Operations Navigator transforms how frontline leaders manage their teams and track performance. Instead of juggling spreadsheets, emails, and scattered documents, Navigator provides a centralized digital workspace where operational data comes together in meaningful ways. This guide shows you how to configure Navigator's core components to create meaningful operational oversight.
Who this guide helps:
Supervisors setting up their first workspace
Managers standardizing metrics across shifts
Operations leaders scaling successful configurations
Administrators managing permissions and access.
In this guide, you will learn how to:
Understanding Navigator Workspaces
Navigator Workspaces serve as the foundation for organizing your operational views. Think of a workspace as a customizable dashboard that brings together the metrics, people, and performance indicators that matter most to specific areas of your operation.
Groups: Defining Your Operational Units
Groups represent distinct operational areas or teams within your facility. When configuring groups, you establish the boundaries and ownership for different parts of your operation.
Key Group Components:
Owner Assignment
Assign the primary leader who takes responsibility for group accountability
Designate the primary manager responsible for the group
The owner has full visibility and control over the group's configuration
Ownership can be transferred as organizational structures change
Platform Tip: Transfer ownership seamlessly when organizational changes occur. Partner with your Customer Success Manager to establish ownership protocols.
Shift Configuration
Determine shift coverage based on your operational structure:
Define which shifts the group operates across
Leave blank to include all shifts
Essential for operations running multiple shifts with different management structures
Real scenario: A warehouse running three shifts assigns separate groups for day and night operations, allowing shift-specific metric tracking while maintaining overall visibility.
Location Settings
Set location boundaries to match your operational footprint:
Set the primary location at the group level to lock all scopes to a single facility
Leave blank to allow scopes to span multiple locations
Critical for multi-site operations or regional oversight
From scattered oversight → To systematic coverage: Groups eliminate the need to check multiple systems for team performance data.
Scopes: Creating Meaningful Operational Boundaries
Scopes define specific areas within groups where you track performance and assign accountability.
Scope Types
Build areas based on your unique operational layout:
Inbound/Outbound zones
Production lines
Service areas
Department clusters
Defined Scopes: Job Function- and Work Area-based scopes
Custom Scopes: Define areas based on your unique operational structure
Assign Scope Managers
Designate accountability at the scope level:
Manager receives relevant signals
Views all associates within boundaries
Takes action on performance gaps
Operational reality: Reporting structures don't always align with operational areas. Navigator accommodates both through flexible filtering.
Filtering Dimensions
Build your associate population using multiple dimensions:
Job Functions
Include associates by primary role
Future enhancement: Primary vs. secondary role filtering
Addresses cross-training visibility challenges
Work Areas
Focus on physical operational zones
Align with floor layout and workflow
Support area-specific metrics
Extended Team Options
Include direct reports and their teams
Capture complete organizational pictures
Essential for multi-level accountability
Configuration Support: Complex filtering scenarios require careful setup. Partner with your Smart Access team to optimize scope definitions for your operational structure.
Metrics: Measuring What Matters
Metrics form the core of the Navigator framework . They transform raw operational data into actionable insights your frontline leaders can use daily.
Types of Metrics
Input Metrics
Manually entered data points
Examples: Incident tracking, quality checks, attendance
Require regular updates from supervisors or associates
System Metrics
Automatically calculated from existing platform or integrated data
Examples: Observation compliance rates, certification status
Update in real-time based on system activity
Platform Tip: Start with 3-5 core metrics per area. Expand gradually as teams adapt to systematic tracking. Work with your Customer Success Manager to understand feasibility and availability of additional system metrics that may be relevant to your operation.
Configuring Metric Components
Measures Define what you're tracking:
Count-based measures (number of observations)
Percentage-based measures (compliance rates)
Time-based measures (days since last incident)
Reporting Periods Set the timeframe for metric evaluation:
Current period vs. Previous period options
Daily, weekly, or monthly windows
Critical for compliance metrics that look back at completed periods
Filters The transcript revealed complex filtering logic:
Location filters apply universally
Job function filters may be overridden for observer compliance
Extended team filters help capture complete organizational pictures
Standards: Setting Performance Expectations
Create meaningful thresholds that reflect operational expectations:
Condition Types:
Above/Below thresholds
Between ranges
Equal to specific values
Values:
Numerical targets
Percentage goals
Dynamic calculations based on other metrics
Example Safety standards:
Minimum: 2 observations per supervisor per week
Target: 4 observations per supervisor per week
Stretch: 6 observations per supervisor per week
Signals: Turning Data into Action
Transform metrics into action through intelligent alerting and workflows.
Set occurrence requirements:
Once per day for critical metrics
Twice per week for monitoring metrics
Only activate with time windows defined
Define persistence windows:
48-hour window for temporary issues
7-day window for sustained problems
30-day window for cultural shifts
Trigger systematic responses:
Auto-generate action plans
Assign to responsible managers
Track resolution progress
Measure improvement impact
From reactive firefighting → To proactive intervention: Signals catch issues before they become crises.
Metric Sets: Scaling Your Configuration
Package related metrics together to standardize performance management across your operation.
Designing Effective Metric Sets
Best Practices:
Group metrics by operational function (safety, productivity, quality)
Include both leading and lagging indicators
Ensure consistent naming conventions
Application Strategy:
Apply base sets to all groups
Add specialized sets for specific operational areas
Update sets centrally to cascade changes
Real world examples by operational function
Safety Section:
Observation completion
Near-miss reporting
Incident tracking
Corrective action closure
Quality Section:
Inspection rates
Defect tracking
Rework percentages
Customer complaints
Productivity Section:
Units per hour
Schedule adherence
Equipment utilization
Labor efficiency
Deploy Sets Strategically
Implementation approach:
Apply base sets to all similar operations
Add specialized sets for unique areas
Update centrally for immediate propagation
Monitor adoption through usage metrics
Configuration Support: Your Customer Success Manager can help design metric sets that align with your operational KPIs.
Utilize Snapshots for Historical Insight
Preserve point-in-time performance data to track improvement over time.
Leverage Automatic Snapshots
System-generated preservation:
Regular intervals capture trending
Historical data remains unchanged
Supports year-over-year comparisons
Create Manual Snapshots Strategically
Capture significant moments:
Before major changes
After improvement initiatives
During peak seasons
For audit documentation
Include context annotations:
"Pre-holiday surge baseline"
"Post-training implementation"
"New safety program launch"
Master Navigator Views for Different Needs
Navigator provides two complementary views for consuming operational data effectively.
Use Grid View for Quick Health Checks
Visual performance matrix shows:
Rows: Operational areas (scopes)
Columns: Individual metrics
Colors: Performance status
Daily use cases:
Shift startup reviews
Walkthrough preparation
Quick issue identification
Team huddle discussions
Apply Table View for Detailed Analysis
Comprehensive associate listing provides:
Individual performance tracking
Metric-by-metric breakdown
Complete population visibility
Understanding table view logic: The view includes all associates in scope, creating blank entries for those not subject to specific metrics. This comprehensive approach ensures no one falls through the cracks.
Weekly use cases:
Performance reviews
Coaching prioritization
Compliance verification
Trend analysis
Role-Based Permissions
Navigator's role-based permissions ensure each role sees exactly what they need for their responsibilities.
Understand Permission Levels
Navigator Admin
Configure all workspaces and settings
View all operational data
Manage user access
Key insight: Admins need explicit viewer permissions to see operational interfaces
Navigator Editor
Modify metrics within assigned groups
Update thresholds and signals
Cannot change group structure
Navigator Viewer
Read-only access to performance data
View trends and snapshots
Ideal for executives and stakeholders
Workspace Owner or Scope Manager
Inherits editor permissions automatically
Manages team-specific configurations
Balances oversight with delegation
Plan Your Permission Strategy
Match permissions to operational reality:
Supervisors need editor access for their areas
Shift leads require viewer access across shifts
Regional managers need multi-location visibility
Executives require read-only dashboard access
From informal access → To systematic security: Proper permissions prevent unauthorized changes while ensuring operational transparency.
Navigate Implementation Considerations
Address Operational vs. Organizational Misalignment
Common challenge: Reporting structures rarely match operational boundaries perfectly.
Navigator's solutions:
Flexible scope definitions accommodate both
Multiple filter options capture complex relationships
Future manager-based views will add another dimension
Real example: Cross-functional teams where associates report to one manager but work in multiple areas.
Scale Gradually for Sustainable Adoption
Proven implementation path:
Week 1-2: Foundation
Configure one operational area
Define 3-5 essential metrics
Establish clear ownership
Train core users
Week 3-4: Refinement
Adjust thresholds based on data
Add relevant signals
Create first metric set
Document lessons learned
Month 2: Expansion
Roll out to similar areas
Standardize successful configurations
Build role-based permissions
Measure adoption rates
Partner with your Customer Success Manager to develop an implementation timeline matched to your operational capacity.
Achieve Operational Transformation
Navigator configuration directly supports frontline leader effectiveness by:
Reducing administrative burden from hours to minutes daily
Centralizing performance visibility across shifts and locations
Standardizing accountability through systematic tracking
Enabling proactive management via intelligent signals
The Navigator framework ensures every configuration decision supports your fundamental goal: giving supervisors more time to develop teams and improve operations.
Remember: Navigator is designed to reduce the time supervisors spend on administrative tasks, allowing them to focus on what matters most - developing their teams and improving operations. Every configuration decision should support this fundamental goal.