Understanding Benchmark Attributes
Benchmark attributes are used in benchmark reporting and are qualitative measures of success for the project.
You create attributes in the 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 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.)
- 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)
- The most recent closed period for Planning (rejected)
- 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 missing Engineering 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 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 () the benchmark attribute for all snapshots where the option was selected () 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
| Step | Description | Related Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Define benchmark attributes. | |
| 2 | Add benchmark attributes to the program. | |
| 3 | At the end of each period, select attribute values for each snapshot. | |
| 4 | View average benchmark attribute options for all associated projects. |