Project Vision

Project Vision Document Template:

INTRODUCTION: Project Definition: Vision Document

(The Vision Document template begins on the next page) What This Is A 1-2 page document created by a team in the early days of a project to build the case for doing a project; negotiate the overall scope and requirements at the highest customer-focused level; and obtain team alignment and capture their agreement on the project definition. This document is similar to other formats which define the high-level goals of a project, which include Project Charter, Project Scope Statement, Project Objectives Statement, and Statement of Work. The Vision outline provides the strongest treatment of the projects’ customers and the benefits to be brought to them as the basis for the high level goals and scope of the project.  Why It’s Useful Early Vision-level work helps to flesh out the project definition BEFORE the team descends into defining detailed requirements. It allows an organization to quickly see if there is alignment on what’s most important for the customer. It helps guard against scope creep by making sure that project goals are defined in terms of who the customers are and what benefits the project absolutely must provide to those customers. It gives the team a basis for early investigation work, so they can understand the effort and resources required to deliver what the draft Visions are asking for. It then allows the team to discuss possible tradeoffs on scope, schedule, and resources at this high level and define a doable project that will still meet critical customer requirements. During the project it helps make sure everyone is staying true to the project's goals. How to Use It §  If desired, draft a Vision in the early concept phase of your project to crystallize business or driving customer justification for the project, as well as any first take on major scope parameters (schedule, costs, and implementation assumptions). §  Hold a team vision meeting with representatives from all cross-functional groups early in the initiation phase once the full team has been formed. Create the sections of the document (if a Vision has not yet been started) by brainstorming bullet items onto flipcharts. If a draft Vision exists, review it with the team, then discuss, edit, and expand it together. Record open issues and assign actions to resolve them. §  Have the team then go away and investigate alternatives for fulfilling customer needs. §  Revise the document iteratively as design alternatives are reviewed and feature decisions made. §  At the end of the kickoff or investigation phase, this document is the contract for the project, documenting what the team has agreed to accomplish and why. §  Use the Project Vision as a major starting point for any more detailed product requirements specifications or detailed hardware, software, or process specs. Alignment at the Vision level is achieved by focusing on customers and benefits, without delving into minute specification details. Then the Vision can drive the further detailed spec work. §  Keep the document visible throughout the project so that it guides all more detailed design work and keeps the main goals at the forefront to help ward off scope creep. Refer to the document at every design review and major project status review. Is your project work still on track with what the Project Vision calls for?

Project Definition: Vision Document

0.     PROJECT/MISSION DESCRIPTION and CASE FOR ACTION: One or two sentence summary of this project and why we are doing it. 1.         TARGET CUSTOMERS AND HOW THE PRODUCT WILL MEET THEIR NEEDS. (Problems, solutions, benefits) Customer segments: Who are your customers, both leading edge and typical? Benefits/solutions provided: What benefits will this product provide to each segment? What problems do your customers have and how will this product solve them? Specific customers: Name specific customers this project is intended to serve as appropriate. 2.         KEY FACTORS CUSTOMER WILL USE TO JUDGE VALUE. (Measurable) Value drivers: Clarifies which capabilities of this product (as quantified as possible) will be most important to the customers’ perception of its overall value. Can fall into one or more of these categories: ·         Financial (price, cost of ownership, etc.) ·         Performance ·         Quality or Reliability ·         Schedule – initial release, production lead-time, etc. ·         User acceptance ·         Competitive differentiation Response to competitors: Items that will be key to being perceived as more valuable than specific competitors can be highlighted. 3.         KEY TECHNOLOGY AND KEY FEATURES. Key technology to be employed in the product, system, or service Specific features required to meet customers’ needs.

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Project Definition: Vision Document (continued)

4.      CRUCIAL FACTORS AS APPLICABLE. Elements that are not a primary part of the functionality, but are key attributes that must be present. May include: ·                Interaction with associated systems or products ·                Potential for design growth or modification ·                Physical environment it will be used in ·                Patent infringement/protection ·                Manufacturability ·                Safety and liability ·                Quality and reliability ·                Ergonomics ·                Users' abilities ·                Sourcing and assembly – including partnerships, alliances, dual source needs… ·                Distribution ·                Documentation, training, servicing and maintenance ·                Unusual equipment or facilities needed           5.         RELEVANT FINANCIAL NUMBERS: The economic factors driving this project. Sales units, price, cost, volume by year, margin by year Market window, delivery date, Late Cost Per Week (LCPW) Budget (development cost), capital constraints, etc.

Example Vision on next page.

Example: PC Software Project Vision

Project Mission: Produce a fun, engaging flight-simulator game that will appeal to families—in time for Christmas sales. We have the opportunity to be the first to market in this category, and the first to market a realistic 3D flying experience with 6 degrees of motion freedom, all available on a standard PC. Success will also attract other major publishers to engage us to develop their products.

1. Customers and benefits

§  Primary: Those who like action games with some story and/or role play and would probably enjoy flight simulators, but don’t want to spend time on learning complex flying controls.

§  Secondary: an alternative for normal flight simulator aficionados.

§  Families looking for relatively non-violent but fun, engaging computer entertainment

§  Ages 12 to adult.

2. Key factors used to judge quality

§  Game must be interesting and complex enough for more mature gamers but not overwhelming to flight simulator novices or younger users. But not via lots of puzzles. Want at least 6 rooms and 6 different types of flight simulator missions (bombing mission, avoid the enemy, rescue mission...).

§  The act of flying must be so fun and realistic in itself that it attracts novice users to play the game and learn the skills to complete the flight missions.

3. Key features and technology.

§  3-D look with 6 degrees of freedom motion

§  Must have at least 6 “levels” or rooms of activities

§  Flying character is a bug instead of an airplane

§  No flight control setup required

§  Custom rendering engine written in-house

§  Use DirectX for desired compatibility

§  Minimum platform: Pentium 90 with 8M and a 2M video card

§  Must support analog and digital joysticks

§  Music in background, different in each room.

§  Movie setup prior to each room, but movies should not slow down players’ momentum.

4. Crucial product factors

§  Has to fit on one CD ROM

§  Must be extensible such that a later release can add rooms to the game

§  Designed such that localization for Japan and Germany can be accomplished by changing out only small parts of dialog, art, and movie shots, not having to recreate each fully

§  Win95 logo certification desired

§  Box contains CD ROM, joystick, and quick start card produced by publisher

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Example: PC Software Project Vision

5. Financials

§  Must ship from game developer to publisher by September 15 to allow publisher to get it mastered and onto store shelves by Mid-October, to ensure significant Q4 sales. (Distribution channel is standard retail outlets: CompUSA, Fry’s.)

§  Window is expected to be minimum 10,000 copies over the first 4 months (Christmas season); 30,000 copies rest of first year.

§  Selling price $50; profit margin (excluding development costs) 80%, profit per unit $40.

§  Development cost must be under $1 million.

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