Our associates in Controllership leverage these cutting-edge technologies to enhance their work, benefiting not only their teams but also our business partners and customers. Amidst this whirlwind of innovation, Controllership recognized the need for a seamless way for our associates to track their continuous improvement efforts.  

Enter the Spark Power App, launched in 2023. Built on the Microsoft Power Platform, this tool was designed to help associates log their ideas, request support for building their solutions, and gain insights into the continuous improvement efforts across our organization of more than 300 associates. The Spark Power App provided a solution, helping us not only with the tracking and reporting of these efforts, but also enabling us to tell our own story of continuous improvement.  

The centralized tracking and sharing of ideas through the Spark Power App has transformed the way our Continuous Improvement team operates. With this tool, our team can provide better support to associates and prioritize work more effectively. Additionally, our leaders now have all the information they need at their fingertips, empowering them to help their teams be more effective and drive greater value. 

However, we initially fell into the trap of overcomplicating the tool with too many data points, which hampered the user experience.  

Determined to prioritize our associates’ user experience, we embarked on a major overhaul of the Spark Power App as we moved into 2024:  

• We simplified navigation and introduced a guided intake form to make the tool more intuitive.  
• In addition, we launched a coaching program to connect associates with experts for each submitted idea, ensuring associates receive the guidance they need.   
• Finally, we streamlined our data, eliminating 57 unnecessary fields to focus on the most meaningful insights.  

These enhancements have already had a tangible impact. This year, our Spark submissions are up 127% compared to last year resulting in implemented savings being up 182%. The new guided experience makes it not only easier for our customers, but our coaches and Continuous Improvement team members as well to interact with the tool and advance our culture of continuous improvement. 

In a world increasingly dominated by digital tools, it’s crucial to remember that the tool itself doesn’t create the experience. By prioritizing our customers’ experience over the tool’s complexity, we enabled our associates to become more effective and efficient. This journey highlights the importance of user-centric design in driving continuous improvement and achieving extraordinary results.