Skill signals
What it is
Skill signals help keep each person's skill sheet up to date from the work they actually finish. Every night, Akollo looks at a person's completed work and, if the organisation allows it, at how much time they spent in certain kinds of tools. When there is enough evidence that someone has grown in a skill, Akollo prepares a suggestion to raise that skill by one level. Nothing changes on its own: the person sees the suggestion and can object, and only a manager can accept it.
Note
Skill signals are off until an administrator turns them on.
What is measured
For each skill, over the last 180 days, and only for work items whose required skills name that skill:
| Measure | What it counts |
|---|---|
| Completed work | How many finished and accepted work items needed the skill |
| Time against the estimate | The time recorded on those items compared with their original estimate. The middle value is used, so one unusual item does not decide it. |
| Work that came back | How many finished items were reopened, and how many times work moved back a step before it was finished |
| Tool time (only when allowed, see below) | The total hours per week, over the last four weeks, in the tool categories an administrator has linked to the skill, for example "Development" for a programming skill |
Tool time is a category total only. Screenshots, window titles, web addresses, keystrokes and mood are never used. There is no list that compares people. If your organisation chooses, these measures can be one factor when people are suggested for work (see Staffing below).
When tool time is used
Tool time is used for a person only when all of these are true:
- the organisation's recording notice names this purpose (Akollo adds the paragraph when an administrator turns skill signals on, and everyone is asked to accept the new version);
- the person has accepted that version of the notice;
- recording is not switched off for the person.
If any of these is missing, suggestions are prepared from completed work alone.
Who sees what
| Who | What they see |
|---|---|
| You | What was measured about you, on your skills page under "What Akollo measured", with the date it was last updated |
| Your manager | The measures from your work, for people in the teams they manage, on that person's skills page. Only whether tool time counted, never your hours. |
| Anyone else | Nothing. There is no list that sets people side by side. |
Suggestions and objections
A suggestion appears under "Suggestions" on your skills page, with the work items behind it. You can object to it and add a note. A suggestion you objected to cannot be accepted. That skill at that level is not suggested again, even when you finish more work, until you withdraw your objection ("Withdraw my objection") or your manager lifts it (this is recorded). A manager can accept or reject a suggestion. Only an accepted suggestion changes your skill sheet. If a suggestion was accepted, you can still object within 30 days and the change is withdrawn.
Objecting to a suggestion
Open your skills page
Find the suggestion under "Suggestions", together with the work items behind it.
Object and add a note
Object to the suggestion and explain why in the note. The suggestion can no longer be accepted.
Withdraw later if you change your mind
Choose "Withdraw my objection" to allow the suggestion again. Your manager can also lift it, and that is recorded.
Staffing
When people are suggested for a work item, two extra measures can be shown: "Time against estimate" and "Work that stays done". They are taken from skill signals for the skills the item needs. They count toward the order only if an administrator gives them a weight. By default, they do not. While skill signals are off, both show as unknown.
For administrators
- Turn skill signals on or off under Settings › AI › Skills. Turning them on adds the purpose to the recording notice. Turning them off removes everything measured so far and closes the suggestions skill signals made that nobody has decided yet.
- On the same page, choose which tool categories count toward each skill (up to ten per skill).
- A person's measured data is included when they ask for a copy of their data, and it is deleted when their data is erased.
Open the skills settings
Go to Settings › AI › Skills.
Turn skill signals on
Switch them on. Akollo adds the purpose to the recording notice, and everyone is asked to accept the new version.
Link tool categories
For each skill, choose up to ten tool categories that count toward it.
Warning
Turning skill signals off removes everything measured so far and closes the open suggestions nobody has decided yet.
FAQ
No. Only a manager can accept a suggestion, and only an accepted suggestion changes the skill sheet.
No. Tool time is a category total only. Screenshots, window titles, web addresses, keystrokes and mood are never used.
No. Your manager sees only whether tool time counted, never your hours.
Yes. You can object within 30 days of acceptance, and the change is withdrawn.
It is deleted. It is also included when you ask for a copy of your data.
Related pages
Planning and staffing with AI
Ask the assistant about people and capacity, get staffing suggestions, and draft project plans and breakdowns that a person confirms.
AI access and tokens
Choose who in your organisation can use AI, give seats, set a monthly limit per person, follow AI token use and stop all AI requests at once.