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.

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.

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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.

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:

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.

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