In Project Management, the theme is the advanced goal or plan for the project. Themes are at the top of the strategic level of the project roadmap. Each theme is based on a set of related but narrow strategic plans called epic. An epic is made up of a set of related functions or user stories. Strategic themes also provide a mechanism to align an enterprise’s business strategy (or a government agency) with the safe solution portfolio. The strategic theme is a primary, high-level business strategy that underpins the organization’s business model.
Strategic Theme
Any strategy can usually be broken down into two to three strategic themes. In Project Management, the theme is the advanced goal or plan for the project. Themes are at the top of the strategic level of the project roadmap. Each theme is based on a set of related but narrow strategic plans called epic. An epic is made up of a set of related functions or user stories. Strategic themes also provide a mechanism to align an enterprise’s business strategy (or a government agency) with the safe solution portfolio. The strategic theme is a primary, high-level business strategy that underpins the organization’s business model.
How Do You Create a Theme for a Company Project?
Each project team develops a unique approach to project themes. But if a product manager is not sure how to get started, here are some best practices to help guide the product team.
Note: The step-by-step guide below assumes that your company has developed a project vision.
Step 1: Do research
Every subject you add to your project roadmap should have data to prove why your team decides the company should invest in it on budget and time. Before your team starts advising and reviewing ideas, you need market research to help narrow down the possibilities.
Such research can include researching successful competitor projects, analyzing usage data for your company’s projects, sending surveys to your target users, or conducting in-depth user interviews.
Step 2: Develop your theme before you decide on any tactical details
Now that you have research to guide your strategic thinking, create a theme for your project before your team starts talking about the features or functions of the project or what the project should look like.
A top-down approach should be used to develop your project strategy. First, identify the main theme. And then, under each theme, come up with some epic poetry. Then you decide which features and user stories best support each epic. It’s a strategic question to make sure you make every decision you make on your team.” Why? “There is no better way to get a viable answer.
Step three: Write your subject in plain language
Each theme should communicate your project strategy and goals to all stakeholders. So you need to make your subject short and clear for anyone to understand. A strong statement might look like this. “Improve project compliance in regulated industries”.
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How Does It Fit Into the Project Roadmap?
The theme is the highest level of strategic elements on the road map. Every task undertaken by the project team, from a large strategic epic to a minimal user story — must support one of the roadmap’s themes.
A roadmap can have several themes, but should have only a few within a given time frame. They can help project teams stay on track with big strategies. Too many projects on the road map at the same time can lead to conflict and confusion over priorities.
Bottom Lines
You can also go to your customer (or, if you don’t already have a customer, go to your target user) for theme guidance. Send out questionnaires, conduct extensive one-on-one interviews, find clues in your project usage data and more. Finding out what your users care about and what they are most eager to address is a good way to focus your strategic efforts and develop key themes for your roadmap.
By systematically grouping and analyzing your customers’ pain points, you gain valuable business intelligence.
For example, a superficial summary of your findings or user interviews may reveal that several people are asking for the same functionality.