Up-front Analysis
Assess possible new technology research proposals in the light of customer needs, market analysis, financial analysis, and alignment with the technical strategy; and produce a clear product or solution definition that reduces the risk of spending on inappropriate research projects.
Improvement Planning
Practices-Outcomes-Metrics (POM)
Representative POMs are described for Up-front Analysis at each level of maturity.
- 1Initial
- Practice
- Rely on best endeavours of available personnel.
- 2Basic
- Practice
- Assign formal responsibility to specific IT personnel for analysis of major RDE engagements and identification of likely benefits.
- Outcome
- IT Staff involved in RDE begin to consider benefits and IT implications of RDE projects.
- Metrics
- # and % of IT staff with some RDE responsibility.
- # of major RDE engagements undertaken by IT staff.
- % of proposals rejected by up-front analysis.
- 3Intermediate
- Practices
- Develop standardized document templates and define the process to record and develop new concepts.
- IT record decisions and identified risks.
- Outcomes
- Rationale and implications of all RDE projects are articulated, agreed, clearly documented and available in a standard format.
- Business and IT benefits are taken into account.
- Metric
- # and % of documents types with standardized templates.
- 4Advanced
- Practices
- Develop concepts for RDE jointly with the rest of the business, leveraging mock-ups and mashups where appropriate.
- When documenting the business case, use established techniques such as market analysis, needs assessment and investment appraisal for proposals requiring significant investment.
- Outcome
- RDE projects are discontinued early with minimal resource usage where technology is deficient/insufficiently mature or where the business case is weak.
- Metric
- # and % of projects that are discontinued as a result of negative up-front analysis findings, classified by rejection cause e.g. weak case, immature/unstable technology.
- 5Optimized
- Practice
- Develop concepts for RDE in conjunction with external interested parties and business partners using the standard templates and tools. continually review and refine the process, templates and tools in use.
- Outcome
- RDE capabilities are continually refined to promote inclusiveness, standardization of process and efficiency.
- Metrics
- # of external parties involved in the RDE concept development process.
- # of formal RDE process reviews that result in amendments to the process or process artefacts.