From Project to Product Pilot

A pilot project initiated by the Strategy, Architecture, and Business Relations (SABR) directorate launched in the fall of 2021 with the purpose to produce and evaluate a product management framework with two candidates: Job Bank and the MyESDC Mobile App.

This is a 1.5 year pilot project with 3 stages:

1. (FY 2021/22) Drafting of the pilot framework (a set of directive, standards, and procedures)
2. (FY 2022/23) Evaluate the framework with the two candidates
3. (FY 2022/23) Inform a phase 2 plan with lessons learned

The two outcomes sought from this pilot are:

1. IITB has a MVP Product Management Framework providing clear direction and consistency to Programs and IITB staff (MVP = minimal viable product; Framework = a set of directive, standards, and procedures).
2. IITB’s posture in supporting product management for Lines of Businesses (LOBs) is improved and can enable the greater Project and Programme Management Practice in this area.

The drivers for this pilot include:

• Demands from Lines of Businesses (e.g. Job Bank, Benefits Delivery Modernization)
• GC’s Digital Operations Strategic Plan 2021/24
• GC’s Cloud Adoption Strategy renewal
• PM’s Mandate Letter (be agile)
• Staying current with industry trends

The IITB-specific benefits to invest efforts in this are:

• Deliver Software at the pace of relevance
• Integrate Business and IT Strategies
• Release internal IITB capacity towards innovation
• Avoid chronic underinvestment in IT infrastructure

The Pilot will:

• Raise awareness to ESDC Programs of their shared accountability in seeking sufficient funding to sustain their digital operations post-project (rooted in the Policy on Results).
• Provide guidance and incentives to Programs by providing them with dedicated IITB Staff, long term funding agreements, and more autonomy for certain continuous improvements.

Stage 1 - The Pilot Framework

NOTE: this pilot framework is currently in peer review internally. It may change in the next few weeks.

The Framework consists of:

• One Directive
• It’s associated Standard
• A Guidance document to help explain the rationale and offer help in understanding the Directive and Standards rule. This because the above documents strove to be succinct and to the point as per the wisdom of How to Write Rules that People Want to Follow.

Stage 2 - Evaluation

(FY 2022/23)

Stage 3 - Lessons Learned

(to be published Q3 or Q4 FY 2022/23)