Software Development Department Strategic Planning

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I would like to share some of my experiences in designing Balanced Scorecard in a R&D center.

Mission

Software Development Department operates as a strategic partner with Company XYZ.

Vision

1. Becomes a department focused on developing and delivering world-class capabilities to serve Company XYZ distinct CRM business needs.

2. Operates as a separate professional services business on a full recovery, non-profit basis.

3. Supports the achievement of company strategies and goals.

4. Becomes the “supplier of choice” of CRM system development and information services.

Theme

1. Timely, targeted CRM system development and support.

2. Agile to keep up with the market need and stay aligned with the enterprise

Strategy Matrix

Focus	Goal	Objective	Metric	Target			Initiatives
Corporate Contribution	To enable and contribute to the achievement of business objectives through effective delivery of value added information services.	Strategy of services aligns with business	Not applicable				1.        To be proactive participant in strategy planning and execution. 2.        Regularly conduct review meeting with user and management.
		Value delivery	Not applicable				1.        Produce accurate and on-time billing. 2.        Enhance customer experience by enhancing online features in the Company XYZ website. 3.        Produce accurate and relevant customer analysis reports to marketing and senior management. 4.        Enhance core capabilities of marketing by providing/enhancing marketing automation software and customer interaction management. (Refer to CRM Strategic Planning)
		Compliance with budget	Expenses < Allocated budget	< 100%			1.        Control head count by maximizing productivity per head count. 2.        Strengthen internal core capabilities and competencies in order to reduce dependency to vendor.
Customer & User Experience	To enable and contribute to customer/user experience excellence and customer profitability through effective delivery of high-quality competitive solutions and services.	Accurate and on-time billing	Number of incidents where bill statements are delayed	0			1.        Produce accurate and on-time billing.
		Enhance core capabilities of CRM	Not applicable				1.        Produce accurate and relevant customer analysis reports to marketing and senior management. 2.        Create a “single view” of the customer. 3.        Provide/enhance marketing automation software and customer interaction management.
		Deliver timely support to users.	TAT for New Feature/Improvement/Task.	≤ 3 Days	≥ 75%		1.        Team defect analysis. 2.        Implement a tracking system to monitor the whole development process, from collecting user requirements to product release. 3.        Review and analysis of issues with users.
				4 – 6 Days	≤ 15%
				7 – 10 Days	≤ 7%
				11 – 14 Days	≤ 3%
				> 14 Days	0%
				Score	≥ 85
			TAT for Bug/Question.	≤ 2 Days	≥ 75%
				3 – 5 Days	≤ 15%
				6 – 7 Days	≤ 7%
				8 – 10 Days	≤ 3%
				> 10 Days	0%
				Score	≥ 85
			User satisfaction survey	≥ 85			1.        Conduct interviews with key business managers in every 6 months.
		Deliver timely solutions to users.	Project delivery efficiency	≥ 90			1.        Review and analysis of requirements with users. 2.        Schedule creation and review with users. 3.        Conduct interviews with key business managers in every 6 months.
			User satisfaction survey	≥ 85			1.        Conduct interviews with key business managers in every 6 months.
Operational Excellence	To deliver timely and effective solutions and services at targeted service levels, quality levels and costs.	Increase quality of delivered software and support.	Issues reported by customers after solution is released.	Blocker		0	1.        Implement quantitative performance measurement on product quality. 2.        Regular design review and code review meeting. 3.        Design and implement a quality assurance framework to assure high product quality.
				Critical		≤ 2
				Major		≤ 10
				Minor		≤ 20
				Trivial		≤ 30
				Reopened		≤ 5%
				Score		≥ 90
			Total Containment Effectiveness	≥ 85%
		Streamline development process	TAT for New Feature/Improvement/Task.	≤ 3 Days		≥ 75%	1.        Implement a tracking system to monitor the whole development process, from collecting user requirements to product release. 2.        Adopt best practices of software development and service management. 3.        Design a development framework that consists of reusable classes and functionalities to shorten development time and reduce development cost. 4.        Regular design review and code review meeting. 5.        Team defect analysis.
				4 – 6 Days		≤ 15%
				7 – 10 Days		≤ 7%
				11 – 14 Days		≤ 3%
				> 14 Days		0%
				Score		≥ 85
			TAT for Bug/Question.	≤ 2 Days		≥ 75%
				3 – 5 Days		≤ 15%
				6 – 7 Days		≤ 7%
				8 – 10 Days		≤ 3%
				> 10 Days		0%
				Score		≥ 85
		Enhance internal consulting excellence	Not applicable				1.        Implement service management framework (based on ITIL)
Future Orientation	To develop the internal capabilities to continuously improve performance through innovation, learning and personal organizational growth.	Increase ClearBasic, Oracle PL/SQL and Java/.Net proficiency.	Number of training conducted each quarter.	≥ 4			1.        Work closely with partners to conduct technical sessions with staffs. 2.        Conduct in-house system training in .Net programming. 3.        Appoint professional training institute to conduct course. 4.        Code review process.
		Enhance software development process knowledge	Number of training conducted each quarter.	≥ 4			1.        Conduct in-house training on software development process. 2.        Appoint professional training institute to conduct course.
		Enhance internal consulting excellence knowledge	Number of training conducted each quarter.	≥ 4			1.        Conduct in-house training on service management framework. 2.        Appoint professional training institute to conduct course.
		Enhance management skills among developers	Number of training conducted each quarter.	≥ 8			1.        Conduct management training. 2.        Appoint professional training institute to conduct course.
		Increase employee job satisfaction	Total score of Employee Job Satisfaction survey	≥ 80			1.        Conduct survey with staffs in every 6 months.
		Boost employee retention rates	Staff turnover rate	≤ 20%			1.        Enhance working environment based on result of Employee Job Satisfaction survey. 2.        Developer highly motivated working environment. 3.        Provide continuous learning and training opportunities to staffs.
		Enhance retention of knowledge	Not applicable				1.        Document all requirements and changes properly and upload to issue tracking system.