Aligning VSM initiatives with strategies and portfolios

VSM initiatives support strategic goals and objectives. This is true regardless of whether a VSM team is evaluating improvements to software deliveries through the implementation of DevOps pipeline capabilities or any of a myriad of other organizational value stream improvements. They are strategic because many of the improvement opportunities identified will involve investments and timeframes beyond what a small value stream team can authorize.

The chief executives will not support large investments that do not align with the business's mission, vision, and strategies. Larger enterprises will (or should) have more formal budgeting procedures than smaller entities. But regardless of size, the chief executives must have a mechanism to evaluate and prioritize investments. When viewed from this perspective, it should be apparent that VSM and DevOps tool investments compete against all the other potential investments under...