Methods and systems for portfolio planning

• US 20040230468A1
• Filed: 04/23/2003
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: King, Nigel, Schofield, Alison
• Granted Patent: US 7,664,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0635 Risk analysis of enterprise or organisation activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis

Abstract

Computer implemented methods provide a unified framework for the creation, evaluation and selection of requests for funding, of proposed projects and of proposed products within an enterprise. Processes enable the systematic gathering of assumptions that form the basis for generating proposals and project or product scenarios based upon changes in the assumptions. The generated scenarios may be evaluated against predefined criteria and predefined strategic objectives for the enterprise.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of approving or disapproving a request for funding of a proposal within an enterprise, comprising the steps of:

launching a business process for the request for funding of the proposal, the business process carrying out the steps of;

insuring that all assumptions required to complete the request for funding are stated, and

insuring that all assumptions required to complete the proposal are stated, the business process, when all assumptions are stated, further carrying out the steps of;

forwarding the request for funding to a financial approver for the enterprise and requesting approval of the requested funding from the financial approver;

forwarding the proposed project to a technological approver for the enterprise and requesting technological approval of the proposal from the technological approver;

forwarding the proposed project to a marketing approver for the enterprise, and requesting marketing approval of the proposal from the marketing approver;

disapproving the request for funding if any of the approval requesting steps is unsuccessful, and

approving the request for funding if each of the approval requesting steps is successful.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the funding approval requesting step includes at least one of a step of:

requesting a determination of a risk of the requested funding;

requesting a determination of a potential profitability of the proposal, and

requesting a determination of an availability of funds for the proposal.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the business process accepts an approval of the requested funding from the financial approver only when the risk and potential profitability are determined to be acceptable and when the funds are determined to be available for the proposal.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the technological approval requesting step includes at least one of a step of:

requesting a determination of technological risks of the proposal, and

requesting a determination of a strategic fit of a technology of the proposal to a technological strategy of the enterprise.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the business process accepts an approval from the technological approver only when the technological risks are determined to be acceptable and when the proposal is determined to fit within the technological strategy of the enterprise.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the marketing approval requesting step includes at least one of a step of:

requesting a determination of a market risk of the proposal, and

requesting a determination of the portfolio fit of the proposal within a predetermined or new portfolio of the enterprise.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the business process accepts an approval from the marketing approver only when the market risk is determined to be acceptable and the proposal is determined to fit within the predetermined or new portfolio.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the proposal includes a project proposal.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the proposal includes a product proposal.

10. A computer system for obtaining an approval or a disapproval of a request for funding of a proposal within an enterprise, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one data storage device;

a plurality of processes spawned by said at least one processor, the processes including processing logic for;

launching a business process for the request for funding of the proposal, the business process carrying out the steps of;

insuring that all assumptions required to complete the request for funding are stated, and

insuring that all assumptions required to complete the proposal are stated, the business process, when all assumptions are stated, further carrying out the steps of;

forwarding the request for funding to a financial approver for the enterprise and requesting approval of the requested funding from the financial approver;

forwarding the proposed project to a technological approver for the enterprise and requesting technological approval of the proposal from the technological approver;

forwarding the proposed project to a marketing approver for the enterprise, and requesting marketing approval of the proposal from the marketing approver;

rejecting the request for funding if any of the approval requesting steps is unsuccessful, and

approving the request for funding if each of the approval requesting steps is successful.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the funding approval requesting step includes at least one of a step of:

requesting a determination of a risk of the requested funding;

requesting a determination of a potential profitability of the proposal, and

requesting a determination of an availability of funds for the proposal.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the business process accepts an approval of the requested funding from the financial approver only when the risk and potential profitability are determined to be acceptable and when the funds are determined to be available for the proposal.

13. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the technological approval requesting step includes at least one of a step of:

requesting a determination of technological risks of the proposal, and

requesting a determination of a strategic fit of a technology of the proposal to a technological strategy of the enterprise.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the business process accepts an approval from the technological approver only when the technological risks are determined to be acceptable and when the proposal is determined to fit within the technological strategy of the enterprise.

15. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the marketing approval requesting step includes at least one of a step of:

requesting a determination of a market risk of the proposal, and

requesting a determination of the portfolio fit of the proposal within a predetermined or new portfolio of the enterprise.

16. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the business process accepts an approval from the marketing approver only when the market risk is determined to be acceptable and the proposal is determined to fit within the predetermined or new portfolio.

17. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the proposal includes a project proposal.

18. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the proposal includes a product proposal.

19. A machine-readable medium having data stored thereon representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by computing device, causes said computing device to obtain an approval or a disapproval of a request for finding of a proposal within an enterprise, by performing the steps of:

launching a business process for the request for funding of the proposal, the business process carrying out the steps of;

insuring that all assumptions required to complete the request for funding are stated, and

insuring that all assumptions required to complete the proposal are stated, the business process, when all assumptions are stated, further carrying out the steps of;

forwarding the request for funding to a financial approver for the enterprise and requesting approval of the requested funding from the financial approver;

forwarding the proposed project to a technological approver for the enterprise and requesting technological approval of the proposal from the technological approver;

forwarding the proposed project to a marketing approver for the enterprise, and requesting marketing approval of the proposal from the marketing approver;

rejecting the request for funding if any of the approval requesting steps is unsuccessful, and

approving the request for funding if each of the approval requesting steps is successful.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the funding approval requesting step includes at least one of a step of:

requesting a determination of a risk of the requested funding;

requesting a determination of a potential profitability of the proposal, and

requesting a determination of an availability of funds for the proposal.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the business process accepts an approval of the requested funding from the financial approver only when the risk and potential profitability are determined to be acceptable and when the funds are determined to be available for the proposal.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the technological approval requesting step includes at least one of a step of:

requesting a determination of technological risks of the proposal, and

requesting a determination of a strategic fit of a technology of the proposal to a technological strategy of the enterprise.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the business process accepts an approval from the technological approver only when the technological risks are determined to be acceptable and when the proposal is determined to fit within the technological strategy of the enterprise.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the marketing approval requesting step includes at least one of a step of:

requesting a determination of a market risk of the proposal, and

requesting a determination of the portfolio fit of the proposal within a predetermined or new portfolio of the enterprise.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the business process accepts an approval from the marketing approver only when the market risk is determined to be acceptable and the proposal is determined to fit within the predetermined or new portfolio.

26. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the proposal includes a project proposal.

27. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the proposal includes a product proposal.

28. A computer-implemented method of selecting a plan of record for a proposed product or project within an enterprise, comprising the steps of:

launching a business process, the business process carrying out the steps of;

requesting assumptions of at least one of resources, costs, rates, dates and revenue forecasts for the proposed product or project;

generating a baseline plan for the proposed project or product, the baseline plan incorporating the requested assumptions;

changing at least one of the incorporated assumptions in the baseline plan and generating a planning scenario based on the changed assumptions;

repeating the changing and planning scenario generating steps as needed to create a collection of planning scenarios for the proposed product or project;

evaluating the planning scenarios of the created collection against stated criteria of the enterprise, and

designating one of the evaluated planning scenarios of the portfolio as the plan of record.

29. The computer-implemented method of claim 28, wherein the business process further carries out a step of insuring that all requested assumptions are provided before carrying out the baseline plan generating step.

30. The computer-implemented method of claim 28, wherein the evaluating step further includes the step of requesting that each of the scenarios be scored against the stated criteria of the enterprise.

31. The computer-implemented method of claim 28, wherein the business process further carries out a step of requesting confirmation of the requested assumptions.

32. The computer-implemented method of claim 28, wherein the business process further carries out a step of notifying selected parties of the plan of record.

33. The computer-implemented method of claim 28, wherein the business process includes a workflow.

34. The computer-implemented method of claim 28, wherein the requesting step includes at least one of a polling step, an email sending step, notification and response steps carried out via a Web-based interface, notification and response steps carried out via a spreadsheet and notification and responses carried out via existing applications.

35. A computer system for selecting a plan of record for a proposed product or project within an enterprise, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one data storage device;

a plurality of processes spawned by said at least one processor, the processes including processing logic for;

launching a business process, the business process carrying out the steps of;

requesting assumptions of at least one of resources, costs, rates, dates and revenue forecasts for the proposed product or project;

generating a baseline plan for the proposed project or product, the baseline plan incorporating the requested assumptions;

changing at least one of the incorporated assumptions in the baseline plan and generating a planning scenario based on the changed assumptions;

repeating the changing and planning scenario generating steps as needed to create a collection of planning scenarios for the proposed product or project;

evaluating the planning scenarios of the created collection against stated criteria of the enterprise, and

designating one of the evaluated planning scenarios of the collection as the plan of record.

36. The computer system of claim 35, wherein the business process further carries out a step of insuring that all requested assumptions are provided before carrying out the baseline plan generating step.

37. The computer system of claim 35, wherein the evaluating step further includes of requesting that each of the scenarios be scored against the stated criteria of the enterprise.

38. The computer system of claim 35, wherein the business process further carries out a step of requesting confirmation of the requested assumptions.

39. The computer system of claim 35, wherein the business process further carries out a step of notifying selected parties of the plan of record.

40. The computer system of claim 35, wherein the business process includes a workflow.

41. The computer system of claim 35, wherein the requesting step includes at least one of a polling step, an email sending step, notification and response steps carried out via a Web-based interface, notification and response steps carried out via a spreadsheet and notification and responses carried out via existing applications.

42. A machine-readable medium having data stored thereon representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by computing device, causes said computing device to selecting a plan of record for a proposed product or project within an enterprise, by performing the steps of:

launching a business process, the business process carrying out the steps of;

requesting assumptions of at least one of resources, costs, rates, dates and revenue forecasts for the proposed product or project;

generating a baseline plan for the proposed project or product, the baseline plan incorporating the requested assumptions;

changing at least one of the incorporated assumptions in the baseline plan and generating a planning scenario based on the changed assumptions;

repeating the changing and planning scenario generating steps as needed to create a collection of planning scenarios for the proposed product or project;

evaluating the planning scenarios of the created collection against stated criteria of the enterprise, and

designating one of the evaluated planning scenarios of the portfolio as the plan of record.

43. The machine-readable medium of claim 42, wherein the business process further carries out a step of insuring that all requested assumptions are provided before carrying out the baseline plan generating step.

44. The machine-readable medium of claim 42, wherein the evaluating step further includes of requesting that each of the scenarios be scored against the stated criteria of the enterprise.

45. The machine-readable medium of claim 42, wherein the business process further carries out a step of requesting confirmation of the requested assumptions.

46. The machine-readable medium of claim 42, wherein the business process further carries out a step of notifying selected parties of the plan of record.

47. The machine-readable medium of claim 42, wherein the business process includes a workflow.

48. The machine-readable medium of claim 42, wherein the requesting step includes at least one of a polling step, an email sending step, notification and response steps carried out via a Web-based interface, notification and response steps carried out via a spreadsheet and notification and responses carried out via existing applications.