The British Columbia Ministry of Education and Child Care engaged OXD to improve how they manage and report on their technology portfolio. After adopting Agile practices, the Ministry’s Digital Strategies and Services Branch (DSSB) found that they lacked standardized reporting across projects. This created challenges around visibility, status tracking, and executive communication. They sought OXD’s help to improve their ability to make timely, informed decisions and align information technology (IT) initiatives with broader strategic goals. The result was a transformational shift in how DSSB manages their technology portfolio.
We began by collaborating with DSSB to design and implement a Strategic Portfolio Management Framework that would bring clarity, consistency, and efficiency to how projects are managed and communicated across the organization.
Our work started with a deep dive into the Ministry’s current state. Through stakeholder interviews and workflow analysis, we identified key gaps in reporting and areas for improvement. We created a service blueprint and delivered a findings report with actionable recommendations, which we presented to their executive director. A visioning workshop followed, where we worked with leadership to define the mission for a future Portfolio Management Office and prioritize key initiatives to support it.
From there, we enhanced Jira and Confluence workflows to better support Agile practices. This included the introduction of customized templates and dashboards to standardize reporting, streamline backlog management, and enable real-time collaboration across teams.
Building on our discovery insights, we developed a tailored Strategic Portfolio Management Framework. This included standardized processes for tracking project health indicators such as budget, scope, timelines, and resource allocation—making it easier for DSSB to track progress, identify risks, and make data-driven decisions. We also created a suite of practical tools and templates for planning, risk management, and reporting, helping to ensure consistency and transparency across all projects.
The need for strategic portfolio management is more critical than ever. As Gartner notes in their 2024 Magic Quadrant™ for Strategic Portfolio Management, “by 2025, 70% of digital transformation investments will fail without strategic portfolio management.” The Ministry’s investment in this framework demonstrates a forward-thinking approach—ensuring that digital initiatives are not only well-executed but also aligned with strategic outcomes.
Throughout implementation, OXD provided hands-on support via collaborative workshops, working closely with DSSB teams to troubleshoot challenges and fine-tune the new framework. Our approach was iterative and feedback-driven, ensuring that the final solution was not only effective but also adaptable to the real-world needs of the organization.
The newly established Portfolio Management Office now provides structure and visibility across projects, aligning IT initiatives with strategic objectives and improving overall team efficiency. By integrating Agile practices with standardized processes and collaborative tools, DSSB gained both the clarity and confidence needed to manage their portfolio with greater impact.
Just as importantly, our comprehensive co-creation approach empowered DSSB staff to take ownership of the new framework and roadmap for improvement—ensuring it remains sustainable and continues to evolve long after implementation.