Launch Completion Targets

Launch Completion Targets is a feature that helps you track and manage the timely completion of your launches. Launch Completion Targets act as a Service Level Agreement (SLA) for your launches, ensuring they stay on track. By utilizing Launch Completion Targets, your organization can improve launch predictability, find patterns of launches with bottlenecks, ensure timely delivery, and streamline your launch management process. 

Setting Up Launch Completion Targets

Before you can start using Launch Completion Targets, you'll need to configure the settings in Launch Benchmarks Settings page. These settings define how your organization tracks launch progress.

1. Default Launch Release Date: This setting establishes a default target release date for all new launches. This date is calculated as a number of days after the launch creation date. For example, if you set it to "14 days," the default release date for a new launch will be 14 days after the launch is created. You can customize this release date for individual launches later if needed.

This date typically represents when your initiative, campaign, or feature is planned to be released, usually after the launch review is completed.

2. Enable Launch Completion Target: This is the master switch for the feature. Enabling this setting will activate Launch Completion Target tracking for all new launches created after the setting is turned on. Launches created before this setting is enabled will not have Launch Completion Targets applied.

The number of days entered here defines the overall target completion time for a launch. This is the target SLA for your launches.

How Launch Completion Targets Work

Once enabled, Launch Completion Targets track the progress of a launch from its creation to its final completion. The system calculates the "days remaining" based on your settings and the current date. This helps you visualize how close a launch is to its target completion date.

Launch Completion Target Statuses

Launch Completion Targets have several statuses to provide a clear picture of a launch's progress:

• OK: The launch is on track and within the expected timeframe.
• Approaching: The launch is nearing its due date. The "approaching" threshold is currently set to 4 days before the due date, but can be adjusted depending on your needs.
• Paused: The Launch Completion Target calculation is paused due to one of the pause controls being activated (weekends, review team blocked status, or manual pause).
• Overdue: The launch has passed its due date.

Pausing and Rescheduling

Launch Completion Targets offer flexibility through pause and reschedule options:

1. Weekend Pauses: If enabled, the "days remaining" calculation will automatically pause on weekends (Saturdays and Sundays). This prevents weekends from counting against your launch completion target.
   
   
2. Review Team "Blocked" Status Pauses: When this option is enabled, the "days remaining" calculation will pause if any review team associated with a launch is marked as "blocked." This allows for situations where external factors are preventing progress. Once the blocking issue is resolved and the review team's status is updated, the countdown will resume.
   
   
3. Manual Pauses & Rescheduling: Enabling this setting allows Launch Managers to manually pause the "days remaining" calculation for a specific launch. This is useful for planned delays or unforeseen circumstances. Launch Managers can also manually change the launch completion target date for a launch, providing greater control over individual launch timelines.

Tracking Launch Completion Targets on a Launch

Once you've turned on the Launch Completion Target setting, you can easily track your launch progress. For all launches created after you enabled this setting, the Launch Summary page will include a Completion Target section on the right side panel below the launch details.

The Launch Completion Target section provides:

• The target or due date for the launch.
• A visual progress graph showing how the launch is tracking against the due date.
• The days remaining to the due date and the number of days that have passed since the launch began.

If manual Pausing and Rescheduling is enabled in the settings, you may:

• Pause the countdown against the completion target by pressing Pause Clock. Press Start Clock to resume the clock.
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• Reschedule by setting a new due date by manually entering a new date or clicking the new date using the calendar.
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Key Considerations

• Launch Completion Target tracking begins only for launches created after the feature is enabled.
• The default launch release date serves as a starting point and can be adjusted for individual launches.
• Pause and reschedule options provide flexibility to accommodate various launch scenarios.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Q: Can I apply Launch Completion Targets to existing launches?
   A: No, Launch Completion Target tracking only applies to launches created after the feature is enabled.
   
   
2. Q: What happens if a launch exceeds its completion target?
   A: While the system tracks and displays the "days remaining," it does not automatically take any action. It is designed to provide visibility and encourage timely completion. You can then follow your internal processes.
   
   
3. Q: Who can manage Launch Completion Target settings?
   A: Only users with the administrative permissions can manage the settings on the Launch Benchmarks Settings page.
   
   
4. Q: Who can manually pause or reschedule a launch?
   A: Only Launch Managers have the ability to manually pause the countdown and reschedule the target date.

This table illustrates the impact of various activities on a launch's due date (SLA) and the corresponding status of the launch completion target.

It tracks a sample launch day-by-day, showing how different actions affect the due date and whether the launch completion target is on track, approaching the deadline, paused, or overdue. Understanding these interactions is crucial for effectively managing launch timelines and ensuring SLAs are met.