Set and manage your focus area hierarchy
Before any focus areas can be created, a product admin must determine the number of levels in the focus area hierarchy and label the types that sit at each level. You can have as many as 10 levels and as few as one.
Changes can be made to the hierarchy after focus areas have been created, but making changes to the hierarchy may impact the relationships existing focus areas have with one another.
Focus areas types
Focus areas are assigned a type when created. The type maps to a level in the hierarchy, and the level determines whether the focus area can have a parent focus area or sub-focus areas. These relationships make the connections between areas clear so that data can be rolled up, giving leaders insights into all the dimensions that impact the strategic priorities they care about.
Relationships
A focus area isn’t required to have a parent, but if it does, it can only have one. That area’s type must be above it in the hierarchy, but it doesn't have to be the type immediately above it.
A focus area isn’t required to have a sub-focus area, but if it does, it can have many. The types of those areas must be below it in the hierarchy, but it doesn't have to be the type immediately below it.
Example hierarchy
Since no two companies run their business the same way, the first time a product admin logs into Focus, the Hierarchy page is blank. Seeing an example can help this setup feel less daunting.
This example focus area hierarchy has three levels:
The Market type is at the top, and there are four focus areas with that type.
The Business unit type is in the middle, and there are six focus areas with that type.
The Group type is at the bottom, and there are seven focus areas with that type.
When someone creates focus areas in the site using this hierarchy, the create menu looks like this.
Actions
Whether you are setting up the hierarchy for the first time or making changes to an existing one, the following actions are available:
Create type and level
Rename type
Reorder types
Delete type and level
View existing focus areas
When making several changes at a time, you may need to save before making more as many changes rely on another to be saved first. A (lock) icon next to a focus area type indicates that you’ll need to save.
Create a type and level
To create a focus area level and give the type a name
Select the Settings icon () in the top right corner to open Focus administration.
Select Focus admin settings > Hierarchy.
Select Create. A new level is added to the hierarchy at the bottom.
Enter the label that describes that kind of focus area; this must be unique. That will be its type and will sit at that level in the hierarchy.
Select the checkmark button.
Repeat Steps 3 - 5 until you have the right number of levels in your hierarchy.
Select Save and confirm. If you select Save and confirm, a confirmation message appears.
Select Confirm to make the changes.
Select Discard changes to undo all the changes and return to the existing hierarchy.
Rename a type
Whether focus areas have been created or not, renaming a type is simple because there is no impact on the:
goals, work, and positions connected to them
relationships focus areas have with other focus areas
To rename a type
Select the Settings icon () in the top right corner to open Focus administration.
Select Focus admin settings > Hierarchy.
Select the label of the type you want to rename.
Modify the text and select the checkmark button.
Select Save and confirm. If you select Save and confirm, a confirmation message appears.
Select Confirm to make the changes.
Select Discard changes to undo all the changes and return to the existing hierarchy.
Reorder types
To reorder without existing focus areas
You can reorder the types using drag and drop or by moving a type up and down using the (More actions) menu.
Select the Settings icon () in the top right corner to open Focus administration.
Select Focus admin settings > Hierarchy.
Select the card using your pointer and drag and drop it to the new level in the hierarchy.
If you aren’t using an input device like a mouse or trackpad, select (More actions) > Move up or Move down for the type you want to move.Select Save and confirm. If you select Save and confirm, a confirmation message appears.
Select Confirm to make the changes.
Select Discard changes to undo all the changes and return to the existing hierarchy.
To reorder with existing focus areas
Reordering types doesn’t impact the goals, work, and positions connected to the focus areas whose types are being moved.
The relationships focus areas have with one another may change based on the following rules:
Focus areas whose type is at the top of the hierarchy can’t have a parent focus area. If this happens when reordering, the parent focus area will be unlinked.
Focus areas whose type is at the bottom of the hierarchy can’t have sub-focus areas. If this happens when reordering, the sub-focus areas will be unlinked.
A focus area can’t have the same type as its parent focus area or its sub-focus area. If this happens when reordering, the parent or sub-focus areas will be unlinked.
You can reorder the types using drag and drop or by moving a type up and down using the (More actions) menu.
Select the Settings icon () in the top right corner to open Focus administration.
Select Focus admin settings > Hierarchy.
Select the card using your pointer and drag and drop it to the new level in the hierarchy.
If you aren’t using an input device like a mouse or trackpad, select (More actions) > Move up or Move down for the type you want to move.Select Save and confirm. If you select Save and confirm, a confirmation message appears.
Select Confirm to make the changes.
Select Discard changes to undo all the changes and return to the existing hierarchy.
Delete a focus area type and its level
To delete with no existing focus areas
Select the Settings icon () in the top right corner to open Focus administration.
Select Focus admin settings > Hierarchy.
Select (More actions) > Delete for the type you want to trash. The type and its level disappear.
Select Save and confirm. If you select Save and confirm, a confirmation message appears.
Select Confirm to make the changes.
Select Discard changes to undo all the changes and return to the existing hierarchy.
To delete with existing focus areas
Deleting a type and its level has no impact on the goals, work, and positions connected to focus areas whose type is being deleted.
All existing focus areas with the type being deleted will be assigned a new type based on the following rules:
If there is a type at the level above them, they get assigned that type.
If there is no type and level above them, they get assigned the type below them.
The relationships focus areas have with one another may change based on the following rules:
Parent focus areas will be unlinked if a focus area’s new type is at the top level.
Sub-focus areas will be unlinked if a focus area’s new type is at the bottom level.
Parent or sub-focus areas will be unlinked if a focus area’s new type is the same.
Select the Settings icon () in the top right corner to open Focus administration.
Select Focus admin settings > Hierarchy.
Select (More actions) > Delete for the type you want to trash. The type and its level disappear.
Select Save and confirm. If you select Save and confirm, a confirmation message appears.
Select Confirm to make the changes.
Select Discard changes to undo all the changes and return to the existing hierarchy.
View existing focus areas assigned a type
After the focus area hierarchy has been in place and people have created focus areas using those types, you can see which focus areas will be impacted before you make changes to the hierarchy.
To view existing focus areas
Select the Settings icon () in the top right corner to open Focus administration.
Select Focus admin settings > Hierarchy.
Select (More actions) > View existing focus areas.
Review the focus areas currently assigned that type and select Close.
If no focus areas have been created with a certain Type, the number in the badge will be 0.
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