Today, we are going to take a look at the technology side and the process, or what I have called the interpersonal side of the use of technology. We are going to consider some essential first steps and I will also share some of the advice passed on to me through conversations with individuals who have experience using and implementing performance management technology.   I also want to use a V-chart early in the webcast to gather many of your questions. 

Moving from paper to technology, performance management practices remain grounded in best practices but the use of an online system is going to differ slightly from your paper-based processes. Some common questions related to the use of technology may be related to sharing goals, goal setting, how to ensure an ongoing conversation, which processes to integrate with and how to use the data effectively. There are many features available in technology-based systems that change the way things are done. These features include: security and role-based access allowing users to log in and have access to documents and information that is specifically related to their jobs; standardized workflow and form creation allowing the sharing of standardized forms -making the process a more consistent process across the organization. Automatic workflow can route forms for approval or for the next step in the process so individuals don't have to revisit the process. Dashboards and automatic notifications are really an automatic way to keep track of what needs to be completed and act as a reminder of outstanding tasks. Reporting options allow a look into goal-related progress and performance as things are occurring. Manager decision support tools can be built into systems to allow managers to access information at exactly the time it is needed. The ability to see organizational objectives and cascade or share goals down throughout an organization can help managers and employees prioritize tasks. The ability to weight goals supports this as well. These features increase alignment.