Off to a Fast Start in 2016 with BRMConnect Charlotte

The dates for BRMConnect Charlotte 2016 were circled on my calendar for months before the conference. To say I was excited to attend the conference would be an understatement—being surrounded by peers, hearing great ideas, and listening to interesting presentations taps into a part of my brain that is often underutilized during the rest of the year. In short, BRMConnect Charlotte successfully launched a new dialogue on business value delivery.

Along with hearing some powerful speakers and presentations, I had the honor of presenting on three key areas of business value: what business value is, how to deliver business value, and how to know when you’ve gotten it. It was an amazing experience. Here are a few key items from each of the aforementioned sections:

What is business value?

• Non-specific “wrapper term” for an expected business outcome(s) that provides benefits to the business
• Business value can vary across business groups, units, and divisions
• Business value is often measured in the increase or decrease of:
  • Key assets (tangible or otherwise)
  • Expenses (recognized or expected)
  • Risks (real or projected)
• Should be linked to company strategies

Delivering business value

• Deliver business value through the definition, sequencing, and delivery of Business Increments
• Business Increments define the value to the business, expected ROI, and timeline for value realization
• Business Increments achieve some (or all) of business objectives
• Develop and leverage a Business Value Model to sequence Business Increments based on relative business value

How do you know you’ve gotten it?

• Identify minimum Business Increments to realize business value and business objectives faster
• Use the directional feedback obtained from implementation of minimum Business Increments to revise and deliver better solutions
• Agree on the “definition of done” for minimum Business Increments to ensure everyone involved in value delivery is clear on boundaries and scope

Overall, I consider BRMConnect Charlotte to be a resounding success! It was the perfect balance of ideas, theory, and practical application necessary to spur thinking and set the remainder of the year on the right course. I am honored to have been a part of it, and I look forward to the three remaining BRMConnect conferences of 2016. On to Sydney!