Product Strategy & Portfolio Prioritization (HVHR)

Prioritize by value and risk, unify backlogs, and fund what matters.

End the “everything is priority one” cycle. We implement a clear, repeatable High-Value / High-Risk (HVHR) decision model so leaders can choose the right bets, sequence work across one unified backlog, and fund the portfolio that creates measurable outcomes.

 

What this solves

 

• • Fragmented backlogs, conflicting priorities, and date-driven commitments
  • Features shipped with unclear value or hidden technical risk
  • Funding spread too thin across teams and projects
  • Slow, political prioritization meetings without evidence

 

How HVHR works (in practice)

 

• • Define Value & Risk for your context (business outcomes, member/customer impact, regulatory, tech risk, delivery risk).
  • Score consistently with lightweight criteria and evidence (KPIs, cost of delay, dependencies, risk exposure).
  • One Backlog across products/initiatives with clear lanes:
    • • Do Now: High Value / High Risk (de-risk early)
      • Do Next: High Value / Low Risk
      • Selective: Low Value / Low Risk
      • Stop: Low Value / High Risk
  • Cadenced portfolio reviews (30–60 min) that change funding and sequence—based on data, not opinions.

 

What We do

 

• • Product Strategy Clarification: outcomes, value hypotheses, North Star metrics, and guardrails.
  • Portfolio Operating Model: decision rights, roles (PM vs. Sr. PM), intake, and WIP limits.
  • Prioritization Framework: HVHR definitions, scoring rubrics, and tie-ins to benefits, risk, and compliance.
  • Backlog Unification: migrate/consolidate into one portfolio view (Jira/Targetprocess/Azure DevOps).
  • Funding Alignment: shift from project budgets to product/value-stream funding with kill/continue criteria.
  • Enablement: playbooks, facilitation kits, and coaching for executives, PMs/POs, and teams.

 

Deliverables

 

• • HVHR Playbook (PDF/Doc): value & risk definitions, scoring rubric, examples, and workshop scripts.
  • Unified Portfolio Board with lanes, WIP limits, and review cadence configured in your tool.
  • Prioritization Scorecard (dashboard): cost of delay, value points, risk exposure, P50/P85 predictability.
  • Operating Guardrails: intake checklist, “stop/start/continue” rules, and decision RASCI.
  • 90-Day Action Plan: sequenced changes, owners, milestones, and success metrics.

 

Metrics that move

 

• • Higher value throughput (features tied to measurable outcomes)
  • Cycle time down; predictability up (P50/P85)
  • Escaped defects and rework down via earlier risk reduction
  • Funding concentration on top-quartile bets; clear stop list for the rest

 

Engagement model

 

1. Diagnostic (2–3 weeks): portfolio scan, interviews, data pull, and initial HVHR pilot.
2. Rollout (6–10 weeks): unify backlogs, stand up cadence, coach leaders & PM/POs, align funding.
3. Assure & Improve (quarterly): tune scoring, adjust WIP/funding, and publish outcomes.

 

Tools & environments

Works with Jira, Aha!, Basecamp, DevRev, Asana, Azure DevOps (and your BI stack). Minimal overhead; maximum clarity.

Ready to fund what matters and build with confidence?
Book a Portfolio Prioritization Diagnostic.