PAA version ‘3.0’ offers enhanced features

Published Aug. 19, 2008
Defense Civilian Personnel Management Service

WASHINGTON -- Version 3.0 of the Performance Appraisal Application, or 'PAA,' is scheduled to launch this month - in time for the 2008 evaluation process and 2009 planning. The tool's modifications and enhanced features include:

· A new look and feel, with tabs that display key tasks in the order they are performed. For example, there are tabs for Plan, Interim Review and Appraisal.
· Assessment by Job Objective that allows employees and rating officials to enter up to 2,000 characters for each assessment by job objective.
· Improved copy and paste functionality that correctly converts most MS Word format characters, such as carriage returns and quotes.
· An improved character counter that provides a more accurate count of the number of characters entered or pasted.
· An enhanced email notification process that provides employees, rating officials and higher level reviewers status information within the email.
· Easy and standardized approvals and acknowledgement processes for establishing plans and conducting Interim Reviews and Appraisals.
· The ability to copy plans from year to year.
· A Track Progress page that lets you know where you are in the process.
Several screen shots provide you with an early look at some of the new, user-friendly features of PAA v3.0:
· See this site on how the tabbed format makes the tool easier to use: http://www.cpms.osd.mil/nsps/docs/PAA_SCREEN_SHOTS_A.pdf
· See this site to understand how NSPS has expanded the self assessments portion of the tool: http://www.cpms.osd.mil/nsps/docs/PAA_SCREEN_SHOTS_B.pdf
· See this site to view new features that make creating a performance plan easier: http://www.cpms.osd.mil/nsps/docs/PAA_SCREEN_SHOTS_D.pdf
· See this site to view how messages are sent via a robust e-mail program (versus internal notifications): http://www.cpms.osd.mil/nsps/docs/PAA_SCREEN_SHOTS_C.pdf
Prior to making version 3.0 enhancements, the Department of Defense reviewed the lessons learned from PAA versions 1.0 and 2.0 and sought the opinions of users, novice to expert, from each component.

"During version 3.0 workshops, we adopted 37 recommendations for improved functionality," said Brad Bunn, program executive officer, National Security Personnel System. "The DoD is committed to making the PAA a user-friendly application. Ongoing feedback from managers, supervisors, employees, and the human resources community has really guided the process."

Sharon Stewart, acting director of the Defense Civilian Personnel Management Service agreed.

"We collect a great deal of information from our user satisfaction surveys that helps us continually identify improvement areas," she said. "Employee comments are invaluable in updating the tool and in helping to develop critical support for the performance appraisal process."

Two more rounds of enhancements to PAA version 3.0 are planned for fall and winter 2008. Some of these changes include a multi-tiered correction process and a feature for employees known as "My Journal." Ongoing and increased training efforts and communications will keep the workforce informed of system changes. For more information, visit www.cpms.osd.mil/nsps/.