The Action Module
The Action module provides a simplified process model for managing activities like projects, product development, requirements, features, bugs and customer support. Actions are customized to the business needs and can be very detailed and stringent, or simple and flexible. Action-processes may also be hierarchical, for example, a customer-support action may reference a defect-process or a project-process may reference a sub-project etc. Using this construct in the action module, it allows simple linear process flows to adapt to complex situations while keeping the individual process lean and clean.
Deploy your business processes
It is possible to define any number of steps to resemble your business processes. In addition, it is possible to define mandatory and non-mandatory documents, tasks or parts that have to be developed in each phase. If mandatory documents are referred, the action cannot be progressed to the next stage or gate until all documents required are created, reviewed and approved. As a result, the Action Module provides a powerful tool to deploy your corporate best practice, and to guide your staff in their work.
New actions are created every time a new task is started, and resources are assigned for each phase, and deadlines are set for each gate.
- Managers get online monitoring of all activities throughout the company and can make better decisions, prioritizing and follow-up.
- Employees get easy and fast access to activities by relevance, for example through personalized process overviews, which lists relevant activities in prioritized order.
The process definitions, which are implemented in simple XML language, are most often managed by the company themselves.
Compliance
The action module allow companies to implement processes that follows established practices such as ISO standards, ITIL, GAMP and many others.
These processes can refer to documents of specific types, which are simply created from a button inside the process. When creating documents this way, it is enforced to have the current and valid document template every time, as document templates are controlled and revised as well.
Efficiency
Gain higher efficiency with the Action Module. Well laid out actions, coupled with document management in an Action context, is a tool simplifying the workload for your team. Instead of using time on finding the correct document template, or find the relevant documents for a project, staff can work effectively, trusting that the system keeps the documentation proper and professional.
Re-use of documentation is also a great feature of the Action Module.
Built on Stage-Gate Models
The Action Module is built on the Stage-Gate model. By default, each stage has one or more resources (users) assigned to it, and each gate has a date (deadline) assigned. Also by default, the managers are engaged on gates, and must
Full overview - Powerful reports
Highstage provides powerful search grid that brings action status and performance up to a management level. Delays and bottlenecks can be identified on a corporate level and on a project level.
Reports can be generated on any level. Ad-hoc, or as saved reports in Excel, Power BI or similar. A live database connection from the report to the Highstage database enables refreshing reports with latest status. The more the Action Modules is used, the more it can be used to make Power BI business intelligence available throughout the company.
Files and documentation
For data not relevant to keep on the process itself as data, the action module in combination with the document module supports files and folders. This feature increases knowledge sharing in the company, as not just metadata are available to the entire organization, but also relevant files and folders. Each Action type can have its own version-controlled templates with associated files that help the users complete their tasks.
As all the mandatory action documents are created, reviewed and approved, the Action can export all relevant documentation in a package. Several export definitions can be defined, to tailor which document types and file types which are to be exported and packaged. This can be used to package e.g. technical documentation to suppliers, submit document packages to notified body, etc.
On top of this, the Highstage Mail Journal can be used to submit the document package, and trace the subsequent correspondence.
Why Choose Highstage Action Module
The system is unique in the marketplace because of its:
- Customizable Processes - lets you improve your best practices day by day - on a running system.
- Incremental implementation - Start with one process, and add processes one by one
- Full overview - For the managers
- Simplicity - For the staff
- Audit-ready - Regulatory/ISO audits are welcome at any time, as normally no ”clean up” is necessary.
- Fits your business - Highstage may normally be implemented with no need to change the way you are already working and therefore operational disruption from implementation is kept to an absolute minimum.