distribute special projects across portfolios so everyone can be creative.
CROSS-PORTFOLIO WORK
Create more collaborative team projects
Greater visibility of each portfolio’s current workload
PORTFOLIO TRANSPARENCY
"Pick up projects"
Trello board: When a portfolio/ID has a lot on their plate and can't get to the project promptly.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
In-depth projects need a portfoliospecific ID, but any ID should feel capable and trusted to work on reference materials or re-templating
In Monthly ID meetings, each portfolio gives a brief summary of completed projects.
Have an integration that supports Trello and SmartSheets seamlessly to avoid dual tracking and mismanagement.
Standardize processes for similar tasks so that, if someone from a different portfolio needs to help, it is easy to pick up and go.
How could leaders communicate expectations and priorities more clearly with team members?
CENTRALIZED REPOSITORY OF INFO
Something that is a quickone-stopshop for priorities
Housing SOPs/reference materialsin oneplace
When assigning a new project, creating a Trellocardwiththeproject’skey pointsandgoals would be helpful
STRUCTURED GUIDANCE
A checklist or something similar of tasks that are needed/important and need to get done first
Help IDs break down dates/deadlines
CLEAR COMMUNICATION
Bedirect
Providethebiggerpicture of a project’s goals / expectations
Clarifyprojectdistribution, as our portfolio may know of other affected materials
What Question or Topic Wasn’t Explored in This Report That Should Have Been?
Level of support/adherence to deadlines
Have questions, suggestions, or concerns?
I have definitely seen more collaboration amongst our team as a whole and am looking forward to seeing those relationships more fully develop this year.
Suggestion: I think we should have a full meeting on transparency and what that word means to different people and what implications it would have.
The communication features of Trello can be expanded into chat(s) will be looking into this further with teams. There are ways to leverage Kanban to create 100% transparency and foster greater communication that might be worth looking into and trying.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR PARTICIPATING
You’re the Best!