Vision Navigation® Portal User Guide
Vision Navigation® Overview
VN History, Purpose and Main Tools
Vision Navigation is the strategic planning process designed by Professional Growth Systems and the Vision Navigation Portal is our cloud based strategic planning software system. The key element of Vision Navigation that is different from other strategic plans is actionable outcome focused plans presented in a simple visual format – The Vision Navigation Outcomes Chart. The outcomes chart is the visual display of all of your organization’s strategic plan projects, quarterly
work to be done on each, and the annual and multi-year goals associated with the strategy.
VN Portal Overview
The VN Portal is a comprehensive strategic planning management tool designed to help you capture your organizational vision and take the proper steps to realize that vision. The VN Portal includes a collaborative project management tool, archive system for key information, and a variety of assessments and personal development tools for members of your team. The portal was designed to support the Vision Navigation© strategic planning process.
Terms/Taxonomy
Understanding the layout of work within the Portal. There are 4 levels within the plan:
• Category: The highest level. There are typically up to 3 categories to every VN plan on the portal:
o Strategic initiatives: the group of projects or strategies selected to grow the organization or expand its market share.
o Internal Improvement: the group of projects or strategies selected to resolve issues or strengthen the internal organization.
o Special Projects: projects which fall outside the scope of the strategic plan but need to be followed and monitored within the Portal.
• Project: The projects are the actions you are taking to achieve your identified vision. Each individual project has its own track underneath the appropriate category. For example, you might have a project named “Expand Local Market Share” in the Strategic Initiative category or a project named “Replace aging computer system” in the Internal Improvement category.
• Outcome: One of the key features of the Vision Navigation® process is that it is an outcome-based plan. Outcomes are what you need to have done on to reach the goal of the project or strategy. For example, the internal improvement strategy to replace aging computers might have a quarterly outcome “needs identified” and/or “competitive vendor bids collected”. Outcomes are written in a way that highlights what will be accomplished or what you will have when the outcome is complete.
• Task: The Task level is the most granular level of detailed on your plan. The task section is where you detail what it will take to complete each outcome.
Instructions for Using VN Portal
Main Sections
- On the main screen, you will also see a menu on the left side with links to all the options you need to navigate and work in your strategic plan. This is your main tool to move around in the VN Portal.
- On the following pages, we will take you through the different options on this menu explaining what each tab links to and what you would do in that tab to work on your assigned outcomes and tasks on the organization’s Vision Navigation plan.
Click here to view your online VN chart,
which will look something this:
The VN chart is divided first by categories: Strategic Initiatives, Internal Improvements, and if applicable, Special Projects. Under each category are the strategies or projects chosen by leadership. Each individual project is indicated by a colored bar that is divided into quarters with an end box showing the goal of the project at the end of 1-3 years. Within each of the quarters for each project are the outcomes due in that quarter, i.e., the work to be done in order to keep the project on track throughout the plan year.
 | Click on My Strategy |
 | A drop-down menu will open with links to the work you are assigned within your plan. The main VN plan link will take you to the outcomes you are assigned. Other links will appear if you have been assigned to a team within the VN plan. |
 | Click on Team Plans |
 | A drop-down menu will open with links to all the other team members assigned to your VN plan. You can click on any team member to show the projects in which they have outcomes assigned. Whole Team Plan will show the entire plan with all strategies and outcomes. |
 | Click on My Profile |
 | The My Profile section is where you can change your email preferences and even add professional development and roles/responsibilities notes if you choose to use the VN Portal as a personal development tool as well as an organizational one. |
 | My Tasks is where you find your own task(s) that are recently due, are upcoming or overdue for the selected plan year. |
 | Scoreboard is where you will find a set of measurement tools and charts. The scoreboard is customized to each plan. |
 | My OKRS are an optional Section that you may or may not have chosen to complete. OKR stands for Operational Key Results. The OKR exercise looks at the individual workload of members of the team and assesses the impact of that work on the entire team. |
 | The Compass includes the background work leadership did to create your VN plan. |
 | The main sections you will find VN related information are the PVVV (purpose, values, vision, vivid description), Strategies, Environmental Scan, and Five Forces. You can also find projects that have been archived – either put on hold or completed. |
 | Click on Reports |
 | A drop-down menu will open with links to your plan. The two options are for exporting your current plan into Word or Excel for you to download. |
 | The Help link opens to helpful videos on how to use and make the most of your organization’s VN portal. |
Working on Your Vision Navigation Plan
Now that you are familiar with the layout of the Vision Navigation Portal, it’s time to start working on your plan.
As you begin working on your outcomes, you can move around the different projects and outcomes, adding % complete, comments and attaching supporting files as needed.
If you want to add more detail to an outcome in the form of sub-tasks, click the pencil to the left of the outcome. A box
will appear, allowing you to add a task within that outcome. Add as many tasks as needed to help you map out and
complete your outcome on time.
