How-to... Arena - Coordination

The Arena is a task management tool.

This is the central place where the execution of all TaskPacks is planned, launched, and controlled in real-time, minute by minute.

Here we determine:

• Who will perform the task,
• What exactly will they do,
• When will they do it,
• Whether and how the task was completed.

We call this coordination, and it's the responsibility of the Process Managers.

With Arena, one Process Manager can coordinate several different processes during the day while in them dozens of Doers execute more than 100 TaskPacks. Arena clearly displays who is working on which TaskPack, for how long, if there are any problems, and if intervention is necessary. As a result, Arena is a straightforward and appealing operational and task management concept.

1. Selecting TaskPacks to execute

To begin, it's necessary to plan the TaskPacks that will be executed soon and then select and import them into Arena. This can be done in two ways.

• The first way is to consider the TaskPacks to be executed in the next thirty-plus days and then narrow them down to the next seven days, with an emphasis on TaskPacks due the next day. The Dependencies tool, which is available in Arena for all TaskPacks, is extremely useful in this regard. It's common to inspect the Dependencies for a TaskPack in the "Today's" section, determine which TaskPacks follow it, and plan for the following day. These TaskPacks are then selected and imported from the Processor & Tasker tool into the Arena tool.
• The second way is automatic. It refers to Task Packages currently executed in other processes and should be continued in the processes for which the Process Manager is responsible. The system automatically selects and imports these TaskPacks into Arena.

Selected TaskPacks are imported in the "Arena Ready" section.

Note: What is the difference between the TaskPack from the Processor & Tasker tool and the same TaskPack in the Arena tool?

The Processor & Tasker tool can be understood as a systematized "catalog" of all TaskPacks in the company. TaskPacks that are imported into Arena have a practical value; the TaskPacks are being executed in the Arena.

TaskPack is "copied" in Arena from the Processor & Tasker tool. In Arena, we call that copy - "instance."

Selecting the entire section

Importing an entire section into Arena can be quite convenient. This ensures that all TaskPacks from a particular sequence are related to a specific case in Arena.

2. Preparing the TaskPack for execution

When it comes to TaskPacks in the "Arena Ready" section, they cannot be immediately given to Doers for execution. Rather, they must first be prepared. Although the "Arena Ready" section is primarily used for this purpose, TaskPacks can also be prepared and adjusted in the "Tomorrow's" and "Upcoming" sections. For instance, in order for a TaskPack to be executed in the Arena, it is necessary for it to have at least two key pieces of information:

• Doer. The designated who will execute the TaskPack,
• Due Date. Indicating when the TaskPack is to be executed.

2a. Preparing the TaskPack in the Arena Ready section

During preparation, additional information can be added to the TaskPack, called "additional attributes."

All of this additional information has a purpose only while the TaskPack is being executed in the Arena. They have no lasting value.

These are the additional pieces of information:

Spec

"Spec" is a brief text label located beside the name that provides additional details about the TaskPack in Arena

It's important to note that the SPEC field is optional when using a TaskPack, such as, for example, "Preparing a sales presentation." This allows multiple salespeople to work on the same TaskPack for different clients simultaneously. In this scenario, the SPEC field can indicate which TaskPacks belong to which clients within the Arena. e.g. Globex, Siemens, GE).

In another example, for the TaskPack "Booking a trade show booth," the SPEC could be "Frankfurt Spring 2025 Tradeshow," or for the TaskPack "Sales Report," the SPEC could be "Q2 2023."

The use of SPECs when the execution of a TaskPack takes longer than one day.

In some cases, the execution of a TaskPack could last longer than one day (which is not recommended). In such cases, the SPEC should indicate the specific stage. For example, if we plan to execute the TaskPack within two days, the TaskPack should be imported twice, each marked with an additional SPEC, "1/2" and "2/2," to differentiate them and schedule accordingly. In this case, the first TaskPack with SPEC 1/2 will be executed in the Arena on the first day, and the TaskPack with SPEC 2/2 on the second day. (Such marks can be combined with other SPEC marks, e.g., Globex 1/2 and Globex 2/2.)

Instructions

Each TaskPack already includes a set of tasks that describe how to execute the TaskPack. However, we can add additional instructions that describe how to execute that TaskPack in Arena, but only for that specific case. These instructions are only valid for the duration of the TaskPack's execution in the Arena.

For example, "At XYZ company, the purchasing manager is willing to buy from us. He is a big fan of fishing, and it would be good to mention the topic of fishing in the conversation."

Instructions are optional.

Doer

Specifying the Doer who will execute the TaskPack in the Arena is a required piece of information. According to the recommendations, one TaskPack in the Arena should be executed by one Doer. The choice depends on various factors, such as availability, the TaskPacks currently being performed by that Doer, whether they're under consideration by other Process Managers, and whether they have planned vacations, etc. Arena working meetings are used to coordinate the Doer's participation in the Arena.

Note: The difference between Doers in the Processor & Tasker tool and the Arena tool is as follows: All Doers who are qualified and trained to execute a particular TaskPack are assigned in the Processor & Tasker tool. Usually, there are several Doers trained for each specific TaskPack. In the Arena tool, a list of these trained Doers is displayed, and from this list, only one Doer is chosen to execute the specific TaskPack on a specific date.

Worksites

Worksites: In some cases, a TaskPack in the Arena may be related to multiple worksites or assigned to a single Doer who works at multiple worksites. In these cases, the Worksites feature offers an option to specify which worksite the TaskPack is relevant to. However, using Worksites is optional.

Due Date

The Due Date is the date by which the TaskPack execution is expected to be completed. The Due Date is a required field.

Due Time

Sometimes it is essential to specify the time by which the TaskPack should be executed. Due Time is optional.

For example, for TaskPack "Write sales report," the Due Time is 10 am on a certain day. And that is the time when the sales analysis meeting is scheduled. While in most cases Time is not required during the preparation, sometimes it is necessary to present it to Doer as a precaution.

2a. Preparing the sequence in the "Arena Ready" section

It is possible to import entire sequences of TaskPacks into Arena. This is particularly advantageous when using the same SPEC for all TaskPacks in a sequence.

For example, if there are several TaskPacks in a section, such as "Collecting information about the client," "Preparing the offer," "Presenting the offer," and "Negotiating the offer" - all of which refer to one client (e.g. Globex Co) - they can be imported into the Arena with the intention of being labeled with the same SPEC (e.g., Globex Co.), so that we can follow them as one sequence through the Arena. In the Arena, we can have identical sequences dedicated to different clients simultaneously. We only allow them to be distinguished and controlled in the Arena by adding a different SPEC (e.g., GE and Samsung).

Sequences in Arena can use only two attributes:

Sequence SPEC

This sequence attribute is equivalent to the SPEC attribute of a TaskPack. When it is added to the sequence, the software automatically assigns this same SPEC to all TaskPacks in that sequence.

Consider that a sequence can span several days, weeks, or months. Then TaskPacks marked with the SPEC from the sequence can be more easily and consistently prepared and monitored in the Arena. The "Upcoming" section (see below) is used for this purpose.

SPEC is an optional attribute.

Sequence instructions

Sometimes it is practical to write instructions at the level of the entire sequence, regardless of whether TaskPacks have their own instructions or not.

Instructions are optional.

2b. Preparation in "Tomorrow's" section

When a TaskPack is prepared in the "Arena Ready" section, it is transferred to the "Tomorrow's" section when tomorrow's date is selected. This indicates that the TaskPack is ready for execution on the next working day.

Our focus is on preparing TaskPacks in the "Tomorrow's" section, which will be executed on the next working day. This activity should take no more than 20-30 minutes a day for an experienced Process Manager.

TaskPacks can arrive in the Tomorrow's section from the "Arena Ready" section, indicating that they are ready for execution the following day. However, we may need to supplement them with additional information or make changes. We usually prepare TaskPacks for the next day in the Arena at the end of the current working day, taking into account the outcomes of Arena meetings and consultations with Doers.

Once we finish preparing TaskPacks in the "Tomorrow's" section, no further action is necessary. TaskPacks will automatically move from the "Tomorrow's" to "Today's" section at midnight, and Doers will have a list of TaskPacks waiting for them to execute in their "Overview" email in the morning, as well as in the Arena.

Introducing new TaskPacks during the working day is generally not a good practice, even though it is functionally possible. This is because the sudden change in the list of TaskPacks may cause confusion among Doers as to whether certain tasks should or should not have been performed.

2c. Preparation in the "Upcoming" section

The "Upcoming" section is used for preparing TaskPacks that have a Due Date further in the future than the next working day.

This is typically done when dealing with non-working days (such as weekends or holidays) or when executing TaskPacks that span over several days, weeks, or months.

When a TaskPack is added to the "Upcoming" section, it will remain there until its Due Date is approaching. At that point, it will be automatically moved to the "Tomorrow's" section and subsequently, to the "Today's" section. This ensures that the TaskPack is ready for execution on the appropriate day without any further manual actions required.

One common use-case of preparing TaskPacks in the "Upcoming" section is when dealing with complex sequences that require multiple TaskPacks to be executed over an extended time period. For example, if we need to create a purchase order for seasonal goods from the Far East, we may need to execute multiple tasks over a period of 9 months or more. In this case, we can give the sequence a recognizable SPEC and tentative dates for individual TaskPacks, and the TaskPacks will be automatically placed in the "Upcoming" section until their execution date approaches.

Another common use case is when there is a specific, very important TaskPack, such as the preparation and submission of legally required documents to state authorities. In this case, a TaskPack with a specific Due Date can be added directly to the "Upcoming" section, and it will automatically move to the "Tomorrow's" section when the time comes. This ensures that the TaskPack is given the appropriate attention and executed on time.

3. "Today's" section - Execution

The "Today's" section is the stage where TaskPack execution takes place, assuming that the planning and preparation stages have been completed successfully. The purpose of the Arena is to aid in the supervision, control, and support of Doers in real-time during TaskPack execution. The coordination of TaskPack execution is done in real-time and requires constant contact with the Doers.

The coordination process in the "Today's" section focuses on several aspects, including addressing sudden problems that arise during execution, transferring TaskPacks between different Doers, and transferring TaskPacks between different processes (particularly when different Process Managers are involved).

Once a TaskPack is in the "Today's" section, it cannot be removed or deleted. However, it can be canceled if it is no longer needed or was added to the section by mistake.

Control

The coordination process in the execution stage includes a significant aspect of controlling different factors, which includes but is not limited to:

• identifying any unplanned activities happening in the Arena,
• ensuring that all activities align with the TaskPack procedure and not deviating from it,
• tracking any issues during execution and recording them in the Problem Box,
• verifying that the TaskPack is executed with the required quality,
• and more.

It is recommended to prioritize formal control with specific control points, which are set in both processes and TaskPacks. The Process Managers are responsible for monitoring whether the control TaskPacks were completed, reviewing the results of TaskPack control, and ensuring that TaskPack approval was sought and received on time.

In this stage, clear and timely communication with Doers is crucial. The Arena has specialized functions that facilitate this communication, including:

• Signals
• Problem Box chat
• Contacts
• Red date