Portfolio Management in New Product Development: Lessons from the Leaders—I

TLDR

A study of portfolio management practices in industry reveals three goals: maximizing portfolio value, achieving the right balance and mix of projects, and linking the portfolio to the business’s strategy. This first of two articles provides examples of portfolio methods used to achieve the first two goals. Maximizing portfolio value is achieved by various financial models such as Expected Commercial Value and Productivity Index, while scoring models are also employed; achieving a balanced portfolio involves bubble diagrams and other visual models.

Abstract

OVERVIEW:A study of portfolio management practices in industry reveals three goals: maximizing the value of the portfolio, achieving the right balance and mix of projects, and linking the portfolio to the business's strategy. This first of two articles provides examples of portfolio methods used to achieve the first two goals. Maximizing the portfolio's value is achieved by means of various financial models, including the Expected Commercial Value method and the Productivity Index, which are outlined and critiqued. Scoring models are also used to maximize the value of the portfolio. Achieving a balanced portfolio is quite a different issue, involving the use of bubble diagrams and other visual models.