Forge - User Guide

This guide covers how to use Forge’s features for idea-to-execution tracking, team collaboration, and productivity.

Getting Started

First Launch

1. Launch the App - Open Forge from your Applications folder
2. Sign In - Click “Sign in with Microsoft” to authenticate with your organization’s Azure AD
3. Configure Settings (Admin only) - Navigate to Settings to enter Turso database credentials

Navigation

The app uses a sidebar navigation with the following sections:

Features

Ideas Management

Ideas are the starting point for capturing thoughts and concepts before they become actionable goals.

Creating an Idea

1. Navigate to Ideas in the sidebar
2. Click the + New Idea button
3. Fill in the form:
   • Title - A concise name for your idea
   • Description - Detailed explanation (supports rich text)
   • Priority - Low, Medium, High, or Critical
   • Status - Draft, Under Review, Approved, or Rejected

Mind Map View

The Ideas page features an interactive mind map visualization:

• Pan - Click and drag on empty space
• Zoom - Use mouse wheel or pinch gesture
• Select Node - Click on an idea node to view details
• Expand/Collapse - Toggle child nodes visibility

Linking Ideas to Goals

Ideas can be connected to Goals to track their progression:

1. Open an idea’s detail view
2. Click Link to Goal
3. Select an existing goal or create a new one
4. The idea will now appear in the goal’s linked ideas section

Goals Management

Goals represent measurable objectives that your team is working toward.

Creating a Goal

1. Navigate to Goals in the sidebar
2. Click + New Goal
3. Fill in the goal details:
   • Title - Clear, actionable goal name
   • Description - What success looks like
   • Priority - Low, Medium, High, Critical
   • Due Date - Target completion date
   • Progress - Manual percentage (0-100%)
   • Linked Idea - Optionally connect to an existing idea

Goal Statuses

Progress Tracking

• Update progress manually using the slider
• View progress visually in the goal card
• Progress is displayed as a percentage bar

Task Management

Tasks break down goals into actionable work items managed on a Kanban board.

Kanban Board

The task board has four columns:

Creating a Task

1. Navigate to Tasks in the sidebar
2. Click + New Task or click the + in any column
3. Fill in the task details:
   • Title - Brief description of the work
   • Description - Detailed requirements
   • Priority - Low, Medium, High, Critical
   • Due Date - When the task should be completed
   • Goal - Link to a parent goal (optional)
   • Idea - Link to a related idea (optional)

Drag and Drop

• Move between columns - Drag a task card horizontally
• Reorder within column - Drag a task card vertically
• Changes are saved automatically

Task Details

Click on any task card to open the detail panel:

• View and edit all task properties
• Add comments
• See the task’s history in the activity feed

Activity Feed

The activity feed tracks all changes made within your organization.

What’s Tracked

• Ideas - Created, updated, status changes
• Goals - Created, updated, progress changes
• Tasks - Created, updated, moved between columns
• Users - Sign-ins and profile updates

Viewing Activity

1. The Dashboard shows recent activity across all entities
2. Each entity’s detail view shows activity specific to that item
3. Activity includes:
   • Who made the change
   • What was changed
   • When it happened

Clear Activity

Administrators can clear the activity log:

1. Navigate to the Dashboard
2. Click the Clear Activity button
3. Confirm the action

Real-time Collaboration

User Presence

See who’s online in your organization:

• Online users appear in the presence indicator
• Status updates every 30 seconds
• Shows user name and avatar

Voice & Video Calling

Start calls with team members directly from Forge:

1. Initiate Call - Click on an online user and select “Call”
2. Accept Call - When receiving a call, click “Accept” or “Decline”
3. In-Call Controls:
   • Toggle microphone
   • Toggle camera
   • Share screen
   • End call

Requirements:

• LiveKit credentials must be configured in Settings
• Microphone/camera permissions must be granted
• Both users must be online

Comments

Add comments to Ideas, Goals, and Tasks to discuss and collaborate.

Adding a Comment

1. Open any item’s detail view
2. Scroll to the Comments section
3. Type your comment in the text field
4. Press Enter or click Send

Comment Features

• View all comments in chronological order
• See who wrote each comment and when
• Comments are visible to all organization members

Settings

Turso Database Settings

Configure the cloud database connection:

LiveKit Settings

Configure voice/video calling:

Saving Settings

1. Enter all required values
2. Click Save Settings
3. The app will automatically connect to the database
4. Settings persist across app restarts and reinstalls

Keyboard Shortcuts

Tips & Best Practices

Organizing Ideas

• Use descriptive titles that capture the essence
• Add detailed descriptions for context
• Set appropriate priority to help with triage
• Link related ideas to goals early

Managing Goals

• Break large goals into smaller, measurable objectives
• Update progress regularly to maintain visibility
• Use due dates realistically
• Link goals to ideas to maintain traceability

Task Workflow

• Keep the Backlog clean - only add tasks you plan to work on
• Limit In Progress tasks to maintain focus
• Move tasks to Review when awaiting feedback
• Archive completed tasks periodically

Collaboration

• Use comments for async communication
• Check user presence before starting calls
• Update your own items promptly to keep the activity feed useful

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

App won’t connect to database

1. Verify Turso URL is correct (should start with libsql://)
2. Check that the auth token hasn’t expired
3. Ensure you have internet connectivity
4. Try restarting the app

Voice/video calls not working

1. Verify LiveKit credentials in Settings
2. Grant microphone/camera permissions when prompted
3. Check that both users are online
4. Ensure firewall isn’t blocking WebRTC

Changes not saving

1. Check internet connectivity
2. Verify database connection in Settings
3. Try refreshing the page
4. Check the activity feed for error messages

App is slow or unresponsive

1. Close and reopen the app
2. Check available system memory
3. Clear the activity log if it’s very large
4. Check for app updates

Getting Help

If you encounter issues not covered in this guide:

1. Check the Deployment Guide for setup issues
2. Check the Development Guide for technical issues
3. Contact your system administrator