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PVology OpsCatalyst

CAPA, Governance remediation or ProjectOrbit issues and lessons: which is the source of truth?A finding and its remediation stay in Governance & Assurance and are verified and closed there. A CAPA in OpsCatalyst removes the operational cause and prevents recurrence; it never closes the finding. ProjectOrbit issues and lessons belong to one project; Improve or Raise operational problem turns them into organizational improvement.
Guide: PDCA, DMAIC, A3-style and 8D-style in OpsCatalystA methodology names and orders the same steps of one improvement case; the records are the same. The Views tab shows any case as Plan-Do-Check-Act, Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control, an A3-style page or 8D-style disciplines, with what is still missing, and Report of this view issues it.
How to change several improvement records at onceIn Processes, Opportunities, Problems or Improvements select rows and choose the bulk action: assign owner or lead, set review or due date, change category, export, archive decided records, restore or request an update. Approving, verifying, deciding and closing are never done in bulk.
How to contain a problem and record a recurrenceOn the problem's Containment tab record what limits the effect now and Save containment. When it happens again, choose Recurrence → Record a recurrence; a recurring problem asks for its earlier causes to be reviewed.
How to create a CAPA (corrective and preventive action)Open CAPA → Start a CAPA, or Create CAPA on a Governance & Assurance finding, or Start a CAPA on a problem. Record containment and correction and the CAPA type, then analyze, approve, act and review effectiveness by someone other than the lead. A CAPA never closes a finding.
How to create a processOpen Processes → New process, start from blank or a template, work through Start, Purpose and function, Inputs, outputs and systems, Ownership and review, SIPOC (optional) and Access, then choose Create process. It gets a reference (PRC-0001 …).
How to create a ProjectOrbit project from an improvement (and improve from project lessons)On the case choose Create ProjectOrbit project (one per case, with the case's objective, outcome, sponsor and dates passed). In a project's lessons register choose Improve; in its issues register choose Raise operational problem.
How to create a SIPOCOpen the process, choose SIPOC, list Suppliers, Inputs, Process steps, Outputs and Customers, and choose Save SIPOC. Its steps can become the first draft of the current-state map.
How to create an improvement opportunityOpen Opportunities → New opportunity: what and where from, need and expected outcome, people; choose Create opportunity. From a measure, control, risk, project lesson or decision, Create improvement opportunity opens the same wizard with the source linked.
How to create an improvement report or export a registerOpen Reports and choose Generate report on one of fourteen reports (process register to realized improvement, including root cause analysis, A3-style improvement and CAPA), as PDF, Word or Excel. Excel registers export opportunities, problems, cases and actions; issued reports keep their figures.
How to create and compare countermeasures (evaluate improvement alternatives)On Countermeasures and approval choose Add a countermeasure with the causes it addresses. Add alternatives, rate them (criterion × weight = contribution) and decide Selected, Rejected or Deferred with a reason. Selecting needs a cause that is at least likely; every countermeasure stays visible.
How to design a future-state process without losing the current stateOn the process's Maps tab choose Design the future state. It starts as a copy and never overwrites the current state. After the change has been tried, choose Adopt as the current state on the future map; a new current version is made and the earlier one is kept.
How to explore the North River operations sampleOn the Overview choose Add the North River sample. It follows a fictional approval process from off-track performance through root cause analysis, a failed and an adopted pilot, a regression that reopened the case, a quick win, a partial improvement, a recurring problem and a CAPA. It is labelled Sample and removable.
How to get around PVology OpsCatalystOpen Applications → OpsCatalyst. The navigation is Overview, My work, Processes, Opportunities, Problems, Improvements, CAPA, Reports and More. Overview shows what needs attention and how to start; My work lists what you own that needs you.
How to import an existing improvement or CAPA registerOpen Import an existing register, paste the rows or upload a CSV, Excel, Word or text file of at most 2 MB, and choose List candidates. Accept or reject each candidate; accepted rows become candidate opportunities, open problems or draft processes, never closed or verified.
How to link a Governance & Assurance finding (Create CAPA, Raise operational problem)On the finding in Governance & Assurance, the OpsCatalyst panel offers Create CAPA (one per finding) and Raise operational problem. A CAPA verified as effective tells the finding's owner it is ready for governance verification; it never changes the finding's status.
How to link an off-track KPI to an improvementOn the measure in StrategyPulse choose Create improvement opportunity, or on a case choose Related → Link a measure. KPI values and targets are read live and stay in StrategyPulse; an outcome not realized offers Start improvement case.
How to link customer signals (CRM) to an improvementOn an opportunity, problem or case choose Related → Link a customer (a CRM company or deal). Deals lost for one reason suggest one candidate with counts only. People without Dealflow access see that a customer is linked, never who.
How to link KPIs, controls and risks to a process and add local measuresOn the Measures tab link StrategyPulse KPIs (read live) or add a local measure with a run chart; Promote to StrategyPulse makes it a formal measure. On Controls & risks link Governance & Assurance controls, risks and obligations. Nothing is copied.
How to make a quick winChoose Make a quick win: name it, say what will change, by when, the expected result and why no analysis is needed, then Create quick win. Start the change, do its action, verify the result against the expected result and close it. Above your quick-win limits it offers Convert to an improvement case.
How to map a process (current state)Open the process → Maps → Map the current state. Add each step with its role, system, input, output, times, value class and losses; the swimlane diagram is drawn from the list. Publish it when it is right; a published map is kept and changed only by a new version.
How to perform a sustainment check (sustainment review)The check is due a set number of days after the verified result (90 by default). On Standardize and sustain → Sustainment check choose the result (Sustained, Partially sustained, Not sustained, Too early to tell, Review required), answer the recurrence, stability and control questions and Record the check. Not sustained reopens the case.
How to plan a pilot and decide on its resultOn the case's Pilots tab choose Plan a pilot (hypothesis, change, scope, dates, baseline, expected result), then Start the pilot. Record the actual result and the decision: Adopt, Expand, Adapt, Retest, Review the root cause, Reject or Stop. A pilot that missed its target is never adopted; failed pilots stay listed.
How to plan the actions of an improvementOn Plan and actions set the verification criteria first (Save criteria), then Add an action with its kind, owner and due date. Actions are shared PVology actions in My work and the Decision Center. Completing them never proves the improvement worked.
How to rate and triage an improvement opportunityOn Prioritization rate the criteria and Save ratings: the table shows criterion × weight = contribution, never a hidden score. On Triage choose a route and Apply the route: quick win, improvement case, root cause analysis, CAPA, value study, ProjectOrbit project, governance review, no action, duplicate or more information.
How to read the value stream summary and mark lossesOn a map, Value stream summary shows work time, waiting time, handoffs and the value-adding share, only when every step has the figure; otherwise it says how many steps have times. Losses or waste at this step uses your organization's loss types.
How to report (create) a problemOpen Problems → Report a problem: the problem, current vs expected condition, impact, containment and owner, access; choose Report problem. It gets a reference (PBM-0001 …) and is analyzed before anyone chooses a solution.
How to restrict a process, problem or improvement caseOpen the record's Access tab (Team and access on a case), choose Restricted and add members. Only the owner or lead, sponsor and members open it, in every list, search, report, export, notification and link. Organization owners and administrators see that it exists and can add themselves, recorded.
How to resume an improvement draftOpen the same wizard again (Start an improvement, Report a problem, New opportunity or New process) and resume the draft, or choose Resume under Continue working on Home. Drafts are saved to your account and open at the step you left.
How to run a process reviewOn the process's Reviews tab choose Plan a review with the date and reviewer. When it is held, record what was found by area and the conclusion, choose Complete review and add follow-up actions; they are shared PVology actions.
How to standardize an improvementAfter a verified result choose Move to standardization. On Standardize and sustain add standardization items (process map version, procedure, training, control change, KPI update, standard work, knowledge, documentation, communication), linked to where the standard lives, and resolve each as Done or Not needed.
How to start a value study from an improvementOn the case's Countermeasures and approval tab choose Start value study (one study per case, with the problem, process, root cause and alternatives passed), or Related → Create value opportunity. Realized value from the ValueLens verified ledger shows on the Verification tab.
How to start an improvement caseOpen Improvements → Start an improvement. Name the case and choose the methodology, then Define, Size, People and Access; choose Create improvement case. It gets a reference (IMP-0001 …) and shows what each step needs: the cause before a solution, criteria before implementation, verification before closure.
How to start root cause analysisRoot cause analysis runs on an improvement case or CAPA: on a problem choose Start an improvement case, then Start the analysis and open the Analysis tab. Use 5 Whys, cause and effect, Pareto and the cause tree; every cause says how sure you are.
How to use 5 WhysOn the case's Analysis tab choose 5 Whys, Start a why chain from the effect and choose Ask why as many times as it helps. There is no fixed number; each answer can branch, and several chains can start from the effect.
How to use cause-and-effect analysis (fishbone)On the Analysis tab choose Cause and effect and Add a cause to a category. Categories are your organization's (Change the categories). The diagram is drawn from the grouped list, which is the accessible view.
How to use Pareto analysisOn the Analysis tab choose Pareto and Add a Pareto from entered counts or counted from records, with the source, scope and period. Bars show counts in descending order with the cumulative percentage; with fewer than two categories nothing is drawn.
How to use PVology AI safely in improvement workPVology AI drafts for review on problems, cases, process maps and opportunities. Causes it suggests enter as hypotheses; countermeasure suggestions come as at least two alternatives, each citing a cause. It never verifies, selects, approves, decides, closes or invents data, and with nothing observed it says Insufficient information.
How to use the OpsCatalyst dashboardsOpen Dashboards from the Overview and choose Operations leader, Improvement manager, Process owner, or Problem owner or case lead. Each figure shows its formula and opens the records behind it; there is no single improvement score and no ranking of people.
How to verify an improvement (or review a CAPA's effectiveness)When every action is done or cancelled, choose Move to verification. On Verification (Effectiveness for a CAPA) choose the result against the criteria agreed before the change (Met, Partly met, Not met, Insufficient evidence), give the evidence and Record the result. Completing actions never records a result.
How to write a good problem statementState the observed condition against the expected one, where, since when, how often and how much, without a solution in it. Statement checks flag missing facts, solution words (implement, buy, need a system) and vague words (improve, better, issues).
Hypothesis, likely and verified causes: how sure is a cause?Every cause starts as a Hypothesis (not yet supported by evidence) and is never shown as verified. Likely means supported by some evidence; Verified means confirmed with evidence and recorded by a person; Rejected keeps the cause with its reason.
Problem, opportunity or improvement case: what is the difference?An opportunity is an idea or signal that something could be better; it is rated and triaged. A problem is something going wrong now (observed against expected), analyzed before any solution. An improvement case is the work that changes something: a quick win, an improvement case or a CAPA.
What is the difference between PVology ValueLens and OpsCatalyst?OpsCatalyst makes how work runs better: processes, problems, root causes, corrective action, verification and sustainment. PVology ValueLens decides how to deliver what is needed at better value: functions, alternatives and value studies. A case with complex alternatives starts one value study.
Who can verify an improvement or close a CAPA? (Verified by the case lead)For a CAPA, the effectiveness reviewer and the person who closes it must differ from the lead, unless the workspace has one person or the lead also holds the reviewer (or approver) role; then it is allowed and shown as "Verified by the case lead". For other cases a different verifier is recommended.
Why can't I close this improvement (and how do I close it)?Closure says why it cannot close yet. A quick win closes after its result is verified. An improvement case or CAPA closes after verification, standardization and a sustainment check: Sustained → Close as effective; a result that did not meet the criteria closes only as not effective with a reason and a follow-up.
Why can't I edit or move this improvement?Why can't I? next to the action names the reason: read-only access or no licence, a restricted case where you are a viewer, a closed, cancelled or archived case, or a step that needs something first (a cause before solution design, approval before implementation, actions done before verification).
Why can't I mark human error as the root cause?"Human error" is where an investigation starts, not where it ends. A cause that reads like human error cannot be root, systemic or verified until you ask why the process, system, training, role or conditions allowed it, or record that those conditions were examined and what was found.
Why can't I open OpsCatalyst? Access, pricing and early accessOpsCatalyst is included in PVology Business. Other plans can choose it as an included application or add it for USD 12 per user per month (USD 108 per user per year). While PVology runs an early-access offer for it, every active workspace may use it. In an organization you also need a licence.
Why does my case say "Closed before the 90-day sustainment check"?The case was closed early by someone with the highest role on the process (its owner or lead, or an organization owner or administrator) before the sustainment check confirmed the result. The case and every report show the note permanently; "Closed without verified result" means it closed before verification.
Why was a candidate suggested, and how do I accept or dismiss it?A candidate is an opportunity suggested from a pattern (a measure off track twice running, a recurring problem, recurring findings on one control, lessons on several projects, repeated delays, deals lost for one reason, an imported row). Open Opportunities → Candidates, then Accept as an opportunity or route it as no action or duplicate.

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