Kanban's principles require us to limit WIP in order to increase flow. Yet, traditional reporting across a portfolio often takes a siloed approach, with individual projects providing individual updates against common metrics like time, cost and scope delivered. Portfolio and Program Managers, therefore, don't have a view of the WIP of the 'system' or its impact on flow. About Suzanne Nottage: Suzanne has worked with leaders and teams in Europe, Asia, the US and Australasia, particularly on leveraging Lean|Agile to improve delivery at portfolio level. Her work has enabled teams to reduce WIP by 75% and failure demand by 40%, while increasing customer satisfaction (and team happiness). Outside of work, Suzanne has also applied Agile in her triathlon training over the past eight years.

1. Making WIP and Flow visible
at portfolio level
Suzanne Nottage
Senior Manager Delivery Transformation - Tabcorp

2. 2
SUZANNE NOTTAGE

3. 3
Vision and Purpose:
To be the world’s most respected gambling-led entertainment company.
$813M generated by our businesses for the racing industry in FY17
3,000+ people employed globally
A top 100 ASX company
$2B+ revenue in FY17
4,000+ venues around Australia
475K TAB account customers
TABCORP

4. What’s the problem?
• Project-based planning and management
• Local optimisation
• Document-driven management
• Lack of visual management of the system
• Lack of real time view of WIP and flow
• We see what’s in front but not what’s around us
• We can’t easily see portfolio capacity or flow
WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?

5. • Apply Kanban principles at portfolio level – make (all) the work visible
• Provide real-world examples
• WIP and flow
• Cycle time
• Describe the benefits
OBJECTIVE TODAY? MAKE THE SYSTEM VISIBLE

6. • Make unplanned / non-project work as visible as planned / project work
• “Build a wall”
• Make the wall “living” – portfolio stand ups (weekly)
KANBAN PRINCIPLE #1: MAKE (ALL) THE WORK VISIBLE

7. 7
• Card per epic
• Sized
• Unplanned work (blue)
• Risks (red)
• Rows = work streams
• Confidence levels
• Meet at least weekly
BUILD A WALL (AND USE IT)

8. 8
• Card per epic
• Sized
• Unplanned work (blue)
• Risks (red)
• Rows = work streams
START SIMPLE – JOIN THE DOTS

9. 9
VISUALISE WIP AND FLOW
1
45
56
21 24
9 8
88
32
5 8
1
60
39
12 14
5 9 7
63
15 16
0
20
40
60
80
100
FOProduct
FORisk
FOInternational
Trackside
ToteProduct
C.Improvement
Infra+Networks
DigitalMelb
DigitalSydney
Customer&BI1
Customer&BI2
XXXX work streams - WIP age (cards x weeks)
16/06/2017 04/07/2017
• Total WIP of portfolio = 313 weeks
• 50% of WIP in 2 work streams
• Cycle time 9+ weeks for ¼ of cards
• Focus on finishing (over starting)
1
3
8
11
12
3
8
11
4
1
2
1
6 7 6
7
3
9
1
7
3
4
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
FOProduct
FORisk
FOInternational
Trackside
ToteProduct
C.Improvement
Infra+Networks
DigitalMelb
DigitalSydney
Customer&BI1
Customer&BI2
XXXX work streams - Median card age
16/06/2017 04/07/2017

10. 10
VISUALISE WIP AND FLOW OVER TIME
• Low WIP across 3 months (6 ARTs)
• Stable and predictable flow
• Growing WIP across 3 months
• “Noise” near end due to slow flow

11. 11
VISUALISE PORTFOLIO WIP OVER TIME, PER TEAM
• Low WIP across 3 months (6 ARTs)
• Stable and predictable flow
• Growing WIP across 3 months (6 ARTs)
• “Noise” in final weeks due to slow flow
WIP too
high (based
on portfolio
velocity)

12. 12
MAKING WIP VISIBLE VIA BIG ROOM PLANNING (LITE)
• Low WIP across 3 months (6 ARTs)
• Stable and predictable flow
• Growing WIP across 3 months (6 ARTs)
• “Noise” in final weeks due to slow flow
• Visualise portfolio epics per sprint / increment
• Real time collaboration: 60 people, 18 concurrent conversations
• Real time decisions: 500 people, 20,000 decisions, 2 days
• Visualise customer-facing and architectural / tech debt work
• Two-way communication: teams, senior leaders, Business reps

13. 13
BENEFITS OF VISIBILITY: PORTFOLIO WIP AND FLOW
• Low WIP across 3 months (6 ARTs)
• Stable and predictable flow
• Growing WIP across 3 months (6 ARTs)
• “Noise” in final weeks due to slow flow
• Visualise portfolio epics per sprint / increment
• Real time collaboration: 60 people, 18 concurrent conversations
• Visualise customer-facing and architectural / tech debt work
• Two-way communication: teams, senior leaders, Business reps
• Improved delivery predictability
• Risks / dependencies identified & mitigated earlier
• More focus on finishing work in progress
• More real time cross-team collaboration
• Less “noise” and non value-added work
• Better prioritisation of incoming work
• Less disruption of teams / portfolio
• More sustainable pace of delivery

14. 14
ACTIONS
• Visualise portfolio epics per sprint / increment
• Real time collaboration: 60 people, 18 concurrent conversations
• Visualise customer-facing and architectural / tech debt work
• Two-way communication: teams, senior leaders, Business reps
• Build a wall (build support first, including Facilities team)
• Quantify portfolio WIP and flow (it helps with the next step)
• Start Big Room Planning (and learn from others)
• Weekly portfolio stand-ups (approx. 15-30 minutes)

15. 15
FURTHER READING & QUESTIONS
• Visualise portfolio epics per sprint / increment
• Real time collaboration: 60 people, 18 concurrent conversations
• Visualise customer-facing and architectural / tech debt work
• Two-way communication: teams, senior leaders, Business reps

16. Thanks for listening
Whakawhetai koe