Configuration

Initiatives

Overview

Configure initiatives in Kiplot for effective portfolio management by establishing the global template that will be applied all initiatives within your workspace.

Configuring Initiatives

Navigate to the Configuration page via the main sidebar and select the Initiatives tab.

Within the tab, you can set the metadata that will drive the template of the Initiatives within your portfolio, as displayed on any specific Initiative Detail page. The mapping of initiatives within the configuration and their impact on initiatives is defined in the table below.

Configuration Option

Option Detail

Page Location

Interface Description

Initiative Types

Categorize initiatives by scope and PM methodology

Initiative Details > Information
(top right)

Name of Type listed under Type heading

Delivery Updates (Delivery Status) RAG

Configure status markers, e.g. cost; time; scope; resources

Initiative Details > Delivery
[Delivery Status]

RAG display with tags for quick status view

Delivery Update (Text Fields)

Provide text fields for updates: Executive Summary, Progress, Challenges, Next Steps

Initiative Details > Delivery
[Delivery Status]

Fields as headings to organize descriptive text

Risks and Issues

Enable/disable Risk and Issue fields: Action Date, Action RAG Status, Critical Date, Impact Date, Theme

Initiative Details > Risks & Issues
[Risks]
[Issues]

Additional fields in both Risks and Issues tables

Prioritization Components

Define and rank components for scoring initiatives

Initiative Details > Information
[Risks]
[Issues]

Criteria scores summed and divided by job size for prioritization

Job Sizes

View Job Size type and scoring system

Initiative Details > Information

Job sizes factor into prioritization score

You can learn more about using initiatives in practice via our dedicate guides on creating initiatives, on tracking initiatives, and on managing initiatives.

Initiative Types

Allows you to specify bespoke categorizations to be applied to your initiatives e.g. Client Request or Product Strategy. Once created on this page, you’ll be able to assign each initiative a ‘type’. This provides an effective tool when using the Initiative Roadmaps feature: Initiative Types become filters and lenses you can use to gain dynamic visibility across your portfolio of initiatives.

Delivery Updates

This section houses fields associated with the delivery of an initiative. Default fields include RAG Status and Executive Summary but you can also add custom delivery fields to meet your organization’s needs e.g. Finance RAG or Key Scope.

Risk and Issues

This contains a list of fields that are available against risks and issues associated with an initiative. These fields can be switched on or off according to your organization’s needs. Fields that are switched on will be be visible in the Risks and Issues tab against a given initiative. This ensures that you only include the information that is necessary, keeping the initiative focused and relevant to your organization's needs.

Prioritization

Whilst WSJF is Kiplot's default prioritization method, the ability to customize these components and their weighting means you can set up other methods of prioritization, e.g. RICE. Visit our article to find out more about the different prioritization techniques used in agile.

Default Components

Kiplot uses the three components below as the default in the Configuration. You can toggle these on and off as required.

  • User-Business Value: This represents the potential revenue or user experience gains from completing the job.

  • Time Criticality: Indicates how urgent it is to complete the job based on deadlines and time-sensitive opportunities.

  • Risk Reduction and Opportunity Enablement: This captures how much the job reduces risks or enables new opportunities.

Enable or Disable Components

To enable or disable a prioritization component, use the Enabled toggle switch next to the component. Flip the switch to enable or disable the component based on your current strategic priorities. When the switch is on, the component will be included in the prioritization calculations. When off, the component will be excluded.

After adjusting the Enabled statuses of your components, review the list to verify that your setup aligns with your strategic priorities. This step ensures that your prioritization components are optimized for your current needs.

Add a New Component

To add a new prioritization component click on the Add prioritization component button.

You'll be asked to fill out the following fields:

  1. Name: The name of the prioritization component.

  2. Description: A brief description of the component's purpose.

  3. Type: The type of scoring applicable to this variable: fibonnaci, whole number or decimal number.

Once you've added your component you can assign a Weighting as a percentage. This is the weighting of the component as a contributor to the overall prioritization score.

Job Sizes (Prioritization)

Below your prioritization components you will see a list of job sizes ranging from XXS to XXL. By default, Kiplot estimates job sizes using Fibonacci values, a common practice in agile methodologies. Fibonacci values represent a sequence where each number is the sum of the two preceding ones. These job sizes and Fibonacci values play a crucial role in the WSJF (Weighted Shortest Job First) prioritization model.

  • XXS - Extra Extra Small: Fibonacci value 1

  • XS - Extra Small: Fibonacci value 2

  • S - Small: Fibonacci value 3

  • M - Medium: Fibonacci value 5

  • L - Large: Fibonacci value 8

  • XL - Extra Large: Fibonacci value 13

  • XXL - Extra Extra Large: Fibonacci value 21

If you wish to change the method used to estimate job sizes, please contact support.

Other prioritization methods, such as RICE, are also supported. If you'd like to switch to a different method, please contact support for assistance.