Attendance & Coverage Visibility Tool

Situation

Break, lunch, and coverage tracking was manual. Managers relied on memory or paper logs, which created delayed response to compliance risk and staffing gaps. During high-traffic periods, unnoticed coverage gaps directly impacted customer experience and operational throughput.

Baseline & Measurement

• Before: Break and lunch compliance was tracked via paper logs; managers discovered overdue events after the fact
• Response time baseline: Compliance issues were typically discovered 10-30 minutes after they occurred (or not at all until end-of-shift review)
• After: Real-time alerts enabled manager response within 2 minutes of a compliance event approaching threshold
• Coverage gaps baseline: No mechanism existed to visualize real-time floor coverage; staffing decisions were based on scheduled shifts, not actual presence

Constraints & Non-Negotiables

• Must integrate with the existing Front End Performance Dashboard platform (shared architecture)
• Floor usage requires large touch targets and fast interaction — managers use this while walking the floor
• Server-side timestamps required to avoid clock drift across devices
• Cannot require Wi-Fi-only connectivity; must handle intermittent mobile data
• Must provide a searchable audit trail for compliance documentation

System Built

I added an attendance and coverage module to the performance platform:

• One-tap break and lunch timers
• Compliance alert states for approaching or overdue events
• Live floor coverage status board
• Scheduled versus actual overlay for staffing visibility
• Historical event log for compliance auditing

Technical Design

• Firebase Realtime Database to synchronize timer state across devices
• Server-side timestamps to avoid clock drift
• Mobile-first controls with large touch targets for floor use
• Shared visual state model with the broader dashboard system

Key Decisions & Tradeoffs

• Integrated module vs. standalone app: Built as a module within the existing dashboard to avoid requiring users to switch between apps. Tradeoff was tighter coupling with the main platform.
• Server-side timestamps: Used Firebase server timestamps instead of client-side clocks to ensure accuracy across devices. This added complexity but eliminated the most common source of compliance tracking errors.
• Alert thresholds: Set graduated alert states (approaching, due, overdue) rather than a single binary alert. This gave managers lead time to plan interventions rather than reacting to emergencies.

Operational Change

Managers gained immediate awareness of staffing risk and compliance status. Response moved from late detection to proactive intervention during active shifts. The tool became part of the daily floor management routine rather than an end-of-day reconciliation task.

Results

• Reduced compliance response time from 10-30 minutes to under 2 minutes
• Eliminated unnoticed coverage gaps during high-traffic periods
• Replaced paper tracking with searchable digital records
• Faster manager response during peak traffic
• Audit-ready compliance history available on demand

Artifacts

• Related system: Front End Performance Dashboard (attendance module is integrated)
• Evidence links: Homepage Proof Spine

Role Scope

I identified the operational pain point, designed the module, implemented the solution, and drove rollout in active store workflows.

What I'd Improve Next

• Predictive staffing alerts: Use historical traffic patterns to predict coverage gaps before they happen
• Integration with scheduling systems: Automatically pull scheduled shifts to compare against actual floor presence
• Manager notification escalation: Auto-escalate unresolved compliance events to senior leadership after a threshold
• Analytics layer: Aggregate compliance data to identify systemic patterns (e.g., which shifts or departments have recurring coverage issues)