Connect Strategy to Execution: Strategic Themes and OKRs

In this second part of our Lean Portfolio Management series, learn how to use Strategic Themes to connect your portfolio priorities to your company’s objectives using the OKR format. This conversation will be lead by Scaled Agile Inc.'s Andy Sales, and Chris Davidson, Senior Solutions Engineer for Jira Align.

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Successful enterprise strategy relies on alignment across teams. This presents a challenge, especially as businesses have to respond to the accelerating pace of change in the digital age. Using “Strategic Themes” as an organizing principle can help you connect your strategy to your execution.

A critical component of Lean Portfolio Management, Strategic Themes are the business objectives described in the OKR format that communicate the goals of a SAFe portfolio. They directly influence portfolio strategy, provide the business context for portfolio decision making, and are used to measure business outcomes. 

In this webinar you will learn:

  • How to define clear Strategic Themes using the Objective and Key Results (OKR) format
  • What impact Strategic Themes have on portfolio budgets and investments
  • How to apply Strategic Themes as a set of prioritizing criteria alongside the Portfolio Kanban
  • How Strategic Themes support decentralized decision making across Agile Teams and Agile Release Trains
  • How to use the Key Results to measure overall Portfolio performance

 

Oradores

Chris Davidson

Jira Align Sr. Solutions Engineer

Working from small start-ups to large consultancies, Chris has a delivery-focused DNA.  With experience ranging from being the first to sell Glastonbury tickets via mobile, to open-sourcing Symbian OS, and more recently implementing online remortgaging experiences for large financial institutions using value stream transformations. Chris is passionate about Agile @ Scale and solving customer’s hardest problems to unleash the potential of every team. 

Andy Sales

Principal Consultant, SAFe Program Consultant Trainer

Andrew has been supporting organizations with their Agile transformation for more than 10 years, drawing on his experiences from software development, project management, and product management. He previously led the Agile Services Practice across EMEA for CA Technologies (formerly Rally) and is a regular speaker at Agile conferences and contributor to the Agile community.