Continual learning with a Bayesian approach for evolving the baselines of a leagile project portfolio

Abstract

This article introduces a Bayesian learning approach for planning continuously evolving leagile project and portfolio baselines. Unlike the traditional project management approach, which uses static project baselines, the approach proposed in this study suggests learning from immediately prior experience to establish an evolving baseline for performance estimation. The principle of Pasteur’s quadrant is used to realize a highly practical solution, which extends the existing wisdom on leagile continuous planning. This study compares the accuracy of the proposed Bayesian approach with the traditional approach using real data. The results suggest that the evolving Bayesian baselines can generate a more realistic measure of performance than traditional baselines, enabling leagile projects and portfolios to be better managed in the continuously changing environments of today.

Can product modularization approaches help address challenges in technical project portfolio management? – Laying the foundations for a methodology transfer

“…Their step-wise and iterative process structure, including an inherent reflection and learning process, allows for continuous project evaluation and course adaptations [6]. In the context of continuous planning, more recent approaches have even looked at evolving baselines for performance estimation to overcome shortcomings of traditional rigid methods [7]. However, lean, agile or "leagile" approaches also present their own challenges for companies and have a strong focus on software projects [8].…”