Getting Started with Valustra

Welcome to Valustra! This guide will help you get up and running quickly with our Value Stream Reference Architectures platform.

What is The Valustra Stream Research Alliance?

The Valustra Reseach Alliance is guided by its core mission to support ongoing research into Value Stream Reference Architectures (VSRA) and to serve practitioners in the broader community with knowledge, tools, and resources so that they can explore their own value stream reference architectures.

• About the Alliance - Read more about the research alliance.

What is Valustra?

Valustra is a powerful AI assisted platform designed to help organizations analyze and visualize their team topologies, value streams, and organizational risks. It provides comprehensive insights into team dependencies, flow patterns, and potential bottlenecks using the FINER (Flow, Impediments, Needs, Effort, Resilience) analysis framework.

Key features include:

• Team Topology Analysis: Visualize team structures and relationships
• Value Stream Reference Architecture (VSRA): Identify and develop organizational structure using VSRA
• Interactive Diagrams: Dynamic team topology diagrams with flow visualization
• FINER Analysis: Detailed assessment of team capabilities and challenges
• Ask Valustra: An AI assistant answering questions about your VSRA, getting deep insight and recommendations
• Report Generation: Professional PDF reports with QR codes for sharing

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

• A modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge)
• An internet connection
• A valid email address for account creation
• Basic understanding of your organization's team structure

Quick Start

Step 1: Request an Account

Valustra EA is currently available on request. Please send email to info@valustra.com to enquire about an account.

1. After your account has been created you will recieve a welcome email.
2. Click the link in the welcome email to activate your account.
3. Click "Continue" and follow the instructions to update your password.

Step 2: Access Valustra

1. Open your web browser
2. Navigate to https://app.valustra.com
3. Log in with your user ID (email address) and password.
4. You should see the Valustra homepage where you can access your VRSA projects and reports.

Step 3: Explore the Interface

Once logged in, you'll see the home page:

• My Projects: Your VSRA projects and reports are listed here
• Resources: Links to further resources and help
• Profile: Your profile and account information

Step 4: Create Your First Analysis

1. Click "+ Create New VSRA Project" button to start a new analysis
2. Under the Organization tab click "Add your first team" to start building your VSRA structure
3. Enter the names of the teams in your organization
4. For each team, specify which other teams they support (click the "+" buttons) to link teams.
5. Select the "Topology Insights" tab to view the Team Topology for your organization.
6. Click on a team in the diagram to explore it's value chains.
7. Open the Valustra AI chat by clicking the robot icon.
8. Ask Valustra questions like: "Where are the bottlenecks?" or "Show me the FINE values".
9. View an AI generated report by selecting the reports tab and clicking the "Create Report" button.
10. Download the report PDF or copy the QR code to share it with others.

Understanding Key Features

Team Topology Diagrams

• Interactive visual representations of your team structure
• Configurable flow arrows showing dependencies and value streams
• FINER tables displaying detailed team analysis
• Export capabilities for presentations and documentation

Analysis Tools

• Flow Visualization: See how work flows between teams
• Dependency Mapping: Identify bottlenecks and critical paths
• Risk Assessment: Understand potential organizational risks
• Transparency Controls: Adjust diagram opacity and emphasis

Report Generation

• Generate professional PDF reports
• QR codes for easy sharing and access
• Customizable content and formatting
• Save and retrieve reports for future reference

Next Steps

Now that you're set up, explore these areas:

• User Guide - Comprehensive feature documentation
• FINER Framework - Understanding the analysis methodology
• Team Topology Patterns - Common organizational structures
• Visualization Options - Customizing your diagrams
• Examples - Real-world usage examples and case studies
• FAQ - Common questions and answers

Best Practices

To get the most out of Valustra:

1. Start Small: Begin with a subset of teams you know well
2. Involve Team Members: Collaborate with teams for accurate FINER assessments
3. Regular Updates: Refresh your analysis as teams and processes evolve
4. Use Visualizations: Leverage the diagram features to communicate insights
5. Share Results: Use reports and QR codes to share findings with stakeholders

Need Help?

If you encounter any issues:

1. Search our FAQ
2. Contact us at info@valustra.com
3. Visit our Community Discussions

For urgent issues or support, our team typically responds within 24 hours.

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Ready to dive deeper? Continue to the User Guide for detailed information about all Valustra features, or jump straight into creating your first Value Stream Reference Architecture.

Tip: Start by mapping just 3-5 core teams in your organization to get familiar with the platform before expanding to your full organizational structure.