A common practice when collaborating is to check in with each other on a regular basis in order to see how work is progressing and if assistance is required.

The platform allows for the logging of such check-ins through a streamlined check-in process which reuses the existing focus data of individual users.

The purpose of the check-in functionality is to ensure that check-ins happen, and that they are as effective, efficient, accountable and on-point as possible.

By utilizing check-ins we 

• Can more easily feel that someone cares about us, the work we do and the challenges we face
• Can more easily understand and sync up/align with the priorities of someone
• Can more easily reflect on and ensure that we are using our time wisely
• Ensure that everyone has someone who checks in with them regularly
• Hold each other accountable to our priorities
• Expose the need for focus
• Can more easily expose if someone is stretched too thin (focus dilution) or are out of work
• Maintain focus on both execution (short term effort) and development (long term effort)
• Increase the probability of identifying and addressing obstacles
• Increase the probability of the platform accurately reflecting what people are focused on
• Avoid time confetti by accumulating issues and discussing them during the check-in
• Provide an arena for asking questions and airing out work related friction, feelings and frustrations
• Facilitate transparency into our work and build trust
• Get a chance to reflect on priorities and consider delegation

Log a check-in with someone

In order to log a check-in with someone, go to the Focus-dashboard of that person and click the "New check-in button.

This will first take you to the check-in preview. 

Check-in preview

The purpose of this step is to:

• Better understand the purpose of the check-in and what it entails
• Get an overview of what the check-in will contain
• Determine if the person is ready to be checked in with (if the check-in is expected to be useful)
• Decide what to include in the check-in (which steps)

The left column contains the different steps that can be checked in with. Hover over each item to see an explanation.

Toggle the checkbox to include or exclude the step in the check-in. By default, steps which have data are pre-selected to be included. If the step has been checked in previously, you can see how long ago since someone checked in with this person and the particular step.

The different types of check-inable items are:

• Developmental priorities
  • Expectations the person is focused on
  • Ambitions the person is focused on
• Operational priorities
  
  • Projects the person is focused on
  • Objectives the person is focused on
• Guidance
  • Expectations the person has requested assistance with
  • Skillsets insufficiently mastered
• Clarification
  • Expectations the person considers unclear
  • Miscellaneous stuff you would like to discuss
• Leadership
  • People who report to you (if any)
  • Insight available in the teams you manage (if any)
  • People you mentor (if any)

Each step lists the items the person you are checking in with is currently focused on, and an ability to add notes in association to those items where relevant. The right column displays an indicator or which check-in step you are currently on, and a list of generic discussion questions related to the the current step.

Notes

For each item in the check-in process, you can add relevant notes. These might be feedback, additional info or things to followup on in upcoming checki-ins.

To add a note, click the grey "Add a note" label.

If an item has a note from a previous checkin, a purple label is displayed indicating the last time a note was added to this item. Click the label to expand the actual note.

Refresh step

If you reach a step which does not correctly reflect the current priorities of a person, use a separate tab to remove outdated prioritites and/or add missing prioritites, and then click the "Refresh" button in the lower, right corner.

This will fetch an updated set of priorities, while maintaining any comments you have added to pre-existing prioritites before refreshing.

View a past check-in

In order to review a past check-in, go to Support Others > Check-ins of the person who did the check-in, and select the relevant check-in from the list. Individual check-ins are only viewable by the person who did the checking in and the person who was checked in with.

The check-in view includes a list of the items checked in with and their associated notes in the left column, and a navigation in the right column indicating the various item types, their count and whether or not there are notes associated with those item types.

Check-in reporting

To ensure that people are actually being checked in with, use the Individual priorities report, accessible from Organization > Priorities > Individual priorities.

The Individual priorities report exposes when a person was last checked in with, and the percentage of people who were checked in with during the last 7 days.