I find that Geoffrey Moore's Escape Velocity and John Ward's Benefits management provide the links to IS/ IT portfolio management in the context of business. These two books are a good reference for teaching topics such as Strategic context for IS/ IT applications and portfolio management.
The book titles convey the authors intent and context.
In physics, escape velocity is connected to kinetic energy related to moving bodies. It is the energy needed for a body to escape the gravitational field of earth or any frame of reference. The frame of reference for Geoffrey Moore's Escape velocity is the pull of the past portfolios for businesses to move forward. Moore discusses the position of the business in terms of category power, company power, market power, offer power and execution power (table of contents of his book). How to re engineer the portfolio management is the major topic discussed in the chapter on category power. He cites several examples to highlight the need for constant vigilance over portfolios and provides methods that make a difference for the business.
Business needs and applications translate to IS/ IT investments and technology applications for the business.
John Ward discusses this topic on understanding the strategic context of IS/ IT applications. He categorizes the applications by strategic importance, their potential to take the company forward and those that are getting to be obsolete. Based on that the discussion is led to the why, what and how of investments.
Exercises on the portfolio management can be more complete when these two approaches are combined.
Question arises: how does this knowledge help an IS professional, whether independent or working for an organization?
It helps understand the organizational priorities when an employee puts himself as the leader of the organization. It helps provide clues to understand the position of the person and the type of work he is involved with through the lens of the organization. It helps predict what next for career growth in that company. The answers may not be straightforward, but the guidance that an understanding of portfolio management provides is immense throughout one's career.
The book titles convey the authors intent and context.
In physics, escape velocity is connected to kinetic energy related to moving bodies. It is the energy needed for a body to escape the gravitational field of earth or any frame of reference. The frame of reference for Geoffrey Moore's Escape velocity is the pull of the past portfolios for businesses to move forward. Moore discusses the position of the business in terms of category power, company power, market power, offer power and execution power (table of contents of his book). How to re engineer the portfolio management is the major topic discussed in the chapter on category power. He cites several examples to highlight the need for constant vigilance over portfolios and provides methods that make a difference for the business.
Business needs and applications translate to IS/ IT investments and technology applications for the business.
John Ward discusses this topic on understanding the strategic context of IS/ IT applications. He categorizes the applications by strategic importance, their potential to take the company forward and those that are getting to be obsolete. Based on that the discussion is led to the why, what and how of investments.
Exercises on the portfolio management can be more complete when these two approaches are combined.
Question arises: how does this knowledge help an IS professional, whether independent or working for an organization?
It helps understand the organizational priorities when an employee puts himself as the leader of the organization. It helps provide clues to understand the position of the person and the type of work he is involved with through the lens of the organization. It helps predict what next for career growth in that company. The answers may not be straightforward, but the guidance that an understanding of portfolio management provides is immense throughout one's career.
