Result

Technological innovation cycles are shortening, and acceleration effects are increasing, reinforcing the need for Strategic Technology Portfolio Management (STPM). Beyond dynamic markets with shorter innovation cycles, rising regulations, security demands, and complex IT landscapes, technologies now differentiate end products rather than being just an IT back-office concern.

To deepen this topic and apply it in the future, a CBA Lab working group developed the most important components of strategic technology portfolio management. The results were summarized in a white paper, which is exclusively available to members of the CBA Lab and emphasizes the following aspects:

Definition & goal of STPM:
STPM is the key process for identifying, evaluating, and prioritizing new technologies. The goal of STPM is to drive business innovations via technology-push and to align these with long-term corporate strategies.

Differentiations:
STPM differs from

• Operational Portfolio Management (OPM) – focus on tactical resource allocation
• Technology Portfolio Management (TPM) – focus on lifecycle management of technology components
• Application Portfolio Management (APM) – focus on managing business applications

In practice, all these processes can overlap, and seamless transitions are crucial to effectively translate strategy into operational execution.

Key Processes:
STPM typically follows these processes: Scouting, Ideation, Specification, Prioritization, Shortlisting, Planning, PoC, Rating, and Gate 0/1 Decision. Data- and AI-driven technology scouting methods are playing an increasingly important role in all processes.

Success factors & stakeholder management:
Success factors include well-defined KPIs and budgeting, and a strong change management strategy. An open innovation culture is crucial for identifying and integrating new technologies. Successful STPM requires clear governance and cross-functional collaboration among key stakeholders, which is structured through a Target Operating Model (TOM) that defines processes, responsibilities, and methodologies.