Process Step 2: Develop the Segment Scope and Strategic Intent (3ZD2)
Step Description and Purpose (3ZD3)
The overall purpose of this process step is to define the segment scope and strategic intent, which includes the performance architecture through which achievement of strategic improvement opportunities will be measured. Since segments may be extremely broad from a function, process, product, service, and organizational impact standpoint, it is imperative that a clear understanding of the focus for the segment is defined up front. In order to define the segment’s scope and strategic intent, a comprehensive understanding of the relevant segment goals and desired outcomes, major strategic improvement opportunities, performance gaps, business mandates and drivers, and key common / mission services delivered to meet principal stakeholders’ needs is required. This step establishes the business context and identifies the environmental variables, which will guide analysis and determination of the segment’s focus area or problem domain. (3ZD4)
This process step synthesizes these factors toward establishing the context and scope that drive the remaining steps of this methodology. The gathering and analysis of stakeholder needs and business drivers contributes to identifying strategic improvement opportunities. There may be numerous business needs and strategic improvement opportunities identified in this process step and it is important that these opportunities be prioritized to a manageable number so that “analysis paralysis” does not occur in subsequent steps. (3ZD5)
Analysis of the current business state from a strategic improvement perspective, through techniques such as Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis, provides the foundation for defining the strategic intent of the segment. The strategic intent describes the target state vision and establishes the segment performance goals. (3ZD6)
The segment performance architecture includes the goals, key performance indicators, measures, and metrics. The performance architecture may be based on the Performance Accountability Report (PAR) and Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) report(s) for programs within the scope of the segment. An example of segment performance metrics are the consolidation, standardization and optimization metrics that are derived from the IT Infrastructure Line of Business. The segment performance architecture is used to measure overall success achieved from implementing the segment transition plan in an effort to reach the target state. By examining the cause and effect of implementing forthcoming segment recommendations (e.g., enhancing new services, retiring redundant solutions), one can maintain a clear line of sight as described in the Federal Enterprise Architecture (FEA) Performance Reference Model (PRM). (3ZD7)
The subsequent steps in this methodology should deliver value that is aligned directly with the segment scope and strategic intent. While establishing these aspects of the plan, the project plan must also be updated to account for their size and complexity, as defined in this process step. In addition, the subsequent steps of the methodology will continuously feed back to this process step and provide further refinement of and updates to the segment’s scope and strategic intent. (3ZD8)
Key Decisions: (3ZD9)
- Based on the high-level problem statement, what are the strategic improvement opportunities and gaps? (3ZDA)
- What are the major common / mission services associated with the strategic improvement opportunities? (3ZDB)
- Who are the segment stakeholders and with what are their needs associated in achieving the strategic improvements? (3ZDC)
- What is the scope of the segment? (3ZDD)
- What are the current segment investments, systems, and resources? Note: If this question can be answered with existing information, it may be answered during this process step. However, if there is no definitive answer to this question after this process step, it may be answered in the subsequent steps. (3ZDE)
- What are the deficiencies within the segment or the inhibitors to success? (3ZDF)
- What is the target state vision for the segment? (3ZDG)
- What is the performance architecture through which we will be able to evaluate the success of the transition to the target state vision? (3ZDH)
Note that suggested analytical techniques are included for activities within the methodology to better define what is core for a complete segment architecture in the form of descriptive (not prescriptive) guidance on how to accomplish the analysis. The suggested analytical techniques provide guidance as to what outputs are core for defining a complete segment architecture. (3ZDI)
Step Outcome (3ZDJ)
This step will produce a segment scope and prioritized strategic improvement opportunities based upon the needs of the business. The strategic intent, which consists of the target state vision, performance goals, and common / mission services target maturity levels, is also established. The subsequent process steps in this methodology will ultimately align to provide a complete segment performance line-of-sight and support the achievement of the segment target state vision. (3ZDK)
Step At-a-Glance (3ZDL)
Step References (3ZIO)
None (3ZIP)