LEAN Portfolio Planning Sprint

WHY this Workshop?

Evolve your Portfolio Planning in just 3 days! This sprint is the fastest, easiest, and most fun way to successfully analyze, prioritize, and plan out your entire portfolio. As an added benefit, this workshop uses LEAN principles to achieve the highest business value possible.

Most valuable, as part of this workshop we train and equip a leader in your organization on HOW to deliver this workshop in the future. We teach you “how to fish” and apply this to future business needs.

What is the Lean ICE Privatization Method?

ICE is a Lean prioritization method used by Growth Hackers (top growth engineering consulting firm) focused and optimized for scoring opportunities in during times of disruption and rapid growth. ICE has a sister framework RICE used by Intercom. Both of these are based on Lean’s multi-factor value-centric prioritization weighing opportunity and effort but in environments where you need to make decisions with partial information (delaying priority decision has a significant financial impact).

HOW does it work?

Prerequisites for this Sprint
- List of confirmed and programs / projects with clear business objectives
- Any existing portfolio or program documentation (e.g. business cases)
- Any relevant industry / market research impacting the portfolio
- Program managers / project managers committed for 3 days, execution teams committed for 2 days (5 days for the leader)
Pre-Planning & Leader Training [Leader only]
- Session purpose, overview, format, logistics, setup, and formal invitation
- Detailed workshop run-through focusing on leader facilitation
- Outcome: Workshop readiness and clear purpose
Day 1: Assess the Portfolio [4 to 12 staff as outlined below]
- AM: Relative sizing of portfolio changes/ programs / projects
- PM: Relative ROI assessment of portfolio changes/ programs / projects
- Outcome: Portfolio effort and ROI assessment
Day 2: Prioritize changes to the Portfolio [4 to 12 staff as outlined below]
- AM: Develop a multi-factor prioritization matrix
- PM: Prioritize all portfolio changes / programs / projects relative to each other
- Outcome: Prioritized Portfolio Backlog
Day 3: Prepare Portfolio Calendar [4 to 12 staff as outlined below]
- AM: Round 1: Calendar Planning based on in-market dates & milestones
- PM: Round 2: Revise Calendar accounting for conflicts and dependencies
- Outcome: Portfolio Target Calendar for 2 to 8 quarters (6 to 24 months)
Post-Planning & Leader Training [Leader only]
- Workshop retrospective and leader training
- Collaboratively produce final version of all resulting work and decisions (draft version is available right after Day 3 of the workshop).
- Outcome: All final documentation and assets

WHO should participate?

Portfolio / Program / Product Managers or Directors involved in the portfolio
Business Owners responsible for the outcomes of the above portfolio (required at specific times during the 3 days)
Key implementation and delivery leads and managers
At least one ultimate decision makes (e.g. Portfolio Director) who can enter the stage in a few critical times to direct key decisions

WHAT do I get out of it?

Preliminary assessment of portfolio items efforts and ROI
Prioritized portfolio backlog of relevant programs / projects
Long-term portfolio target calendar (2 to 8 quarters / 6-24 months)
Most importantly, a Trained Leader in your organizations that can lead this workshop again in the future (including workshop templates and materials).

Logistics

For virtual workshop, we will provide online tools (Mural)
For on-site workshops, location is provided by the client (ideally a large boardroom)
The room must include a large wall / area minimum 10 meters wide (glass, whiteboard, wood, drywall or any combination) used to plan and visualize findings
Breakfast, lunch, snacks are provided by the client