Software Value Map

Value-Oriented Software Engineering

To move from cost focused to value-based product development or acquisition depends on all in an organization sharing an understanding of “value” as a concept. What types of value exist? What value aspects are most important for a certain product at a specific time? A shared value view is critical to be able to select and prioritize features and quality during development or acquisition of products or services. Regrettably we are too good at focusing on cost – which per definition is meaningless without value.

Software Value Map

You can achieve value focus by using the value decomposition offered in the (Software) Value Map™ (SVM). SVM is developed and refined by industrially applied researchers at Blekinge Institute of Technology in close collaboration with over a dozen companies over five years. Using the SVM has shown significant benefits in selection and prioritization of requirements, but also enabling value based strategic assessment.

Tool support

SVM is a detailed breakdown of 58 important value aspects – taking external customer based value aspects, but also internal business and technical value aspects into account, such as pre-emptive control of technical debt and architectural aspects. Through the use of SVM you can:

1. Get an overview of “value” and define your needs,
2. Find new types of value that could be critical for your organization,
3. Create small and practical value *patterns* that can be used for selection or prioritization or features and products,
4. Compare and homogenize views within a team as value can be used as the common denominator,
5. Use critical value aspects as input to your strategic work and product planning,
6. Connect product strategies to hands-on operational project decisions through value estimates,
7. Keep actual pre-emptive track of the different types of technical debt,
8. A detailed and explicit definition and use of “value” is a pre-requisite to any organization becoming truly Agile and/or Lean,
9. Create different value patterns for different needs and roles,
10. Role based value patterns and value analysis is a powerful tool for communication and analysis of alternatives (requirements),
… and much more.