HELP TOPIC: How does Vocoli's evaluator role work?

Who should read this article?

This guide should be used by both moderators and evaluators to help you understand the crucial role evaluators play in the idea management process and the key steps to ensure your organization's employee feedback is successful.

What are the objectives of this article?

At the conclusion of this guide, you will be able to do the following:

• Understand the evaluation process and the key role of the evaluator in helping the organization through the review, decision and implementation process for your employee ideas program.

The Evaluator Role

What is an evaluator?

An evaluator is an employee who's entrusted to review employee ideas and to ensure they always move to the most complete step. An evaluator is assigned based on their organizational role ore subject matter expertise. In evaluating an idea, they can ask questions of the contributor, share the idea with colleagues and ask for input from key stakeholders.

Ultimately, an evaluator has the role of deciding whether an employee idea should be accepted or declined.

Getting Started

Congratulations on being assigned as an evaluator! You're the driving force behind continuous improvement and/or product development within your company. Your insight and expertise will help propel your organization to the next level of success.

But you may be wondering, now that you've been given this awesome role, what's next?

So, the first question you might ask is, "How will I know I'm an evaluator?

When your organization assigns you to evaluate an idea or suggestion, you will be notified in two ways:

1. You'll get an email from your ideas program letting you know you've been assigned to an idea. The email will contain a link you can follow to log-in and get started on reviewing the idea.
2. When you log-in to Vocoli, you'll notice a red ball in the upper left hand corner of the screen. This red ball will have a number inside of it indicating any pending items for you to address. The ball looks like this:

So, now that you've been assigned as an evaluator, what do I do now?

Once you are assigned an idea, you can click on the link provided in your email notification or on "to do item" in your "red ball" pending actions list to open the idea. Once opened, the idea screen will provide you with a full view and several tools to help you manage the idea forward. The idea will look like this:

What do I do to move this idea forward?

1. Ask questions
   Maybe you need more information. You can use the Discuss/Clarify button to start a conversation with the idea's contributor.
   
   
2. Reassign the idea
   Maybe there's someone in your group you think would be a better fit to evaluate this idea. Us the Reassign button to sent a note to your colleague to reassign the idea to them.
   
   
3. Accept
   If the idea is good to go, click Accept and assign points (if appropriate) to the lucky contributor who submitted it!
   
   
4. Decline
   Doesn't seem like a viable solution? Click Decline to send a message to the contributor explaining why their idea can't go forward at this time.
   
   
5. Park
   Sometimes ideas are great, just not today! Click the Park button to put the idea on hold for a while. The contributor will be notified and a reminder sent when it's time to take another look.
   
   
6. Re-collaborate
   Do you think the idea needs more input? You can use the Collaborate button to put the idea back out on the board for public voting and comment.

Implementation

Once you've approved an idea, the status of the idea will change and you will now have some new tool buttons to move the idea forward:

1. Project manager
   Assign a project manager to make this idea a reality by clicking on the Project Manager logo on the upper right hand corner of the page. Select a project manager and send them a note assigning them to the project.
   
   
2. Notification
   As an evaluator, you have the ability to use the Notify User button to alert the contributor their idea has been accepted. However, contact your program moderator to see who will take the lead on this notification.
   
   
3. Notes
   Use the Notes feature to add notes for yourself, your project manager and moderator to see during implementation.
   
   
4. Additional items
   Evaluators share the ability, along with moderators and project managers, to Launch a Project, Manage Outcomes and Close projects. You should coordinate with your team to see which individuals are going to take those actions to be sure your project status, ROI and recognition stages are completed.

So, that's the overview on the evaluator role. On behalf of the Vocoli team, we hope you enjoy adding value by being the best idea evaluator you can be!