Planning · Inbox
Reviewing an idea
Read one idea inside a cluster, talk to its submitter, and triage it on its own.
A cluster groups several ideas that Next believes describe the same thing. Most of the time you triage the whole cluster at once. Sometimes, though, one idea needs a closer look: it might not really belong in the cluster, it might need more detail from the person who raised it, or it might be a duplicate of something else.
Opening an idea shows it in full, with Next’s view of how well it fits the cluster, any earlier versions, a discussion with the submitter and a list of possible duplicates.
Before you start
- You need access to the Inbox. If you cannot see this page, your organisation may not use it, or your role may not include it. See Understanding roles.
- To park, move or reject an idea, or to start a discussion, your role must allow you to make changes in the Inbox, and the cluster must still be open.
Open an idea
- In Planning → Inbox, select a cluster.
- Open the Ideas tab.
- Select the idea you want to read.
The idea opens in place of the cluster. The breadcrumb at the top shows the cluster’s name and the idea’s title. Select the cluster’s name to go back to it.
Understanding the page
Details
| Field | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Version | Which version of the idea you are reading. Latest is the current one. |
| Submitted | When the idea was raised. |
| Impact Type | How much the submitter said the problem is hurting. |
| Submitter | Who raised the idea, and their department. |
| Departments | The departments the submitter said are affected, if any. |
| Status | The cluster’s current status. |
| Cluster fit | Next’s confidence that this idea belongs in the cluster, as a percentage, with the cluster’s name beside it. |
Under the details, Next explains its reasoning for the cluster fit. Read this when the percentage is low: it often tells you why the idea was grouped here and whether it should move.
Below that is the idea itself, as the submitter wrote it.
Earlier versions
Submitters can revise their idea, and an idea can also be updated from its discussion. Each change creates a new version.
- Select the Version field.
- Choose an earlier version.
The text changes to show the idea as it was, with a note saying which version you are viewing and, where there is one, a summary of what changed. Choose Latest to return to the current version.
Possible duplicates
If other ideas look like this one, they are listed at the bottom under possible duplicates, each with its submitter and how closely it matches.
Select a duplicate to read it side by side with the original. It shows the duplicate’s submitter, when it was submitted, its Match to original percentage and Next’s explanation of the similarity. Select Back to return to the idea.
Triage this idea on its own
When you can act on the idea, a Triage this idea bar appears under the breadcrumb.
| Button | What it does |
|---|---|
| Park | Splits the idea out of this cluster into a cluster of its own. |
| Move to cluster | Moves the idea into another cluster that you choose from the list. |
| Reject | Rejects just this idea. Choose a reason: Out of scope, Duplicate, Not feasible or Insufficient detail. |
The rest of the cluster is not affected. Each action is recorded in the cluster’s Activity tab.
Talk to the submitter
The Discussion with submitter section lets you ask a question or suggest a change without leaving the Inbox.
Start a discussion
- Select Raise a discussion point.
- Enter a subject in What’s this about?.
- Write your message to the submitter.
- Optionally, select Draft with AI to have Next suggest wording, then insert it.
- Select Send to submitter.
The submitter is notified and can reply. See Idea discussions for how it looks to them.
Reply and resolve
Messages appear in the thread with each person’s name and the time. Type in Write a reply… and select Send. Draft with AI is available here too. When the question has been answered, select Resolve.
Fold an answer into the idea
A reply often adds detail that belongs in the idea itself. You can turn it into a proposed change to the idea.
- Select Fold into idea under a submitter’s message, or Edit manually under the thread, to write the change yourself. Choose whether to edit the idea’s description or title, enter the new wording and, optionally, why. Then select Propose change.
- Or select Update the idea with AI to have Next rewrite the idea from the discussion.
Each proposed change appears as a card showing the Current and Proposed wording.
- Select Approve & apply to accept it. You can adjust the proposed wording first. The idea gets a new version.
- Select Reject to turn it down. You can give a reason, which is shared with the submitter, then select Confirm reject.
What happens next
- If you park, move or reject an idea, the cluster updates straight away and its submission count changes.
- If you apply a change from the discussion, the idea gets a new version. Earlier versions stay available from the Version field.
- When you have finished with the cluster, return to it and park, reject or promote it. See Inbox.