Value Stream Mapping to Improve Product Delivery at the ATO

The Executive asked ZXM to investigate the feature readiness process and make recommendations on how it could be improved. We took a systems thinking approach and looked at waiting-time impacts to the flow of value through the system, we also identified where work was being done in isolation and how this resulted in silo optimising for the area without understanding the downstream impacts and pressures to finalise features to be ready for agile teams to deliver. 

We reviewed the process and identified bottlenecks, developing a value stream map. ZXM consultants then did value stream mapping with all the other key product vertical programs across the ATOand compared this program to the process and patterns used by other major programs of work within the ATO. 

The value stream mapping tracked the cycle time at each stage and the lead time to get a from scope idea to a feature “ready” stage for PI planning.

Identified Bottlenecks

To address the issues uncovered in the review, ZXM coaches worked closely with the PMG, pipeline team, Solution designers and business stakeholders. The activities to address the bottleneck and concerns included:

• Communicating that timeline dates and the process is not linear and need to be delivered earlier than the final cut off for feature inclusion
• Utilise business scope in feature briefs to identify and plan sequencing and order of feature writing
• Develop a pipeline team across solution design, business and SMEs to work collaboratively and iteratively on features
• Endorse feature once all parts have been completed to prevent rework and need to regain approval if feature was split into smaller features
• Feature briefings to be conducted to discuss scope before starting to write the feature and identify feature slicing
• Leveraging patterns from other programs to decrease time taken to develop solutions 
• Working with peers in other programs to help upskill capabilities in solution design team
• Ensuring that solutions focused on business problems and on business outcomes
• Developing a product roadmap to make features transparent to all stakeholders involved
• Ensure transparency of PMG prioritisation voting process
• Feedback loop to business if features targeted for next release are at risk and why