Hierarchy of Purpose

To address the challenges of prioritization that he have confronted throughout his career, Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez developed a simple framework called the Hierarchy of Purpose.

Following are its five principles.

• Purpose. What is the organization's purpose, and how is that purpose best pursued? What is the strategic vision supporting this purpose?

• Priorities. Given the stated purpose and vision, what matters most to the organization now and in the future? What are its priorities now and over the next two to five years?

• Projects. Based on the answers to the first two points, which projects are the most strategic and should be resourced to the hilt? Which projects align with the purpose, vision, and priorities, and which should be stopped or scrapped?

• People. Now that there is clarity around the strategic priorities and the projects that matter most, who are the best people to execute those projects?

• Performance. Traditionally, project performance indicators are tied to inputs (e.g., scope, cost, and time). They are much easier to track than outcomes (such as benefits, impact, and goals). However, despite the difficulty companies have in tracking, it’s the outcomes that really matter. What are the precise outcome-related targets that will measure real performance and value creation? Reduce your attention to inputs and focus on outcomes instead.

This template enables consultants, facilitators and teams to define priorities and projects supporting them following the above framework, aligning the vision and purpose of the organization with them, as well as defining which people should be consider for them and how they should be measured.

For more information, please read the following article:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/36-hierarchy-purpose-ramework-prioritizing-your-nieto-rodriguez/