Guided Navigation

Purpose:  Guided Navigation is a nonlinear process that gathers and evaluates data (everything known about a case) to determine the next appropriate action to take.  It can help administrators build processes with more complex conditions than our branch logic features.

Supported Modules: Currently only supported in the Case/Matter module.

Status:  Available on all sites.

Cost:  No additional cost.

Permission:  Your user role must have the "Edit Guided Navigation" permission (unchecked by default).

Related Tools: ReferralHUB (also uses the expressions editor); Branch Logic (also used to surface specific fields based on responses to other fields, although in a more limited fashion); Guided Navigation API calls.

In this article:

Introduction

Guided Navigation is a nonlinear process that gathers and evaluates data (everything known about a case) to determine the next appropriate action to take. These can include what question to ask next, take some sort of action (e.g., generate a document), or provide an informational response.

Guided Navigation leverages LegalServer's Expression Builder to allow for complex combinations of data to trigger a variety of actions. These expressions are organized into dialogues to both surface new information, take action, and/or to route users. Users interact with the Guided Navigation Dialogues through the Dialogue Runner Block, which can be placed on any form. 


Components and Vocabulary

    • Dialogue Runner Block - A block placed on a form in any process and calls the navigation dialogue.
    • Elements - Includes all form elements such as headers, instructions, blocks, fields, as well as a variety of actions such as setting values in blocks or fields, generating document templates, performing an API call, or adding a case note.
    • Expressions Editor - A tool utilized in Guided Navigation allowing administrators to create a variety of expressions that, when met, will surface any of the elements described above. Administrators can create expressions based on specific values, where a field is null or not null, or (in the case of numbers and dates) with a variety of ranges. The expressions editor is used in each segment and to create output expressions, directing the user to the next step.
    • Groups - Combinations of multiple Rules.
    • Interactive Dialogue - Surface elements to user based on administrator created expressions within each segment.
    • Navigation Dialogue - Routes the user to the appropriate Interactive Dialogue based on a series of admin created rules (or expressions).
    • Outputs - Where the user is directed at the end of a Navigation Dialogue or Segment in an Interactive Dialogue.
    • Rules - trigger a specific expression based on a user's response to a field.  
    • Segments - A collection of elements that comprise interactive dialogues.  

Implementing Guided Navigation

Administrators need to do the following:

    1. Give the Administrator user role (and other roles if desired) the "Edit Guided Navigation" permission to create and edit guided navigation dialogues.
    2. Create one or more Interactive Dialogues, where various elements are added.
    3. Create a Navigation Dialogue, which will route the user to the appropriate Interactive Dialogue.
    4. Add the Dialogue Runner Block to the form where the user should see the Dialogues.

Getting to Guided Navigation

To navigate to the Guided Navigation, go the Admin tab click on Process Management in the left hand side bar where the Guided Navigation link is listed. You can also search for Guided Navigation in the search bar. If you do not see the Guided Navigation option in the admin tab, check user settings and make sure your user role has access to the editor.


Interactive Dialogue

And Interactive Dialogue surfaces elements to user based on administrator created expressions within each segment. Interactive Dialogues are made up of one or more segments.

To create a new Interactive Dialogue, navigate to the Guided Navigation tool in the admin tab where you will see two tabs, one labeled "Interactive dialogue". On the listview, click the small plus sign within the circle. This will open to a new interactive dialogue.

From here you can add new segments, arrange segment orders, set a default dialogue entry point (which segment the dialogue will automatically open to) and access several visualizations of the systems your creating.

Segment

Each interactive dialogue can have multiple segments, each with their own form elements. Each segment has one or more elements, output expressions with a default destination at the end of the segment.

To create a new segment, click on new segment on the Interactive Dialogue screen. This will open your Segment editor. From here you can add a new element (ie: a field, a block, an API Call etc), create new output expressions (identifying where the user will be routed to based on a set of criteria), create a new field, and access visualizations of the systems you are creating.

You MUST set a default destination for each segment. This will route your user to another segment in the current interactive dialogue, and different interactive dialogue all together, or will simply terminate the dialogue. This is how the segment will terminate if none of the output expressions are satisfied. Even you have created output expressions for every condition, you must still set a default destination.


Elements

An Element includes all form elements such as headers, instructions, blocks, fields, as well as a variety of actions such as setting values in blocks or fields, generating document templates, performing an API call, or adding a case note. Each segment is comprised of one or more elements.

To add a new element to your dialogue, click on "Add element" at the bottom of the Elements section in an Interactive Dialogue and a new element editor will display.

There are a variety of Element Types administrators can select, including all your old time favorites such as headers, instructions, blocks, fields, as well as a whole new variety of actions such as setting values in blocks or fields, generating document templates, performing an API call, or adding a case note.


Each element has its own set of configuration options mirroring the options that would display on any form in LegalServer.

Administrators can use the Expression Editor to surface elements based on one or more rules or groups of rules. Please see the Expression Editor section for more information.


Output Expressions

Administrators can create output expressions in the expression builder to route users to another segment in the same dialogue, a segment in a different dialogue or allow the user to exit the dialogue entirely.

To add a new output expression, click on "add expression" at the bottom of the Output expression section in an Interactive Dialogue.


Administrators must set a default destination where the segment will terminate when no expression criteria is met. Even where an administrator has built expressions for every foreseeable situation, a default destination must be set.


Navigation Dialogue

The Navigation Dialogue routes the user to the appropriate Interactive Dialogue based on the expressions created by the admin. The Guided Navigation Block points to Navigation Dialogues to correctly display the desired information to a user. Please note: If your users only need to access one Interactive Dialogue (no routing is required) you do not need a Navigation Dialogue.

To create a new navigation dialogue click on the plus button in the navigation dialogue listview. To edit a current navigation dialogue, click on the blue title of the offending dialogue.


Once in the dialogue administrators can create output expressions in the expression editor to route users to the correct interactive dialogue. Please note- the Navigation Dialogue consists of only output expressions. It primary purpose is to route users to a particular Interactive Dialogue.


Output Expressions

Administrators can create expressions in the expression builder to route users to the desired segment of any Interactive Dialogue. To add a new output expression, click on "add expression" at the bottom of the Output expression section in a Navigation Dialogue.

For each Navigation Dialogue, there must be a default destination for situations where no expression is satisfied. Even where an administrator has built expressions for every foreseeable situation, a default destination must be set.

Expressions Editor

The Expressions Editor is a tool utilized in Guided Navigation allowing administrators to create a variety of expressions that, when met, will surface any of the elements described above.

Administrators can create expressions based on specific values, where a field is null or not null, or (in the case of numbers and dates) with a variety of ranges. The expressions editor is used in each segment and to create output expressions, directing the user to the next step.

To create a new Expression, expand the element or output where you are adding the Expression. Where you are adding an Expression to an Element, you will need to change the selection under "Entering Logic" from "Always True" to "Use an Expression".


When expanded (or when you create a new expression) administrators are given the option to create one or more rules, or groups of rules.

Rules are used to trigger a specific expression based on a user's response to a field.

Groups are combinations of multiple Rules.

Each type of field allows for different rules, generally each field allows administrators to set a rule based on whether a field is null or not, and where a field is a lookup, administrators can specify which values should trigger the rule, or which should not. Date, text and number fields all have different options.


Administrators can combine more than one field into these rules, and can use AND/OR statements to combine the fields.


Rules can also be combined into groups, and groups can be combined to provide more flexibility to administrators.


Output Expressions

Both the Navigation and Interactive Dialogues allow administrators to route users to segments within the current or other dialogues.


Element Expressions

Within the Interactive Dialogues segments, Administrators can surface specific elements based on expressions they build in the system.


Additional Functionality

Create a Field and Custom Lookups

Administrators can create custom fields from the Navigation Dialogue or Segment Editor. By clicking on Create Field


And selecting the appropriate field type, administrators can create a short name and create the field for use anywhere in your LegalServer site including the Guided Navigation Dialogues or Segment.


If an Administrator selects "new custom lookup" as the type


They will be prompted to enter the short name, as well as the lookup values to populate the field. This creates a custom lookup that can be used in other custom lookup fields as well.

View as Questionnaire

This options show the various expressions in order and their output.


Visualize this Segment

This shows how each expression interacts with other expressions in the dialogue.


Copying and Exporting Guided Navigation Dialogues

You can make a copy of a dialogue on the same site by using the Copy Dialogue feature.  A Dialogue can be copied from one site and then put onto another site using the Export Dialogue and Import Dialogue feature. 

To make a copy of an interactive or navigation dialogue for use on the same site, click on the copy icon to the right of the Dialogue Name.

This will create a new dialogue with - COPY appended to the name.  You may edit and rename the copy as you desire.

To export an interactive or navigation dialogue for use on a different site, click on the export icon to the right of the dialogue name.

This will begin a download process.  A .json file holding the data for the dialogue will be sent to your default folder for downloads.

Navigate to the Guided Navigation on the site where you wish to import the copied dialogue.  Find the import button at the top right of the listview.

On the Upload Dialogue screen, select the .json file you wish to copy.  The Add By URL option will be set to Upload File by default. 

Click continue, and you will be taken to the Process JSON screen.  Here, the system will give you an analysis that includes what lookups and custom fields need to be created to successfully copy the dialogue.  Once you review this information, click on Create Dialogues, Custom Fields, and Lookups. You will be taken to the Import Results confirmation screen with links to the new dialogue, custom fields, and any lookups created.

Adding the Dialogue Runner Block

The Dialogue Runner Block is a block placed on a form in any process and calls the navigation dialogue. This is how your users will interact with the Guided Navigation Dialogues you've created. This block can be placed on a form in either a create (intake) or an auxiliary process.

To add the block, navigate to the form where users will interact with your Guided Navigation Segments. Add the "Dialogue Runner" block and select your desired Dialogue. The name of the dialogue will show in the User Interface as a Header above any of the fields/blocks visible from the Guided Navigation.

Please note- you can select a Navigation Dialogue, which will route your user to the correct Interactive Dialogue based on the outputs you've defined, or you can select an Interactive Dialogue, if no routing is required.

There are four configuration options within this block:

  • Show start ver button - allows users to start the Dialogue over at any time,
  • Show start over button on completed dialogues - allows users to start the Dialogue over when they've finished the Dialogue otherwise.
  • Show Skip button - allows users to skip the Dialogue completely
  • Stealth Mode - hides the header from the User Interface. This is ideal when there are no Fields to Capture or Blocks being used in the Dialogue.

This block can be used on any form, regardless of whether the form is part of an intake or auxiliary process (or both).

The Edit link next to the Dialogue name allows you to jump directly into editing that particular dialogue.

The user will see those questions surfaced and, if enabled, the ability to start over or skip the dialogue entirely. Administrators will see an orange box with a link to edit the segment currently displayed.

Review/Tips

Start by creating a single segment in an interactive dialogue. If you try to build the navigation dialogue first, there isn't anything to call.

Sketch out your conditions- it always helps me to start at the bottom (when I want the user to end up) and work my way back to where the user begins.

Remember: The dialogue runner is where Guided Navigation shows up for the user.


Reporting Problems or Questions

If you are filing a ticket about a problem or have a question about Guided Navigation, we will need:

  • A link to the form with the Dialogue Runner block on it, or directions on how to get to the front end of that form. Example: "Go to this case (link). Then Actions menu > My Amazing Process. Select "Foo" for the Bar field to start the dialog."
  • The link should be to a test case, not an actual client's case.
  • Detailed instructions on what to select to get to the point where  you are having the issue or need help. "Select "X" on the first step, then "Baz" on the second, then "Foo" on the third, then ....". You get the idea.

Notes and Known Issues

  • The Dialogue Runner block is not supported on profile pages. (LS-65403)
  • You cannot have more than one Dialogue Runner block on a form. Well, you can, but the second instance will just run the first dialogue selected in the first instance.
  • Creating a fully guided navigation-based intake? Be sure to have at least one field on the first segment of your dialogue so that a record is immediately created- if all else fails, use Field to Capture > Intake Date set to default to Current Date, and make it Hidden.
  • If you are working with an Organization-based field like Referring Organizations, the selector probably wants ID numbers. So instead of "ABC Legal", the ID "322", found in the URL when viewing that organization's profile record. (LS-93317).
  • Doesn't make coffee. Ordering a latte for you when you enter edit mode is in progress.
  • Show adjacent next button with logic doesn't do what you'd hoped it does. This option is currently for a feature in testing. Don't use it, it won't help you. Someday maybe.
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