@EVANWOLF
Which projects are worthy?
Phil Wolff Product Manager OpenOakland
A few thoughts on product portfolio management for Code for America brigades
#prodmgmt #productmanagement
#openoakland #pmo #productportfolio
#planning #strategy #cfa #codeforamerica
#cfabrigade
配称 �
@EVANWOLF
“How would you score prospective projects for your brigade?”
Four legs for selection
@EVANWOLF
We talk about four factors
Value our product makes
Risks of the journey
Alignment with our values
Stakeholders engaged and affected
@EVANWOLF
We were opportunistic at the start
OpenOakland released five apps in our first 18 months. • Relationship builders:
OO + City of Oakland • Low risk:
Low difficulty, Low effort. • Low value:
Low impact, Symbolic usage
@EVANWOLF
High
Low
Low High
Value
Risk
Value: • Impact • Users • Usage • Capacity • Infrastructure
Risk: • Customer
Clarity • Effort & Cost • Tech Difficulty • Political Risk
@EVANWOLF
High
Low
Low High
Value
Risk
Project Name
@EVANWOLF
We are not here to augment the City’s IT budget.
Volunteers can’t make a dent in the City’s technology debt.
@EVANWOLF
What can we do with the handful of projects we can do each year?
@EVANWOLF
We can choose projects that matter more.
@EVANWOLF
Value
@EVANWOLF
We build to create value
Our apps and services create various flavors of value
@EVANWOLF
Impact
How are we changing someone’s life?
• Access to Services
• Convenience
• Insight & Understanding
• Engagement and Action
• Social, Political, Economic Capital
@EVANWOLF
Impact
How much impact?
• Low
• Saving five minutes
• Access to information
• High
• Saving a life
• Reducing homelessness
@EVANWOLF
Users
How many people can this product serve? Some projects serve more people than others. How big is the potential “market”?
@EVANWOLF
Usage
How much is the service used?
How many times? How long each time?
@EVANWOLF
Capacity
How will this project increase the Brigade’s capabilities?
• Will the experience leave us with new technologies we can use on future projects?
• Relationships to build on?
• Volunteers with deeper skills?
@EVANWOLF
Infrastructure
Are we adding to the commons?
Will this project leave knowledge, systems, and tools that others can build on?
@EVANWOLF
Value
• Impact • Users • Usage • Capacity • Infrastructure
@EVANWOLF
Risk
@EVANWOLF
We pick projects that balance risk, effort, and reward We assess and manage project risk
@EVANWOLF
We pick projects that where we can manage the risk Some risks can’t be managed
@EVANWOLF
We pick projects with risks right for the team We assess and manage project risk
@EVANWOLF
Customer Clarity
Do we understand who we’re creating value for?
Can we quickly learn their needs deeply enough to make good decisions
@EVANWOLF
Stakeholder engagement
Naming the persons carrying the torch for the customers drives success
Finding our “Executive support”, “Citizen champion”, or “Issue advocate” can be the difference in building the right things for the right people in the right way with the best resources. Or not.
@EVANWOLF
Effort & Cost Projects are always resource constrained.
Is there enough of the right volunteer time, open data, technology, and capital to deliver?
@EVANWOLF
Tech Difficulty
Too easy or too hard for the available talent?
Can we make up for gaps with recruiting?
Are there process challenges that could disrupt the product lifecycle?
@EVANWOLF
Political Risk Could this “utility” app become a political football?
What enemies could this attract? Do we have the capacity to engage in that type of struggle?
Will this affect other CfA Brigades if we undertake this project?
@EVANWOLF
Alignment Risk
Is this consistent with the Brigade’s core values?
What is the potential for misuse, for drifting from our values, along the development cycle? Once released?
@EVANWOLF
Risk
• Customer clarity • Stakeholder engagement
• Effort & Cost • Tech Difficulty • Political Risk • Alignment Risk
@EVANWOLF
ALIGNMENT
@EVANWOLF
We want our efforts well aligned with our culture
We hold some truths dearly
@EVANWOLF
Well aligned with our culture
Open Culture Open Source
Open Data
Creative Commons
Free (as in freedom) Internet
@EVANWOLF
Well aligned with our culture
Government that works well for its people Effective
Efficient
Responsive
Strategic
@EVANWOLF
Well aligned with our culture
Pluralism Civic Engagement
Inclusion
Diversity
@EVANWOLF
ALIGNMENT
• Open Culture • Government that works well for its people
• Pluralism
@EVANWOLF
STAKEHOLDERS
@EVANWOLF
Products build relationships
Our projects affect people.
We choose products for their direct benefits on Oaklanders
Who benefits from our products?
Who is harmed or put at risk?
@EVANWOLF
Brigade Volunteers
How will working on this product benefit the participants?
Will they learn new product-related skills, knowledge, awareness?
Will they be satisfied by the journey as much as the destination?
@EVANWOLF
Beneficiaries Who benefits directly from this product?
Are we serving them now with other products?
How will our serving them this way affect the services they receive from others?
What is the potential for harm through our actions?
@EVANWOLF
Interest Groups
What interest groups could be engaged to make this product better? To find users and drive usage?
What groups or organizations might oppose or support this product?
@EVANWOLF
Data Providers
Will this project improve the range, quality, and depth of open data from the City?
Will it build trust with those providers?
@EVANWOLF
City Staff How will this project help the City’s workforce better engage their publics?
Can this project build support for openness and transparency among City workers?
@EVANWOLF
Elected Officials
How will this product help elected officials like council members and the mayor be more accountable, effective, and engaged?
@EVANWOLF
City Commissions & Commissioners
How will this product help elected officials like council members and the mayor be more accountable, effective, and engaged?
@EVANWOLF
Code for America
Is this project consistent with Code for America’s principles and values?
Will this reflect well on the CfA Brigade program?
@EVANWOLF
STAKEHOLDERS
• Volunteers • Beneficiaries • Interest Groups
• Data providers • City Staff
• Electeds • Commissions • Code for America
@EVANWOLF
Value, risk, alignment, stakeholders Value Impact
Users
Usage
Capacity
Infrastructure
Risk Customer Clarity
Stakeholder Engagement
Effort & Cost
Tech Difficulty
Political Risk
Alignment Risk
Alignment Open Culture
Government that works well for its people
Pluralism
Volunteers
Beneficiaries
Interest Groups
Data providers
City Staff
Electeds
Commissions
Code for America
Stakeholders
@EVANWOLF
CHOOSE OUR PROJECT PORTFOLIO ON PURPOSE
Next steps?
@EVANWOLF
Project portfolio processes
• Ideation activities • attracting proposals we find
attractive • Screening process • Formal approval • Ongoing portfolio management • Including abandonment and
retirement
@EVANWOLF
Intentionality
We create more value, together, by choosing how we invest our time and build our relationships
@EVANWOLF
Phil Wolff Hi!
Email or tweet your stories, suggestions, referrals or just call/skype
Phil Wolff is a consulting product manager in Oakland, California. Phil co-founded four startups,
worked as a programmer, project manager, business analyst, technology architect, industry analyst,
operations researcher, and tech journalist at Bechtel National, Wang Labs, LSI Logic, Adecco SA, NavSup,
and privacy NGOs. He volunteers in Code for America’s #OpenOakland brigade.
e [email protected] skype evanwolf v +1-510-343-5664 t @evanwolf @letmydatago bio About.me/evanwolf cv Linkedin.com/in/philwolff blog Letmydatago.org