AIPMM CIL cheat sheet

Strategic alignment exists when portfolio allocation, project selection, and resource deployment trace directly to stated organizational goals.

Innovation types: incremental (extend existing), adjacent (new to firm, existing market), radical (new to world), disruptive (underserves then displaces incumbents).

Portfolio balance is assessed on two axes: risk (low/high) and horizon (H1 core, H2 adjacent, H3 transformational).

A strategy-innovation gap occurs when stated priorities and actual spend diverge; measure by comparing budget percentage to goal weighting.

Technology roadmaps link market needs to product features to enabling technologies across a 3-5 year horizon.

OKRs cascade: company objectives → innovation portfolio objectives → project key results; each key result must be measurable.

Innovation governance councils decide go/kill and funding reallocation at stage gates, not at functional silos.

Strategic fit score = weighted sum of criteria (market attractiveness, capability fit, strategic intent) normalized to 1-5 scale.

Divergence then convergence: generate without judgment, then screen with explicit criteria; never mix the two phases.

Idea funnel metrics: submissions → screened → shortlisted → funded; conversion rate at each stage diagnoses bottlenecks.

SCAMPER prompts: Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to other use, Eliminate, Reverse.

Idea quality score often uses three dimensions: novelty, feasibility, and strategic relevance; weight per portfolio goals.

A stage-gate idea screen uses must-have criteria (pass/fail) then should-have criteria (scored) to avoid false positives.

Open innovation channels: internal suggestion systems, customer co-creation, external partnerships, and acquisition of early-stage ventures.

Kill criteria must be defined before screening to prevent escalation of commitment to weak ideas.

NPV = Σ [Cash flow_t / (1+r)^t] − Initial investment; accept if NPV > 0.

IRR is the discount rate at which NPV = 0; accept if IRR > hurdle rate (cost of capital).

Payback period = time until cumulative cash inflows equal initial outlay; ignores time value of money.

Discounted payback uses discounted cash flows; preferred over simple payback when capital is constrained.

ROI = (Net benefit / Cost) × 100%; specify period and whether benefits are gross or net.

Break-even volume = Fixed costs / (Price − Variable cost per unit).

Sensitivity analysis varies one assumption at a time; scenario analysis varies multiple assumptions together.

Business case must include: problem/opportunity, options considered, financials, risks, assumptions, and recommendation.

SECI model: Socialization (tacit→tacit), Externalization (tacit→explicit), Combination (explicit→explicit), Internalization (explicit→tacit).

Tacit knowledge is personal and hard to codify; explicit knowledge is documented and transferable.

Communities of practice are the primary mechanism for tacit knowledge exchange across organizational boundaries.

Lessons-learned capture should occur at project close and at each major milestone, not only at the end.

Knowledge retention risk rises with turnover; identify critical-knowledge holders and codify before departure.

After-action review questions: What was supposed to happen? What happened? Why the difference? What will we change?

Knowledge assets include documented processes, patents, databases, and expertise maps.

Work breakdown structure (WBS) decomposes deliverables into work packages; 100% rule: children sum to parent scope.

Critical path = longest sequence of dependent tasks; determines minimum project duration and zero-float tasks.

Float (slack) = Late start − Early start = Late finish − Early finish; critical path tasks have zero float.

Resource leveling adjusts start/finish dates to resolve over-allocation; may extend duration.

PERT estimate = (Optimistic + 4×Most likely + Pessimistic) / 6.

Risk register records probability, impact, risk score (P×I), owner, and mitigation response.

Milestones are zero-duration events marking phase completion or gate reviews.

Agile development uses time-boxed iterations (sprints) with a prioritized backlog and a working increment each cycle.

Design thinking stages: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test; iterate based on user feedback.

Minimum viable product (MVP) tests the riskiest assumption with the least effort; success criteria defined in advance.

Stage-gate process: discovery → scoping → business case → development → testing → launch, with gates between stages.

Concurrent engineering overlaps development phases to reduce cycle time but increases coordination risk.

Prototype fidelity increases as uncertainty decreases; low-fidelity prototypes test concepts, high-fidelity test usability.

Technical feasibility reviews should address manufacturability, scalability, and regulatory constraints.

Qualification confirms a product meets defined requirements before launch; includes verification (built right) and validation (right product).

Test categories: functional, performance, reliability, safety, regulatory, and user acceptance.

Defect severity classification: critical (safety/data loss), major (core function impaired), minor (cosmetic/workaround exists).

Exit criteria for qualification must be objective and agreed before testing begins.

Regulatory qualification may require standards conformance (e.g., ISO, IEC, FDA) and documented traceability.

Beta testing collects real-user data in production-like conditions; alpha testing is internal.

Qualification gate decision options: pass, conditional pass with open items, or fail with rework required.

Launch readiness checklist: product qualified, pricing set, channels ready, support trained, marketing assets approved, legal cleared.

Go-to-market plan defines target segment, value proposition, pricing, channel, and promotion mix.

Launch metrics: time-to-market, first-90-day revenue, adoption rate, customer acquisition cost, and launch defect rate.

Pricing strategies: cost-plus, value-based, competitive, and penetration (low initial price to gain share).

Launch risk mitigation includes phased rollout, pilot markets, and rollback plans.

Post-launch review occurs at 30/60/90 days to compare actuals against launch plan and capture lessons learned.

Channel conflict arises when direct and indirect channels compete for the same customers; manage with segmentation rules.