Portal: projects, segments, qualifications and support

The focus was to simplify the experience, and to create a support environment that maximizes the return for supply chain operators and users alike.⁠^[1]

Notice. This is a basic outline. Proprietary components that are still to be protected are left out. These basic portal functions give supply chain operators and portal users an insight into the supply chain portal model; RIF will release the proprietary details once it files a follow-up patent.

Key takeawaysportal

Six functions run a user’s work: projects, qualification, trending, goals, meetings and tickets.
Qualification is a profile-building exercise: the operator supplies a video, a quiz and its SOP, and the user confirms they understand them.
Projects show every segment, with notifications for missing pieces, before a submit sends them to operators for review.

Core functions for the user

A user’s core functions are the projects, qualifications, trending, goals, meetings and tickets sections, all designed to automate projects and let users control and manage them remotely, online.

Projects are the core of the ASCP, for managing each individual chain.
Qualification tracks and simplifies knowledge transfer.
Trending identifies opportunities for the user.
Goals are set by the user and used by the core AI and ML.
Meetings enable online, remote management of projects.
Tickets are a text-based way to track issues.

The project functions are designed to be as simple as ordering anything online: pick your project and qualify. The qualification system helps both the user and the SCO (supply chain operator) complete the order and its tasks quickly, without adding overhead.

The “Projects” lists are created while projects and segments are set up in the “Projects” menu. Segments are added to each project according to the project selected and the user’s options and customizations.

Portal design, Control Panel: 'Advanced Supply Chain Portal' with tiles for Projects, Qualification, Trending (marked new), Goals at 26%, Meetings and Tickets (9+), and a menu with Funding, Segments, Account and Log Out. — The portal control panel: projects, qualification, trending, goals, meetings and tickets.

The portal control panel

Projects: The core of the Advanced Supply Chain Portal (ASCP) for managing each individual chain. This section manages projects, segments and customizations, and is integrated with every other part of the portal.
Qualification: Tracks and simplifies knowledge transfer. It gives supply chain operators (SCO) a view of how much the user knows about their industry vertical. Qualifying for an industry vertical is essentially a profile-building exercise: the SCO provides a video and a quiz to confirm that the user understands the business, and the user confirms they will apply the SOP (standard operating procedures) when working with that product or service. The aim is to shorten the user’s learning curve and reduce the support the SCO must give.
Trending: Identifies opportunities for the user. Trends occur in market, costs and level of service for every stakeholder in the supply chain; trending is a real-time analytic view of the user’s opportunities, including those they have already qualified for through the portal’s qualification functions.
Goals: Set by the user and used by the core AI and ML: delivery time, ROI, or any other metric the user wants to track while watching their progress. Users can spend their time on business and let the system show the results.
Meetings: Enable remote management of projects. This advanced form of support includes building a team to manage large projects, integrated with notifications and project and segment tracking. Users can build a team virtually, with no office or overhead; it also reduces costs for SCOs, and gives the platform a way to grow its user base quickly.
Tickets: A text-based way to track issues. Issues are routed to the lowest-cost, highest-resource fix according to the user’s qualification, or level of knowledge. AI and ML in the portal optimize the results, and every party resolves issues in a tracked way: progress, response time and ratings on both sides.

The portal is shown on a desktop platform, where most users are likely to carry out these actions.

Projects

SCO: supply chain operators
LOG: logistics
Qualified: the industry vertical (IV) and the supply chain operators (SCO) the user is qualified for

Click a project to view its details, including its segments.

Portal design, Projects Control Panel: a table of Projects 1 to 4 with active, segments (SCO and LOG), qualified and delivery-date columns; totals of 4 projects, 2 active and 1 complete; goals at 26% and tickets at 9+. — Projects control panel: four projects, two active, one complete.

Segments, customization, management

Notifications for missing pieces
Customizations
Qualification notifications
Payment methods

A “Submit” button sends the project to the SCOs for review.

Portal design, Project Details for Project 3: a chain of five segments from SCO 1 to SCO 5, four complete and one pending; a notice of a missing payment method for SCO 5's delivery SOP; a payment dropdown; and Customize and Submit buttons. — Project details: a five-segment chain, with a notice for a missing payment method.

Qualification overview & search

Industry vertical search
Links to the status of each IV qualification
Links to the status of each SCO qualification
Auto settings, including qualification links for newly created segments
Quick qualification completion wizard

A “New” button starts an industry vertical search.

Portal design, Qualifications Search: industry vertical and geographic setting fields, a Quick Complete Now link, a New button, lists of active qualified industry verticals and supply chain operators, and an Auto Settings button. — Qualification search: active qualified industry verticals and operators.

Qualification registration & completion wizard

A video for both the IV and the SCO
Q&A or quiz, with profile completion for the IV and basic knowledge for the SCO
The SCO’s SOP, acknowledged step by step as part of qualification
Terms and conditions: the product or service provider’s requirements

The screen closes with the quick qualification completion wizard.

Portal design, Qualifications Registration: for Industry Vertical 2 and Supply Chain Operator 2, a table of Video, Quiz, SOP and T&C with status and date (Viewed, Info, Watch Now, Review, Check Steps, Accept), and a Quick Complete Wizard button. — Qualification registration: video, quiz, SOP and terms, with status and date.

Adding segments, at a glance

Banner titled 'Projects': the mobile project wireframes between four round icons, captioned 'add projects, segments & add value'. — Projects: add projects, segments and add value.

Adding a segment itemThe user selects the item they want to view, and can click the Segments button for a pop-up of the segments already in the project.
Review details, add the item and segment to the project“Add” creates a segment named after the SCO in the project automatically; Details or Customize open the project settings.
Confirm the selection and add the segment“Add Segment” confirms the selection and creates the segment with the SCO’s name; “Add Options” is also available.
Optional: add-value optionsClick “Add Options”, select options with “Add”, return to the project’s Add Segment screen and, if satisfied, click “Add Segment”. The add-value options then appear in the project segment.