Agile Portfolio Management: Not Just Another Buzzword

Editor's Notes

• #2: Welcome to our session… Shawn Dickerson, head of marketing … none of you care what I have to say. Though we won’t be doing a product pitch, stop by our booth to see how the KeyedIn software can help you realize the principles we discuss today. 3 ways to remember us: KeyedIn, booth #208, or the folks with those laptop stickers that say things like:
• #5: These are all concepts associated with the idea of Agile Portfolio Management, but sorting through the buzzwords and knowing where to get started is overwhelming to say the least. Fear not…
• #6: Handsome former NFL QB Tim Tebow, dressed as a fireman, carrying two adorable puppies. Pander to just about every segment of the audience with that image… That help is in the form of…
• #7: Who you are, what you do and your most epic sports moment?
• #8: Summarize the concept of APM: Taking the principles that have improved project execution – being iterative, adapting and adjusting based on business need, prioritizing a dynamic backlog, etc. – and applying them to the top-down assessment of portfolio investments.
• #9: Tom: Can you help us understand the difference between managing products vs. projects and the changes at Riverstone that are driving that shift? Tom: For teams and leaders that are used to looking at the world through the lens of time-bound projects, what’s the best way to start this transition? Any anecdotes of teams that were reluctant but later bought into your vision? Matt: How does this shift to managing products make a company more agile at the portfolio level? Can you contrast the impact of each approach (projects vs. products) on top-down portfolio management? Matt: How can technology help – or hinder – this transition?
• #11: Matt: Why is it so difficult to bring all of a company’s projects together in one place or one process? Tom: Can you talk about some of the different project types and workflows you have to account for at Riverstone? Why is it so vital to provide transparency across all of it, and what steps has Riverstone taken to provide that? [In answering this question, we wouldn’t want the answer to be specific to KeyedIn, but you could discuss some of the essential technology requirements you looked for in choosing a solution.] Matt: What do you see at other companies you’ve worked with? What kind of workarounds are PMOs and product owners using today? Matt: What is it about a portfolio that can accommodate agile, waterfall, hybrid, etc. that makes a team more responsive to the business?
• #12: Crossing methodologies allows you to get that broad visibility without creating unnecessary roadblocks for teams trying to execute.
• #13: Matt: You spent many years in the manufacturing industry. How is the concept of continuous improvement applied there, and how are we seeing it appear in the world of PPM? Tom: Do you have any practical examples of applying principles of continuous improvement at Riverstone? Tom: What’s your end goal in optimizing that workflow process? Where do you see the Riverstone product organization in a 18 months?
• #15: Matt: Any parting thoughts as we recap our 3 keys to APM? Tom: You’re a KeyedIn customer, obviously, because it’s our session. We actually tried to bring in a Clarity customer first, but we couldn’t find any who were happy. As we conclude, can you offer some thoughts on how KeyedIn is helping to make APM a reality at Riverstone?