This approach connects product strategy to business strategy, customer value, and risk. It provides the structure for feedback and rapid reassessment of the product road map (backlog). the presentation then demonstrates how to reduce the miscommunication, over analysis, over design, and over engineering that leads to scope creep and misalignment between the desired solution and what is actually delivered.

1. Deciding “What” to Build

3. PMI Agile CoP

4. New PMI Agile offering Feb 24“Dennis Stevens helped us align business analysis, architecture, development, QA, support and implementation. He was an advocate for the success of our business" -- Rob Andes, CTO, John Deere Connecting the Strategy and ExecutionHBR: The Next Revolution in Productivity Agile in the Enterprise Core Team Member “In a time growth and change, Dennis Stevens helped us identify and develop the capabilities needed to deliver technology that was critical to our success." -- Mike Rouse, COO, Security First Network Bank Exploiting Agile Development Cutter: Rethinking the Agile Enterprise Agile Business Analysis Agile Extension to the BABOK

5. Do you see it?

6. Now you see it!

7. The “How” TrapA human condition The Fosbury Flop Sending a fax isn’t ever “what” someone is doing

8. With a How FocusEffort Expands Faster then Value #1. Undifferentiated Scope #2. Over analyze and over design #3. Delivery is over engineered

9. #1 Undifferentiated Scope

10. What is Business Value? Increase or protect revenue, decrease or prevent costs, increase service, maintain compliance or prepare for the future in alignment with the business strategy

11. Business Value Goal Model Example Tire Manufacturer Survive by re-establishing credibility Business Value Goal Fix the tires Settle lawsuits Address morale Repair distributor relationships Improve PR Focusing Objectives Revenue Customer Satisfaction Market share Production levels Expenses Standard Objectives

12. What is Customer Value? What the customer perceives as important and is willing to pay for.

13. Customer Value Map Example high Starbucks Emphasis low quality speed convenience fashion selection ambiance price location serviceexpertise factors of customer experience Explicit performance gap We are here

14. Describe the product as a set of outcomes – or capabilities. Jump Over Bar Notify Customer Verb - Noun

15. Explicit Performance Gaps Business Value Customer Value AnotherOutcome Risk Risk Business Risk Technology Risk Organizational Risk Market Risk KEY Low Performing Medium Performing High Performing High Value Medium Value Low Value High Risk Moderate Risk Low Risk

16. Have a road map

17. Specific Initiative To Achieve a Specific Outcome At the end of the effort – that outcome should be recognizable AnotherOutcome KEY High Value Medium Value Low Value Low Performing Medium Performing High Performing High Risk Moderate Risk Low Risk

18. When the performance goal is achieved We don’t need to invest here anymore AnotherOutcome KEY High Value Medium Value Low Value Low Performing Medium Performing High Performing High Risk Moderate Risk Low Risk

19. Revisit the road map frequently If the outcome isn’t realized – either your understanding of the model is wrong – or you didn’t do a good job with the initiative When lost it the forest, if the map doesn’t agree with the terrain, in all cases believe the terrain

20. #1 Undifferentiated Scope Tips Articulate business value Articulate customer value Make value explicit Have a road map Revisit the road map frequently

21. #2 Over Analyze and Over Design

22. Start with the simplest thing that might possibly work

23. Reduce risk early – focus on next highest increment of value Trim the tail 2,500 Value Knowledge Growing (risk reduction) 2,000 1,500 $ in k 1,000 500 Value Cost

24. Reduce risk early – focus on next highest increment of value Discovery An increment whose purpose is to prove a technology or gather feedback. May be a technology proof or a prototype. Prove it before investing more then needed

25. Reduce risk early – focus on next highest increment of value Goat Path A story that defines the absolute minimum required to walk a happy path of an activity from one end to the other. Can include supporting technical stories. When we need rapid feedback to address business risk

26. Reduce risk early – focus on next highest increment of value Gravel Road A story that is robust enough to cover multiple options and paths but whose implementation can be broken by extraordinary uses. Paved Road A story that is solid and can withstand high capacity and resilient to frequent use. Super Highway A story with lots of bells and whistles that is tightly integrated into other uses, intuitive and robustly functional. Allows trimming the tail Do we always need the Super Highway?

27. #2 Over analyze and over design Tips Start with the simplest thing that might possibly work Reduce risk early with as little investment as possible Be focused on a small specific objectives

28. Over Engineered

29. #3 Over Engineered Until something is delivered it is all untested assumptions Strategic decisions become concrete at the implementation level – make sure delivery is focused on value

30. #3 Over Engineered The runway is more important than the road map Make sure the right context (architecture, value, schedule, costs) exists for delivery Make work ready so the next most important thing can be worked on

31. #3. Solutions are over engineered Tips Establish context and deliver early and frequently Make work ready so the next most important thing can be worked on

32. Tips #1. Undifferentiated Scope Articulate business value Articulate customer value Make value explicit Have a road-map and test your assumptions #2. Over analyze and over design Start with the simplest thing that might possibly work Reduce risk early with as little investment as possible Be focused on a small specific objectives #3. Solutions are over engineered Establish context and deliver early and frequently Make work ready so the next most important thing can be worked on

33. Questions Dennis Stevens President, Synaptus Enabling the Agile Enterprise @dennisstevens www.synaptus.com www.dennisstevens.com