Understanding Benchmark Attributes

Benchmark attributes are used in benchmark reporting and are qualitative measures of success for the project.

You create attributes in the Settings > Benchmark Attributes view. After defining them, you add them to a program using the Benchmark Attributes grid on the Programs Overview tab so that they are available for all associated projects.

At the end of each period, and based on feedback from your customer and project team, you select an option for each attribute on the latest snapshot (regardless of whether or not it is accepted, rejected, or missing) for each project associated with your program. You do this on the Projects Snapshots tab or in the Submittals view.

Touchstone adds up the option values selected on the last snapshot for each associated project and divides by the number of projects with values. The average option (the option closest to that value) displays in the Benchmark Attributes grid on the Programs Overview tab.

The data in the Benchmark Attributes grid on the Programs Overview tab is refreshed every time you display or refresh the view, so when you add, edit, or delete a benchmark attribute, you can see the change the next time you view the Programs Overview tab.

Example

In Program Alpha, you have a benchmark attribute called Customer Satisfaction that has the following 5 options and values:

Attribute Option Name Value
Very Unhappy 1
Unhappy 2
Satisfied 3
Happy 4
Very Happy 5

Three schedule snapshots from associated projects are uploaded. Based on input from the project team, the Reviewer selects options in the Customer Satisfaction column for each snapshot:

Schedule Snapshot Customer Satisfaction
Project A snapshot Satisfied
Project B snapshot Very Unhappy
Project C snapshot Very Happy

Touchstone adds up the values of the selected options and divides by the number of projects reporting this attribute, in this case, 3:

(Satisfied = 3) + (Very Unhappy = 1) + (Very Happy = 5) = 9/3 = 3

A value of 3 equals the option "Satisfied" so Touchstone displays Satisfied for the Customer Satisfaction benchmark attribute on the Programs Overview tab for Program Alpha.

Which Snapshot Does Touchstone Use to Calculate the Average Benchmark Attribute Value?

Touchstone uses the values for the attributes options entered on the last snapshot for each associated project, regardless of whether the snapshot status is accepted, rejected, or missing. Accepted and rejected snapshots automatically display on the Projects Snapshot tab.

If you want to include missing snapshots, you can either add missing snapshot placeholders (click Other Actions > Add Missing Snapshots in the Projects view) or upload a schedule for a prior period (in the Submittals view, hover over a project and click the Upload Schedules for Prior Periods icon that displays to the left of the project.)

For example, you have three projects: Finance, Engineering, Planning.
  • Finance and Planning upload snapshots for the last period. The Finance snapshot was accepted but the Planning snapshot was rejected.
  • Engineering did not upload a snapshot for the last period.
Project Period Ending 3/15 Period Ending 2/15 Period Ending 1/15
Finance Snapshot uploaded and accepted Snapshot uploaded and accepted Snapshot uploaded and accepted
Engineering <Snapshot was not uploaded> Snapshot uploaded and rejected Snapshot uploaded and accepted
Planning Snapshot uploaded and rejected Snapshot uploaded and accepted Snapshot uploaded and accepted

Touchstone adds up the attribute values for the latest snapshot from all three projects - the most recent closed period for Finance (accepted) and Planning (rejected), and the previous closed period for Engineering (rejected) since Engineering did not upload a snapshot for the latest period.

You add missing snapshot placeholders or upload a schedule for a prior period and Touchstone adds the missing Engineering snapshot to the grid. You can now add benchmark attribute options to that snapshot.

Project Period Ending 3/15 Period Ending 2/15 Period Ending 1/15
Finance Snapshot uploaded and accepted Snapshot uploaded and accepted Snapshot uploaded and accepted
Engineering Snapshot uploaded and accepted Snapshot uploaded and rejected Snapshot uploaded and accepted
Planning Snapshot uploaded and rejected Snapshot uploaded and accepted Snapshot uploaded and accepted

Touchstone now includes the values for the Engineering missing snapshot when it calculates the average benchmark attribute values.

Options vs. Values

  • An option is the name that displays in the attribute drop-down list when you make a benchmark attribute selection in the Submittals view or on the Projects Snapshot tab. For example, for a Customer Satisfaction benchmark attribute, you might have Happy or Unhappy options.
  • The value is the number you assign to the option. For example, Happy may have a value of 5 and Unhappy may have a value of 1. Touchstone uses these values when it calculates the average that displays on the Programs Overview tab.

Deleting a Benchmark Attribute from the Programs Overview tab.

If you delete an attribute from the Benchmark Attributes grid on the Programs Overview tab, values for the deleted attribute are deleted for all snapshot records in the associated projects.

Deleting a Benchmark Attribute from Touchstone

When you delete a benchmark attribute in the Settings > Benchmark Attributes view, all values for that attribute are deleted from all snapshot records in Touchstone and the benchmark attribute is removed from the Benchmark Attributes grid on the Program Overview tab for all projects in Touchstone.

Deleting a Benchmark Attribute Option

When you delete a benchmark attribute option on the Edit Attribute dialog box (Settings > Benchmark Attributes > Options) the benchmark attribute for all snapshots where the option was selected (Projects > Snapshot tab) is cleared.

If there is only one attribute option, you cannot delete it since an attribute must have at least one option. You can click in the value or option cell to edit it, or delete the attribute on the Benchmark attributes tab.

Using Benchmark Attributes

Follow these steps to make use of benchmark attributes:
Step Description Related Topic
1 Define benchmark attributes.

Define benchmark attributes

Benchmark Attributes tab

2 Add benchmark attributes to the program.

Add benchmark attributes to a program

Programs Overview tab

3 At the end of each period, select attribute values for each snapshot.

Select benchmark attribute values

Projects Snapshot tab

Submittals hub

4 View average benchmark attribute options for all associated projects.

View the average benchmark attribute option