Stages
Initiatives move through four main stages, displayed as a kanban board:| Stage | What it means |
|---|---|
| Idea | A new AI use case has been identified but not yet evaluated |
| Validated | The idea has been assessed and confirmed as worth pursuing |
| In development | Active work is underway to build the solution |
| Deployed | The solution is live and delivering value |
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| On hold | Temporarily paused, may resume later |
| Archived | No longer active, stored for reference |
Ownership
When you create an initiative, you’re automatically set as the owner. If the initiative is part of a project you’re collaborating on with Kowalah, a Kowalah owner can also be assigned so both sides have visibility.- Customer owner — someone from your organization accountable for this use case
- Kowalah owner (optional) — the Kowalah team member working on delivery
Creating an initiative
Initiative details
Each initiative tracks:Progress tracker
Like projects, every initiative in the validated or in development stage has a progress tracker in the sidebar. This gives you an at-a-glance health check on the initiative.The progress tracker shows how far along the work is, the health of the initiative, who needs to act next, and the estimated completion date.
| Field | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Progress percentage | A visual gauge showing completion (0-100%) |
| Health status | On track, some risk, or concerned |
| Status owner | Who needs to act next |
| Estimated completion | When the initiative is expected to finish |
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Kowalah working | The Kowalah team is actively building |
| Waiting for your input | Kowalah needs a decision or information from you |
| Customer action needed | Something for your team to do |
| Blocked externally | Waiting on a third party |
| Under review | Being evaluated or reviewed |
Value tracking
- Expected value — what you anticipate this initiative will deliver (e.g., “Save 100 hours/month in invoice processing”)
- Actual value — measured results after deployment
- Success criteria — how you’ll know the initiative succeeded
Dates
- Start date — when work begins
- Target date — the agreed deadline
- Estimated completion — the rolling estimate, updated as work progresses
Linking to projects
Initiatives can optionally belong to a project. When linked:- The initiative appears in the project’s Initiatives tab
- It can be assigned to a specific project milestone
- Project-level reporting includes the initiative’s status
Related features
Each initiative can have:- Tasks — actionable items for delivering the initiative
- Discussions — threaded conversations about the work
- Stakeholders — people involved (primary, collaborator, or watcher)
- Resources — links to Expert Requests, Accelerators, documents, or other initiatives
Projects
The strategic workspaces that group initiatives
Tasks
Actionable items within initiatives
Expert Requests
Request expert work to build an initiative
Milestones
Link initiatives to project milestones