The second of four (2 of 4) tasks in the ITM's Solution Portfolio Approach manages the systematic actions used in Change Request analysis. Together, the four(4) tasks drive and manage ongoing Portfolio Management. The name 'Ideate Stories' derives from the fact that each Story appearing here, supports a corresponding 'Ideate Feature'.
At this time, the related Feature represents a Request for Change. Further, the Feature (Request) requires analysis in order to determine whether or not the organization should pursue it, and, if so, when? Each Ideate Story represents an individual artifact, produced to provide that analysis. In due time, an organization may adjust the required Stories to better align with its governance process.
Portfolio Task 2 - Conduct Systematic Assessment
Overview
At this point, Portfolio Task 2: Ideate Stories manages the work to produce artifacts that support Change Request analysis. In other words, these are the actions which make a parent Feature (Request) "Ready" for subsequent Elaboration. In effect, each Story represents an individual artifact. Each artifact contributes information towards making better, informed decisions.
To begin, the TMO rationalizes each Request along with other outstanding requests. Rationalization will eliminate duplicate Requests, and may consolidate multiple, related requests into fewer, larger ones. Moreover, each Request undergoes a Portfolio value and risk assessment. At this time, inappropriate Requests may be rejected.
Requests which continue then undergo further analysis. For instance, if the Request relates to Business Process(es), then it is time to update, or create, the two highest levels of Process Definitions. That is, to provide definitive reference of the Request's potential scope and operating objectives. Afterwards, stakeholders will provide preliminary business, IT, and other requirements.
The ITM offers a prescribed set of Stories. However, any organization may add, or remove, individual Stories as they see fit. In due time, they should achieve a standard set of repeatable, improvable, Stories. As a result, Change Request analysis will become faster, and more valuable.
This task ends once all Ideate Stories related to the parent Feature (Request) are "Ready". At that point, the Feature itself becomes "Ready". The Work Management System (WMS) provides the tool to manage these analysis actions, through use of the Ideate Stories Board.
Ideate Stories Board
In the graphic, the four (4) columns to the left represent the States that a Story may have during Intake & Ideate. The arrows represent the permissible transitions from one State to another per the configured Portfolio Story Workflow.
An Ideate Stories Board is a Kanban board. The Transformation Management Office may have multiple Ideate Stories Boards. In this case, each allows for varying ways to highlight relevant Story attributes. For instance, to filter or highlight Customer Segment, or Assignee.  However, a better way is to have a single board and to use Quick Filters to enable highlighting of relevant perspectives of Change Request analysis.
Regardless of how many boards are in use, understand that the Stories displayed all reside in a single, underlying backlog. This is the Portfolio Backlog. Multiple boards, or filters, simply allow for viewing that single backlog in multiple ways, to suit multiple audiences.
Indeed, if using multiple Ideate Stories Boards, then each may use Column Labels tailored to suit the board's target audience. For example, TMO, a Team, Story Refinement Manager or Status Reporting. However, regardless of the Label on each column, behind it there are specific State values associated with each column. In fact, it is these State values that determine which Stories appear in which column. Additionally, these State values, along with the WMS Workflow, determine to what State a Story can change based upon its existing State.
Measuring Artifact Progress & Priority
To illustrate, the graphic above depicts the four (4) States that a Story may have during Intake & Ideate. Seeing that, the following describes each State, and what it means when a Story contributing to Change Request analysis is in that State.
Artifact Progress
To begin, WMS Boards typically allow for two types of tags. The ITM refers to these as States and Labels.
States
To explain, a State is a configuration within the WMS. As a result, the use of States often occurs behind the scenes. For instance, they are the values which WMS Workflow references. Similarly, these values often appear in WMS Reporting. The reuse of States occurs often, across boards, as well as across Solutions. Hence, they may indicate different things, at different times, on different boards.
Labels
Alternatively, a Label is a name, or title, given to a column. That is, Labels provide a context, or other indication, for the contents of a column. Significantly, a column, and hence a Label, may have multiple States associated with it. Similarly, one can associate the same State with different Labels on different boards. In other words, consider a Label to be an explanation, or clarification, of the State(s) intended use, in the column, within the context of the given board.
| WMS Story State | Description |
|---|---|
State = Open | Context: 'Open' is the State in which all new Ideate Stories begin. In general, it simply means that an Ideate Story is in the Portfolio Backlog. Moreover, it means that the artifact(s) to which the Story refers is something to produce to move the parent Feature (Request) through Intake & Ideate. Actions: While in this State, no additional work should be done on the Story. However, the person to whom the parent Feature is assigned will prioritize Stories in this column by moving them up or down. Owner: The Owner of the parent Feature (Request) identifies an appropriate individual or group to be responsible for producing the related artifact. They will assign the Story to that participant. |
State = In Analysis | Context: When the individual or group to whom the Story is assigned (i.e., the Assignee) is ready to begin refining their next Ideate Story, they move the Story on the Ideate Stories Board from 'Backlog' to 'In Analysis'. In effect, the State of the Story progresses from 'Open' to 'In Analysis'. This State indicates that the Story is being actively worked. In other words, that TMO member or other supporting participant(s) are in the process of producing the artifact identified by the Ideate Story to support Change Request analysis. Actions: Assignees should always select the highest priority Story they can work on. However, Story selection priority is based on several criteria. For instance, Assignees must select Stories related to Features (Requests) in the active Release ahead of all others. Afterwards, Assignees select Stories which relate to "Ready" Features (Requests) ahead of Stories related to Features not yet "Ready". Finally, the closer to "Ready" the parent Feature is, the higher the priority of its related Stories. Importantly, there is a limit to the number of Stories being refined at any given time. In general, the limit is based on the resources who own it. Good management practices help individuals focus on completing a few (2 – 5) Ideate Stories at any given time. It is bad management to assign someone more than 5 Ideate Stories at any given time. If some impediment is found which prevents progress on refining a Story, consider returning that Story to the 'Open' state until the impediment is resolved. Otherwise, produce the artifact indicated by each Story. Owner: While in this state the Story is assigned to the TMO member, or supporting Business Analyst or Technical Analyst, as appropriate for the parent Feature (Request), who is responsible for producing the related artifact. |
State = In Review | Context: Once the Assignee produces the artifact related to the Ideate Story, they move the Story from 'In Analysis to 'In Review' on the Ideate Stories Board. This State indicates work on the artifact is complete, and it is now available for review and approval. Actions: Review of and sign-off of an Ideate Story is something shared by relevant stakeholders affected by the artifact. Ideally, the Feature (Request) Owner should conduct the sign-off process as a group, with relevant stakeholders present. This allows for quality questions and answers (Q&A) from participants. However, if this proves too challenging, approvals may be sought from key stakeholders individually. If there is not unanimous agreement that the artifact related to the Ideate Story is "Ready", then its State should regress back to 'In Analysis' while noted problems or gaps are resolved. Owner: To begin, the participant producing the related artifact will move the Story into this column. At that time, they will reassign the Story to the Owner of the parent Feature (Request). This individual is responsible for obtaining the needed approvals. |
State = "Ready" | Context: Upon receiving required approval(s) of the related artifact(s), the Assignee moves the Ideate Story from 'In Review' to 'Ready'. Actions: The Story will remain in this State until its parent Feature (Request) is selected into a Release during a Release Planning Event. At that point, all Ideate Stories related to the Feature are 'Closed'. In due time, these are replaced by new, appropriate sets of Elaborate Stories. Owner: While in this State, assign the Owner of the parent Feature (Request) to be the related Ideate Story's owner. |
Artifact Priority
To emphasize, the measurement of an artifact's priority occurs in two ways. Firstly, by its progress towards completion. Secondly, by its ranking each step of the way.
In general, the higher priority work should be moving up and right on most boards. Conversely, the lower priority work should remain towards the left, and at the bottom.
Progress
Firstly, progress indicates how far down the path is the artifact. On the WMS boards, the movement of the artifact from left to right indicates progress. Artifacts to the left, should have lower priority than artifacts to the right. In other words, work to complete items already underway takes priority over starting something else. Otherwise, an ever-growing number of artifacts are "in process" and few, if any, ever complete.
Ranking
Secondly, ranking indicates relative importance of one artifact, as compared to others in the same State. On the WMS boards, the placement of artifacts within a column, from top to bottom, further indicates priority. Artifacts lower in a column have lower priority than those above. Column placement is always a forced ranking. That is, no two items ever have the same priority within a column. As resources permit, the next item(s) worked should be those at the top of a column.
ITM Artifacts
To conclude the Portfolio Task 2 (PT2) reference information, the following summarize the artifacts which relate to this task.
ITM Artifacts: PT2 - Inputs
Specific input will vary depending upon the type of artifact indicated by each Ideate Story. However, in addition to the inputs related to the parent Feature (Request), inputs here may assist during Change Request analysis.
Portfolio Epic
A short (max one-page), high-level definition of the Request. A Portfolio Epic should describe key drivers and constraints, as well as anticipated benefits. Moreover, it should list high-level requirements. In other words, it should provide sufficient guidance to begin work on individual artifacts.
Portfolio Value & Risk Assessment
A brief Portfolio Value & Risk Assessment outlines the overall benefits and risks associated with the parent Feature (Request). Individual artifacts should seek opportunities to enhance anticipated benefits, and to mitigate potential risks.
Legacy or Current-State Process Definitions
Over time, organizations will accumulate diagrams and other aspects of existing business processes. These can offer valuable inputs into the development of many Ideate artifacts. Alternatively, some organizations may have their reasons to define Current-State processes.
ITM Artifacts: PT2 - Outputs
The following are not the outputs of each Ideate Story. Instead, they offer a representative sample of all outputs expected through Intake & Ideate.
"To-Be" Process Definitions (Levels 1 & 2 only)
If the Request affects one or more business processes, then identifying key aspects of each is the best place to start. For each business process expected to be in-scope of the Request, expect the following artifacts:
- Level 1 Diagram - defining the Activities within the scope of each Process; and
- Level 2 Diagrams - defining the operational Tasks in each Activity.
Importantly, information at these levels is application agnostic. In other words, there is no need for anyone to know what software or systems will support the process in the future. In fact, these diagrams provide an excellent input into the later evaluation and selection of potential applications.
Requirements Lists
The initial high-level requirements from the Portfolio Epic are driven down to mid-level requirements. Expect individual lists for each that applies to a given Request:
- Business Requirements - <Process Name>:Â a list per in-scope process; or
- Business Requirements - <Epic Name>: a list per anticipated Solution Epic (see below).
IT & Other Requirements in the form of:
- <Subject> - Requirements
Subjects include topics such as Security, Procurement, Compliance, etc.
Initial Solution Epics
An initial definition of each Epic to which the Request relates.