Here goes nothing (my views clearly don't count to CIC, but I'm shouting them out loud and clear nevertheless):
What would help you understand your processing time?
A break-up of the estimated processing time among the actual steps - eligibility, security, criminality and medical. Since these are important components of the process, an estimated processing time for each should be provided. A more granular progress bar, that accurately reflects each stage of the process, is what is sorely needed. Not a simple line measuring the time from acknowledgment of receipt to completion of 6 months from the same.
What would have made the text in the application status box more helpful to you?
It should let me know if I lie in the 80% of applications that will indeed get processed in the 6-month timeline or it falls under the 20% for which processing will take longer. As of now, I am aware my security has not started (based on the call placed to an agent) but the text only states that my application will get processed over the next 10 working days. As of now, this appears a highly unlikely scenario, and consequently, the perceived lack of accurate information in the application status box is jarring to me as an applicant who expects full and fair disclosure from the text.
We value your opinion. Please provide additional comments about the progress bar.
The progress bar should be modelled on the GCMS notes. All components - Eligibility, Security, Criminality and Medical - should be provided separately, with an individual progress milestone against each. Considering the process is complex and composite, the progress bar should reflect this reality, and not just show a simple acknowledgement-of-receipt to completion-of-6-months journey.