The Project Initiation Document outlines the initiation of a project to standardize the product roadmapping process across business functions. It defines the current problem as inconsistent roadmapping that inhibits growth. The ideal state is described as a corporate-wide standard process supported by IT tools to deliver faster output. Key sections include defining the problem statement and impact, solution objective to standardize the process and select tools, scope, and high-level timeline.

1. Project Initiation Document
A Primer for Portfolio Management

2. The PID helps Identify problems and
document financial impacts
• The first section defines the business problem and its impact, project objective, and
scope of the solution
– BPI tools are leveraged through-out the template to ensure teams focus on
eliminating non-value added activities.
• After the current problem is defined and its impact understood, “ideal-state business
process and tools” are defined
– Documenting “As-Is” processes may be completed, however this may be perceived
as non-value added and is not required
– Focusing on the future, “ideal-state” process provides the basis for tool
requirements
• With the business problem and ideal state solution defined, the basis is set for business
case development
– Resolving the business problem helps identify benefits
– Ideal State process helps define tool needs for cost estimating
p. 2

3. Contents
• Business Problem Statement and Impact
• Solution Objective
• Ideal State Process
• COPIS
• Scope
• Approach
• Risks and Dependencies
• High-level Timeline
• Business Case
p. 3

4. Problem Statement The problem statement
identifies the current
business pain and it’s
Problem impact on operations
• Development of product (services) roadmaps is inconsistently performed across
different functions
Impact
• Lack of a roadmapping process is inhibiting revenue growth and eroding value
– We are too slow to vet and commercialize our very best ideas
– We are failing to make big, bold bets and instead fragment resources on sub-scale improvements
– We fail to update roadmaps when plans change
– We lack tight coordination across initiatives resulting in confusion and waste; half-hearted initiatives
that go nowhere, duplicative work, reinventing the wheel and lack scale advantages
– We lack consistent roadmap formats – roadmaps have various timelines
– We’re unable to prioritize across roadmaps because lack of standard format creates communications
problems across the groups
As much as possible the
impact should include
quantifiable data and facts
related to the problem as
defined
p. 4

5. Root Cause Diagram
Use BPI Tools
to confirm
root causes
are
understood
p. 5

6. Project Objective Statement
• Design and implement a corporate-wide
standard business process for managing
and presenting roadmaps across Regions,
and business areas (services, products, etc.)
to deliver 30-35% faster output
– In parallel with business process design, select
IT Tools needed to automate the common
business process for roadmap development
Define the outcomes
desired from the
project effort –
criteria for evaluating
success
p. 6

7. Ideal State Process
• The product roadmap is the front-end of the Phase Management Planning process and is the
essential element in translating the business strategy into major programs to be pursued.
The output is reviewed in a meeting that is conducted every 3-4 months. Marketing “owns”
the Planning process and leads the meeting.
• In each meeting the overall product portfolio is reviewed as well as the man-power and
development capacity needed to meet the target dates.
Ideal-state Process descries how
the process/tool would be used
to solve the problem and impact
from page 1
Use a scenario to describe the
business process and tool
interaction
p. 7

8. Use Copis to identify customer and
supplier processes
Customer-Output-Process-Input-Supplier
Or
Supplier-Input-Process-Output-Customer

9. Sample Cascading COPIS
Supplier (s) Inputs Process Outputs Customer (s)
Voice of Customer Phase Management Resource Balanced Outbound Marketing
Customer
Requirements Process Portfolio and Sales
Updated Portfolio
Inbound Marketing Product Roadmap Inbound Marketing
Roadmap
Approved and funded Phase Management
R&D Engineering Strategic Technologies
development projects Plan
Supplier (s) Inputs Process Outputs Customer (s)
Service and Product Portfolio of Product/Service Resource Balanced Phase Management
strategy Proposed Projects Roadmaps Portfolio – LOB specific Plan
Competitor Actions VOC and Customer Integrated Roadmap – Capacity Planning and
and Offerings Experience data cross LOB portfolio selection
Cost/ Revenue C/V/P models
projections for each projecting cost and
Customer Input
project revenues from new
products
p. 9

10. Scope
• Geographic Scope
– Which regions and/or design centers are included
• Functional Scope
– Which business functions and processes are included
• Technical Scope
– Which IT Systems are included
p. 10

11. Scope Is/Is Not
Is Is Not
• Detailed list of specific • Detailed list of specific
items to be addressed items NOT to be
addressed
p. 11

12. Solution Approach
• Define business process and requirements
• Evaluate current processes and tools
• Review and confirm VS fit with requirements
• Finalize Cost/Benefit/ROI model
• Pilot Solution in one area
• Refine implementation plan to align with IT
Implementation of VS and roll-out
p. 12

13. Risk and Dependencies
Risks Dependencies
(Process and Tool) (Process and Tool)
• Identify risks that would limit the • Identify up-stream or down-
success of the ideal state stream dependencies in either
business processes or tools
• Identify risks that would impact
the expected benefit • Identify external dependencies
(software providers, suppliers,
etc)
p. 13

14. Project Timeline – TBD (Depends on scope and resources)
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Final tool selection
Project Planning
Product Configuration
Testing and Training
Pilot Deployment
Company-wide rollout
Preliminary, high-level
timeline to move from
current process to ideal
process.
An estimate of time is
required to develop a
business case p. 14

15. Project Organization Chart
Business Sponsor
TBD Preliminary project
team of FTE (Full-time
equilivent)
FTE estimates are
needed to develop the
business case
Project Manager
TBD
Process Design Team VS Configuration Implementation
Consumer SBU Team Team
Service SBU Consumer SBU Consumer SBU
Service SBU Service SBU
p.
15

16. Business Case - From Excel Business Case Template
• Benefits
– TBD
• Costs
– TBD
p. 16