Getting Started with Operations Navigator: Building Your Digital Operations Workspace | Smart Access Help Center

Getting Started with Operations Navigator: Building Your Digital Operations Workspace

Learn how to leverage the Operations Navigator framework and core components to build digital workspaces that support your reality and create meaningful operational oversight.

Written by John White
October 9, 2025

Who this guide helps:

Supervisors setting up their first workspace
Managers standardizing metrics across shifts
Operations leaders scaling successful configurations
Administrators managing permissions and access.

In this guide, you will learn how to:

Understanding Navigator Workspaces

Navigator Workspaces serve as the foundation for organizing your operational views. Think of a workspace as a customizable dashboard that brings together the metrics, people, and performance indicators that matter most to specific areas of your operation.

Groups: Defining Your Operational Units

Groups represent distinct operational areas or teams within your facility. When configuring groups, you establish the boundaries and ownership for different parts of your operation.

Key Group Components:

Owner Assignment

Assign the primary leader who takes responsibility for group accountability

Designate the primary manager responsible for the group
The owner has full visibility and control over the group's configuration
Ownership can be transferred as organizational structures change

Shift Configuration

Determine shift coverage based on your operational structure:

Define which shifts the group operates across
Leave blank to include all shifts
Essential for operations running multiple shifts with different management structures

Location Settings

Set location boundaries to match your operational footprint:

Set the primary location at the group level to lock all scopes to a single facility
Leave blank to allow scopes to span multiple locations
Critical for multi-site operations or regional oversight

Scopes: Creating Meaningful Operational Boundaries

Scopes define specific areas within groups where you track performance and assign accountability.

Scope Types

Build areas based on your unique operational layout:

Inbound/Outbound zones
Production lines
Service areas
Department clusters

Assign Scope Managers

Designate accountability at the scope level:

Manager receives relevant signals
Views all associates within boundaries
Takes action on performance gaps

Filtering Dimensions

Build your associate population using multiple dimensions:

Job Functions

Include associates by primary role
Future enhancement: Primary vs. secondary role filtering
Addresses cross-training visibility challenges

Work Areas

Focus on physical operational zones
Align with floor layout and workflow
Support area-specific metrics

Extended Team Options

Include direct reports and their teams
Capture complete organizational pictures
Essential for multi-level accountability

Metrics: Measuring What Matters

Metrics form the core of the Navigator framework. They transform raw operational data into actionable insights your frontline leaders can use daily.

Types of Metrics

Input Metrics

Manually entered data points
Examples: Incident tracking, quality checks, attendance
Require regular updates from supervisors or associates

System Metrics

Automatically calculated from existing platform or integrated data
Examples: Observation compliance rates, certification status
Update in real-time based on system activity

Configuring Metric Components

Measures Define what you're tracking:

Count-based measures (number of observations)
Percentage-based measures (compliance rates)
Time-based measures (days since last incident) Reporting Periods Set the timeframe for metric evaluation:
Current period vs. Previous period options
Daily, weekly, or monthly windows
Critical for compliance metrics that look back at completed periods Filters The transcript revealed complex filtering logic:
Location filters apply universally
Job function filters may be overridden for observer compliance
Extended team filters help capture complete organizational pictures

Standards: Setting Performance Expectations

Create meaningful thresholds that reflect operational expectations:

Condition Types:

Above/Below thresholds
Between ranges
Equal to specific values

Values:

Numerical targets
Percentage goals
Dynamic calculations based on other metrics

Example Safety standards:

Minimum: 2 observations per supervisor per week
Target: 4 observations per supervisor per week
Stretch: 6 observations per supervisor per week

Signals: Turning Data into Action

Transform metrics into action through intelligent alerting and workflows. Set occurrence requirements:

Once per day for critical metrics
Twice per week for monitoring metrics
Only activate with time windows defined Define persistence windows:
48-hour window for temporary issues
7-day window for sustained problems
30-day window for cultural shifts Trigger systematic responses:
Auto-generate action plans
Assign to responsible managers
Track resolution progress
Measure improvement impact

Metric Sets: Scaling Your Configuration

Package related metrics together to standardize performance management across your operation.

Designing Effective Metric Sets

Best Practices:

Group metrics by operational function (safety, productivity, quality)
Include both leading and lagging indicators
Ensure consistent naming conventions Application Strategy:
Apply base sets to all groups
Add specialized sets for specific operational areas
Update sets centrally to cascade changes

Real world examples by operational function

Safety Section:

Observation completion
Near-miss reporting
Incident tracking
Corrective action closure Quality Section:
Inspection rates
Defect tracking
Rework percentages
Customer complaints Productivity Section:
Units per hour
Schedule adherence
Equipment utilization
Labor efficiency

Deploy Sets Strategically

Implementation approach:

Apply base sets to all similar operations
Add specialized sets for unique areas
Update centrally for immediate propagation
Monitor adoption through usage metrics

Utilize Snapshots for Historical Insight

Preserve point-in-time performance data to track improvement over time.

Leverage Automatic Snapshots

System-generated preservation:

Regular intervals capture trending
Historical data remains unchanged
Supports year-over-year comparisons

Create Manual Snapshots Strategically

Capture significant moments:

Before major changes
After improvement initiatives
During peak seasons
For audit documentation

Include context annotations:

"Pre-holiday surge baseline"
"Post-training implementation"
"New safety program launch"

Master Navigator Views for Different Needs

Navigator provides two complementary views for consuming operational data effectively.

Use Grid View for Quick Health Checks

Visual performance matrix shows:

Rows: Operational areas (scopes)
Columns: Individual metrics
Colors: Performance status

Apply Table View for Detailed Analysis

Comprehensive associate listing provides:

Individual performance tracking
Metric-by-metric breakdown
Complete population visibility

Role-Based Permissions

Navigator's role-based permissions ensure each role sees exactly what they need for their responsibilities.

Understand Permission Levels

Navigator Admin

Configure all workspaces and settings
View all operational data
Manage user access

Navigator Editor

Modify metrics within assigned groups
Update thresholds and signals

Navigator Viewer

Read-only access to performance data
View trends and snapshots

Workspace Owner or Scope Manager

Inherits editor permissions automatically
Manages team-specific configurations

Plan Your Permission Strategy

Match permissions to operational reality:

Supervisors need editor access for their areas
Shift leads require viewer access across shifts
Regional managers need multi-location visibility
Executives require read-only dashboard access

Navigate Implementation Considerations

Address Operational vs. Organizational Misalignment

Common challenge: Reporting structures rarely match operational boundaries perfectly. Navigator's solutions:

Flexible scope definitions accommodate both
Multiple filter options capture complex relationships

Scale Gradually for Sustainable Adoption

Proven implementation path:

Week 1-2: Foundation

Configure one operational area
Define 3-5 essential metrics
Establish clear ownership
Train core users

Week 3-4: Refinement

Adjust thresholds based on data
Add relevant signals
Create first metric set
Document lessons learned

Month 2: Expansion

Roll out to similar areas
Standardize successful configurations
Build role-based permissions
Measure adoption rates

Achieve Operational Transformation

Navigator configuration directly supports frontline leader effectiveness by:

Reducing administrative burden from hours to minutes daily
Centralizing performance visibility across shifts and locations
Standardizing accountability through systematic tracking
Enabling proactive management via intelligent signals

The Navigator framework ensures every configuration decision supports your fundamental goal: giving supervisors more time to develop teams and improve operations.

Remember: Navigator is designed to reduce the time supervisors spend on administrative tasks, allowing them to focus on what matters most - developing their teams and improving operations. Every configuration decision should support this fundamental goal.