Implementation

Use the following How To section to organize the work around key areas of perceived value.

Background

Program leadership wants to organize the work around key areas of perceived value, but does not have a clear concept of value defined yet
There is not a working portfolio leadership team in place that has already defined a set of epics and themes for the organization
Themes allow for organizations to have major phases / projects represented, with epics representing milestones associated with the work

How to

This procedure will show you how to create a set of epics and themes to help program leaders align their features to value.

Learn how to capture epics and themes to represent value

From the Administration menu, navigate to the Roles page
1. Select the Role used by the program leadership team
  1. Click on the “+” next to “2 Portfolio” to expand the list of permissions
    1. Confirm the toggles for the Theme row
      1. Save <on>
      2. Delete <on>
      3. Work Item Mind Map <off>
    2. Confirm the toggles for the Epic row
      1. Add <off>
      2. Epic Detail Report <on>
      3. Import Epics <off>
      4. Delete <on>
      5. Acceptance Criteria <off>
      6. Split <off>
      7. Drop <off>
      8. Work Item Mind Map <off>
      9. Design Tab <off>
      10. Intake Tab <off>
      11. Benefits Tab <off>
      12. Value Tab <off>
      13. Time/Skill Tab <on>
      14. Finance Tab <off>
      15. Forecast Tab <off>
  2. Click the Save button
From the Administration menu, navigate to the Details Panels Settings page
1. Set Portfolio to <this portfolio> and select Theme
  1. Confirm that the following field toggles are on
    1. Programs
    2. Program Increments
  2. Set the following field toggles to off
    1. Theme Group (appears only if enabled via Platform settings)
    2. Monthly Goal
    3. Portfolio Ask
    4. Start / Initiation
    5. Target Completion
    6. Strategic Initiative
    7. Developmental Step
    8. Major Theme
    9. Operational Step
  3. Click the Save button
  4. Set Portfolio to <this portfolio> and select Epic
    1. Confirm that the following field toggles are on
      1. Start/Initiation
      2. Target Completion
      3. Strategic Driver
      4. Program Increment
      5. Owner
      6. Tags
    2. Set the following field toggles to off
      1. Portfolio Ask
      2. Investment Type
      3. Ability to Execute
      4. Budget
      5. Capitalized
      6. Customers
      7. Developmental Step
      8. Effort SWAG
      9. Estimate
      10. Estimation Budget
      11. Kano Category
      12. Kano Certainty
      13. Kano Complexity
      14. MVP
      15. Operational Step
      16. Points
      17. Quadrant
      18. Story Points
      19. Strategic Horizon
      20. Strategic Value Score
      21. <All fields on Benefits tab>
      22. <All fields on Finance tab>
    3. Click the Save button
2. Set Portfolio to <this portfolio> and select Feature
  1. Confirm that the Theme field toggle is <on>
  2. Click the Save button
From the Portfolio menu, navigate to the Themes page
1. Set the context configuration to Program = <this program> and PI = <next PI>
2. Click the Add Theme button in the upper right
  1. Title - capture a generic kind of value (or a specific initiative) for the organization that will drive work over the next year or two
  2. Program - set to <this program>
  3. Program Increments - set to <next PI> and beyond, if appropriate
  4. Description - Summarize the expected value to the business, company, product line, or customer. What is driving the work? What difference will the work make?
  5. Active - initialize to “Yes”
3. Click the Save and Close button
From the Portfolio menu, navigate to the Epics page
1. Set the context configuration to Program = <this program> and PI = <next PI>
2. Click the Add Epic button in the upper right
  1. Title - capture a generic kind of value (or a specific initiative) for the organization that will drive work as part of the theme
  2. Description - Summarize the expected value to the business, company, product line, or customer. What is driving the work? What difference will the work make?
  3. Type - leave as Business
  4. Primary Program - set to <this program>
  5. Theme - set to the theme created
  6. Program Increments - set to <next PI> and beyond, if appropriate
3. Click the Save button
4. On the Details tab, scroll down and click “+ Full Details to expose additional fields
  1. Start / Initiation - if there is a start data for the effort
  2. Target Completion - if there is a targeted completion date for the effort
  3. Strategic Driver - set to strategic driver (if using)
5. Click the Save button
6. On Time / Skills tab, scroll down to Fixed Date Milestones and enter any milestones that should show on the roadmap
  1. Deliverable - what is the milestone
  2. Portfolio Ask - don’t populate
  3. Start / Initiation - when will the work on the milestone begin
  4. Target Completion - when should the milestone be reached
7. Click the Save and Close button
8. Repeat for each specific form of value that influences the theme