Problem Statement
Build a shared, evidence-based understanding of the problem before investing time in solutions. Define the problem rigorously across reality, impact, history, and hypotheses—then align on what success looks like.
Clear Problem Definition
Defining the problem clearly prevents wasted effort and misaligned project outcomes by focusing on root causes.
Collaborative Problem Building
This stage encourages teams to slow down and use evidence and shared perspectives to define challenges precisely.
Benefits of Problem Statements
Well-crafted problem statements improve communication, stakeholder alignment, and decision-making across teams.
Structured Framework Approach
Following a step-by-step framework builds a comprehensive understanding of the situation and organizational relevance.
Clarify Current Situation
Establish an evidence-based baseline of what is happening today.
Assess Problem Impact
Quantify who/what is affected and how the impact shows up.
Review Historical Context
Understand when it started, what changed, and what constraints exist.
Formulate Root-Cause Hypotheses
Capture plausible drivers to test—without jumping to solutions.
Connect to Organizational Goals
Align the problem to strategy, customer value, and business priorities.
Define Success Metrics
Specify KPIs that prove improvement and guide follow-through.
Defining Current Reality
Describe what is happening now using measurable, observable facts — not opinions or assumptions.
Identifying Breakdown Points
Pinpoint where in the process, system, or team the problem is occurring most visibly.
Using Anecdotal and Data Evidence
Combine quantitative metrics with real stories to paint a complete picture.
Separating Symptoms from Causes
Avoid treating surface-level issues as root problems; look deeper for systemic drivers.
Problem Effects Overview
The problem affects customers, teams, and operations — creating friction across the value chain.
Examples of Impact
Delayed deliveries, financial losses, customer complaints, and low team morale are common effects.
Supporting Evidence
Use data, case examples, and direct feedback to make the impact tangible and credible.
Building Alignment and Urgency
Shared understanding of impact motivates teams to act and keeps focus on what matters.
Understanding Problem History
Explore when the problem started, what triggered it, and how it has evolved over time.
Identifying Constraints
Document limitations such as budget, tools, policies, capacity, or organizational boundaries.
Capturing Formal and Informal Knowledge
Include documented data as well as team experience and institutional memory.
Holistic Problem Understanding
A complete picture reduces blind spots and improves solution quality.
Identifying Early Clues
Look for recurring issues, repeated handoffs, rework loops, and "warning signals" that hint at deeper causes.
Common Contributing Factors
Bottlenecks, understaffing, skill gaps, outdated systems, and unclear ownership are frequent drivers — capture which apply here.
Encouraging Curiosity
Keep asking "why," connect dots across departments, and write hypotheses that can be tested — without blame or assumed solutions.
Importance of Problem Solving
Solving the right problem is more valuable than solving many small or misidentified ones.
Consequences of Inaction
Failing to address the issue leads to customer churn, low morale, financial risk, and strategic drift.
External Pressures
Regulatory changes, competitive dynamics, and market expectations amplify the urgency.
Prioritization & Shared Urgency
Framing relevance helps teams prioritize and align on why this problem matters now.
Defining Desired Outcomes
Set clear, specific goals that describe the improved state once the problem is resolved.
Measuring Success with KPIs
Establish metrics such as processing time reduction, satisfaction scores, or cost savings.
Addressing Constraints
Objectives must be realistic given existing limitations in resources, time, or authority.
Aligning Expectations
Shared objectives keep stakeholders aligned and reduce scope creep during solution development.
The Problem
MD & TD Directors lack a consolidated real-time view of HSE and production KPIs across all operations.
Measurable Impact
3–5 day data latency; 12+ hours/month on manual consolidation; decisions made on outdated information.
Strategic Risk
Critical decisions on 5-day-old data; missing emerging safety trends; reactive rather than proactive management.
Efficiency Loss
Executive time wasted validating numbers instead of focusing on strategy; team frustration with manual processes.
Historical Context
Challenge intensified over past 3 years with 300% increase in data volume from digitalization and IoT sensors across operations.
Previous Attempts
Prior BI dashboard solutions failed due to poor mobile accessibility, lack of real-time integration, and complex navigation unsuitable for executive use.
Siloed Systems
- HSE data in SAP
- Production metrics in PI System
- Financial data in Oracle
- No integration layer between systems
Manual Bottleneck
- Monthly manual extraction from each system
- Excel-based consolidation causing 5-day lag
- Error-prone manual data entry
- No automation or scheduling
Corporate Priority
Directly aligns with PDO's "Digitalization & Operational Excellence" pillar in 2024–2026 strategic plan.
Strategic Value
Enables shift from reactive monthly reporting to proactive daily management; supports data-driven culture transformation.
Desired Outcome
- Automated mobile-first dashboard with T-1 data refresh
- Single pane of glass for HSE, production, and financial KPIs
- Drill-down capability from summary to detail
Success KPIs
- Report prep time: 5 days → Real-time
- Executive adoption rate: 100% within 2 months
- Data accuracy: 99.5% (validated against source systems)
- Mobile accessibility: Full feature parity
Personas — Users & Stakeholders
Go beyond job titles to build research-based, behavioural archetypes of the people who use, influence, or are impacted by the product. Understanding personas drives better design decisions, sharper prioritisation, and stronger stakeholder buy-in.
Job Titles
Formal organisational designations (e.g., “Marketing Manager,” “Software Engineer”)
Hierarchical position and functional role within a company
- Stable and Organisational
- Represent Credentials and Experience
- Linked to Compensation and Career Progression
- Company-Specific Naming Conventions
Personas
Fictional, research-based representatives of user/customer archetypes (e.g., “Tech-Savvy Sarah,” “Budget-Friendly Bob”)
Behaviours, goals, challenges, and motivations
Inform product strategy, marketing, and user experience decisions
- Dynamic and Behavioural
- Rooted in Qualitative and Quantitative Research
- Encompassing Demographic, Psychographic, and Contextual Insights
The Digital Oilfield spans four distinct persona groups — two Operational personas who live and work at the front line, and two Analytical & Strategic personas driving performance and transformation from the corporate core. Each persona has unique goals, pain points, and technology needs that product decisions must address.
Field Technician
Hands-on Expert · OperationalControl Room Operator
Guardian · OperationalReservoir Engineer
Subsurface Architect · StrategicDigital Transformation Lead
Innovator · DigitalOperational Personas
Field Technician and Control Room Operator are on the front line of oil and gas operations. They need reliability, speed, and simplicity — tools that work in harsh, remote, or multi-screen environments without slowing them down.
Analytical & Strategic Personas
Reservoir Engineer and Digital Transformation Lead operate from corporate offices. They need integrated data, advanced analytics, and scalable platforms to optimise assets and drive enterprise-wide change.
Imad
Hoist & CWI,
Well Services Team Lead,
Hoist Team Lead
A diligent and safety-conscious professional, Imad places great emphasis on adhering to safety protocols and regulatory compliance. He is relentless in balancing operational efficiency with high safety standards.
- Coordinating field operations
- Managing unexpected well conditions
- Maintain zero-incident operations
- Ensure crew safety and equipment
Value Proposition Canvas
Map the fit between your product's value proposition and your customer's profile — ensuring every feature addresses a real pain, gain, or job-to-be-done.
The Value Proposition Canvas (Osterwalder & Pigneur, 2014) is a strategic tool that helps product teams achieve product–market fit by clearly mapping what the product does against what customers actually need. It consists of two interlocking halves: the Value Map (what you offer) and the Customer Profile (who you serve).
Customer-Centric Design
Start with the customer profile — understand jobs, pains, and gains before designing features.
Evidence-Based Fit
Each pain reliever and gain creator must be backed by research — not assumptions or internal opinions.
Iterative Validation
The canvas is a living document — iterate as you gather feedback from user testing and market signals.
How to Complete the Canvas
Profile Your Customer
Start on the right side. List all Customer Jobs (functional, social, emotional tasks), then identify Pains (obstacles, risks, frustrations), and Gains (desired outcomes, benefits, aspirations).
Map Your Value Proposition
On the left side, list Products & Services you offer, then describe Pain Relievers (how they reduce frustrations) and Gain Creators (how they generate customer benefits).
Test for Fit
Draw lines connecting each Gain Creator ↔ Gain, Pain Reliever ↔ Pain, and Product ↔ Job. Strong fit means most items are connected. Unconnected items highlight gaps.
Prioritise & Validate
Rank pains and gains by severity/frequency. Focus your product on solving the top 3 pains and enabling the top 3 gains. Validate assumptions through user interviews and prototypes.
Iterate
Update the canvas after each research sprint, usability test, or pilot feedback session. A canvas is never "done" — it evolves with your product understanding.
This canvas maps the Production Engineer persona's customer profile (right circle) against the digital platform's value proposition (left square). Each sticky note represents a validated item derived from field research and PDO domain expertise.
3–5%
with choke management & shift handover tools
Jobs
The Value Map describes the features and benefits the product provides. It is structured into three components that must directly correspond to elements of the Customer Profile.
Value Proposition Side
What the product creates & relieves
- Real-time operational dashboards — instant visibility into asset performance across all fields
- Predictive analytics — AI-driven forecasting to optimise production targets and reduce unplanned downtime
- Automated reporting — eliminates manual data compilation, freeing engineers for high-value analysis
- Seamless data integration — single pane of glass connecting SCADA, CMMS, ERP, and historian systems
- Mobile-first design — rugged, offline-capable access for remote field technicians
- Collaboration tools — shared workspaces enabling cross-functional team alignment on production priorities
- Digital Oilfield Platform (SaaS) — cloud-native, scalable enterprise solution
- Field Mobility App — iOS/Android with offline mode and AR remote assistance
- Operations Intelligence Module — real-time KPI monitoring and exception management
- Subsurface Analytics Suite — reservoir simulation, EUR modelling, and recovery optimisation
- HSE Compliance Engine — digital permit-to-work, incident reporting, and safety analytics
- Change & Adoption Programme — structured onboarding, training, and change management support
- Offline mode + rugged device support — eliminates connectivity barriers in remote/offshore locations
- Intelligent alarm management — filters alarm noise, reducing cognitive overload for control room operators
- Unified data platform — breaks down data silos across subsurface, surface, and operations teams
- Streamlined digital workflows — replaces paper-heavy processes (PTW, work orders, incident logs)
- Legacy system connectors — pre-built APIs for SAP, OSIsoft PI, Honeywell, ABB, and Schneider
- Guided AI insights — contextual recommendations reduce decision complexity and cognitive load
Customer Profile Side
What the customer needs & experiences
- Faster decision-making with reliable, real-time production data
- Increased asset uptime and production output (EUR improvement)
- Zero safety incidents — proactive hazard identification and compliance tracking
- Reduced administrative burden — more time for engineering judgement
- Cross-functional alignment — single source of truth shared across departments
- Career growth — confidence in using advanced digital tools recognised by leadership
- Monitor and optimise asset performance in real time
- Execute safe maintenance and repair operations (MTTR minimisation)
- Build subsurface models and run reservoir simulations
- Manage HSE compliance, permits, and incident reporting
- Deliver accurate production forecasts to management
- Lead digital transformation initiatives across the organisation
- Data fragmentation — critical information scattered across incompatible systems
- Poor remote connectivity — limited access to systems in the field
- Alarm fatigue — too many false alarms causing alert desensitisation
- Excessive paperwork — manual processes consume time better spent on operations
- Change resistance — scepticism toward new technology among field crews
- Legacy system lock-in — technical debt limits flexibility and integration
The Customer Profile captures the real-world context of our digital oilfield personas identified in Stage 2. Each segment maps to a specific persona's functional requirements, emotional motivations, and friction points.
This table explicitly links each Customer Pain / Gain / Job to the corresponding Value Proposition element, demonstrating product–market fit. Every unchecked row represents a potential gap or backlog item.
| # | Customer Element | Type | Value Proposition Response | VP Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Data fragmentation — systems not integrated | Pain | Unified data platform with pre-built connectors (SAP, PI, Honeywell) | Pain Reliever |
| 2 | Poor remote connectivity in field locations | Pain | Offline mode + rugged mobile device support | Pain Reliever |
| 3 | Alarm fatigue / cognitive overload | Pain | Intelligent alarm management with smart filtering and predictive alerts | Pain Reliever |
| 4 | Excessive paperwork and manual processes | Pain | Streamlined digital workflows (ePTW, eWO, incident reporting) | Pain Reliever |
| 5 | Change resistance among field crews | Pain | Structured Change & Adoption Programme with embedded coaching | Pain Reliever |
| 6 | Legacy system lock-in / technical debt | Pain | Pre-built API connectors + scalable cloud-native SaaS architecture | Pain Reliever |
| 7 | Faster decision-making with real-time data | Gain | Real-time operational dashboards with contextual AI insights | Gain Creator |
| 8 | Increased asset uptime and production output | Gain | Predictive analytics and anomaly detection for proactive maintenance | Gain Creator |
| 9 | Zero safety incidents | Gain | HSE Compliance Engine with digital PTW and safety analytics | Gain Creator |
| 10 | Reduced administrative burden | Gain | Automated reporting and AI-generated summaries | Gain Creator |
| 11 | Monitor and optimise asset performance | Job | Operations Intelligence Module with real-time KPI monitoring | Product |
| 12 | Execute safe maintenance operations | Job | Field Mobility App with AR remote assistance and offline procedures | Product |
| 13 | Build subsurface models & run simulations | Job | Subsurface Analytics Suite with HPC and 3D visualisation | Product |
| 14 | Lead digital transformation initiatives | Job | Digital Oilfield Platform (SaaS) with enterprise governance tools | Product |
Validate Assumptions with Users
Schedule structured interviews with 2–3 users per persona (Field Technician, Reservoir Engineer, Control Room Operator, Digital Lead). Use the canvas as a discussion framework — confirm or reject each pain/gain/job item.
Prioritise the Top 3 Pains
Rank pains by frequency (how often it occurs) × severity (how much it impacts operations). Focus the MVP on the top 3: data fragmentation, alarm fatigue, and offline connectivity.
Build the Minimum Viable Canvas
For each top pain: define one targeted pain reliever, link it to a product feature, and set a measurable KPI. This becomes the foundation for the Stage 4 Product Vision brief.
Feed into Stage 4 Product Vision
The validated canvas becomes the brief for Stage 4 (Product Vision). Each Gain Creator and Pain Reliever becomes a design challenge statement: "How might we [reliever] so that [persona] can achieve [gain]?"
Product Vision
Define a compelling long-term vision that aligns teams, guides decisions, and communicates the product's purpose to every stakeholder.
These four reference frames illustrate how product vision is formed, communicated, validated, and sustained across the product lifecycle. Each approach comes with a real-world example and a PDO application note.
The Elevator Pitch Method
A structured template that forces teams to articulate the vision in a single, compelling paragraph — answering who, what, why, and how.
What is the Elevator Pitch Method?
The Elevator Pitch method (popularised by Geoffrey Moore in Crossing the Chasm) structures the product vision into five mandatory components — Target Group, Need, Solution, Competitor Alternative, and Differentiator. The result is a concise 60-second pitch that any team member can deliver confidently.
The image shows a worked example: "For all car owners who drive to work, who need to ensure they arrive on time and relaxed, the Star Car control system is an extension of the existing car, with automatic control, automatic traffic jam avoidance and optimised parking finder. Unlike the Google car or a Tesla, you don't have to buy a new car with our product — you can simply upgrade your current car."
Vision States Purpose & Enables Self-Organisation
A great vision inspires teams to act autonomously toward the goal — without needing step-by-step instructions.
Purpose Over Tasks
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's famous quote illustrates the essence of motivational product vision: teams self-organise when they understand and believe in why they're building, not just what they're building. A vision that communicates purpose replaces the need for constant oversight and micro-management.
This approach distinguishes between task-driven culture (assign tasks, divide work, gather wood) and vision-driven culture (teach people to long for the vast, endless sea). The latter is what enables true autonomous decision-making in distributed teams.
The "Feature Soup" Anti-Pattern: What Happens Without a Clear Vision
Products without a guiding vision accumulate disconnected features — becoming complex, expensive to maintain, and confusing to users.
The Danger of No Vision
The image illustrates a real product: a Smart Salt Dispenser with Display, Dial, Mode Button, Mood Light, Bluetooth Speaker, Economic Design, and Alexa integration — all in one device. The warning label reads: "Without a vision, the product often becomes a 'feature soup'!"
This happens when product decisions are driven by stakeholder requests, competitor copying, or technology availability rather than a clear vision. Every feature seemed logical in isolation — but together they create an incoherent, unusable product.
Product Vision as a Living Document
A product vision evolves with the product — remaining directionally stable while adapting its expression as technology and context change.
The Apple Mac Case Study
The image shows three generations of Apple Macintosh computers — the original 1984 Macintosh, the iMac G3 (1998), and the modern iMac — alongside Apple's enduring vision statement:
Over 40 years, the hardware changed radically — but the vision remained the same. The same words that guided the 1984 Macintosh still accurately describe the 2024 iMac. This is the hallmark of a great product vision: stable purpose, flexible execution.
A real-world worked example applying the Product Vision framework to PDO's analytics transformation programme.
Elevator Pitch — Two Scenarios
Two elevator pitch formulations articulate the same vision from different angles — one focused on autonomous decision-making, the other on transparent reporting vs. watermelon metrics.
| For | Corporate performance leaders and senior executives at PDO |
| Who | Need to make strategic, data-driven decisions but are hindered by manual, siloed, and inconsistent reporting |
| The product is | An AI-powered analytics platform that unifies operational, financial, and production data into a single trusted source of truth |
| That | Provides real-time visibility, predictive insights, and automated reporting — enabling leaders to act with confidence and speed |
| Unlike | Disparate spreadsheets, legacy BI tools, and manual consolidation processes that delay decisions and obscure performance |
| For | Corporate performance leaders and senior leadership at PDO |
| Who | Are frustrated by "watermelon reporting" (green on the outside, red on the inside) and lack of real operational transparency |
| The product is | A unified analytics platform with AI-driven anomaly detection, drill-down dashboards, and automated exception reporting |
| That | Replaces manual PowerPoint decks with live, self-serve insights — so leaders always see the true picture, not the polished one |
| Unlike | Lions Core and current BI tools that require heavy IT involvement, lack predictive capability, and cannot surface hidden risks proactively |
Why This Vision Matters
PDO Vision Statements
Expected Impact Indicators
Each pillar represents a distinct dimension of value that a well-crafted product vision delivers to the organisation, its teams, and its stakeholders. In the context of PDO's Digital Oilfield Programme, all seven are critical.
Provides Direction & Focus
Aligns Teams & Stakeholders
Inspires & Motivates
Facilitates Strategic Planning
Enables Autonomous Decision-Making
Improves Communication
Long-term Success
Vision Formula (Geoffrey Moore's Template)
Vision Quality Checklist
Crafting a product vision is a structured workshop activity, not a solo exercise. It draws from the personas (Stage 2) and the validated VPC (Stage 3) to synthesise a concise, powerful statement.
Revisit Customer Insights
Review the personas (Stage 2) and VPC (Stage 3). Identify the single most important customer job and the most painful friction point. These anchor your vision in real user needs.
Define the Future State
Ask: "What does the world look like when our product succeeds completely?" Write 3–5 aspirational sentences describing the transformed experience for your core persona.
Apply the Vision Template
Use Geoffrey Moore's format: "For [target customer] who [need/opportunity], our [product] is a [category] that [key benefit]. Unlike [alternative], our product [differentiator]."
Workshop with Cross-Functional Teams
Run a 2-hour collaborative session with Engineering, UX, Operations, and Leadership. Generate 5+ candidate vision statements. Vote on the top 3 using impact × clarity criteria.
Test Against the 7 Pillars
Check your vision statement against each of the 7 pillars (Section 4.2). It should score positively on: Direction, Alignment, Inspiration, Strategy, Autonomy, Communication, and Longevity.
Validate & Socialise
Share the draft vision with 5 end users and 3 senior leaders. Gather feedback: Does it resonate? Is it memorable? Does it accurately describe where you're heading? Refine one final time.
Product Strategy
Define the multi-phase strategic roadmap that translates user insights and vision into a prioritised, theme-driven plan for the PDO Digital Oilfield Platform.
What it is
- A structured, multi-phase plan connecting vision to execution
- Organised around strategic themes that group related capabilities
- Time-boxed across phases (e.g. 2018 → 2025+) with clear milestones
- Informed by user research, VPC analysis and product vision work
- A living document — revisited quarterly and adjusted as learnings emerge
Why it matters
- Prevents feature soup by anchoring decisions to strategic intent
- Aligns engineering, design, data and operations around shared priorities
- Enables stakeholders to understand sequencing and trade-offs
- Creates a shared language for progress — milestones everyone can track
- Connects day-to-day work to long-term business outcomes
The 6 Elements of a Product Strategy
Vision Anchor
Ties every strategic decision back to the product vision — the "why" behind the roadmap
Strategic Themes
Clusters of related capabilities (e.g. Data Foundation, AI Insights) that progress in parallel streams
Phased Timeline
Explicit time horizons (Now / Next / Later) with clear phase entry and exit criteria
Milestones
Discrete, measurable outcomes that signal phase completion and enable stakeholder validation
Dependencies & Risks
Explicit sequencing of what must happen before what, and known constraints or risks
Success Metrics
OKRs or KPIs per phase that confirm the strategy is delivering intended outcomes
The roadmap below illustrates a four-theme, multi-phase strategy where each theme matures across time. Strategy Themes 1 & 2 launch early and expand; Strategy Themes 3 & 4 build on that foundation and accelerate from 2021 onwards. Milestones mark key capability unlocks within each theme.
Phase Breakdown
- Establish data infrastructure
- Define core user personas
- Launch Strategy Themes 1 & 2
- Initial milestone delivery
- Expand Themes 1 & 2 capabilities
- Introduce Strategy Themes 3 & 4
- Cross-theme integration work
- User feedback & iteration
- AI/ML capability deployment
- All four themes active
- Process automation at scale
- KPI-driven optimisation loops
- Full digital oilfield capability
- Predictive & prescriptive analytics
- Industry benchmark leadership
- Continuous innovation cycle
The PDO Digital Oilfield Platform strategy is organised into four parallel strategic themes, each targeting a distinct capability domain. Themes evolve across all four phases — earlier themes build the data and platform foundation that later themes depend on.
Establish the core data infrastructure, integration layer and governance framework that underpins all other themes. This theme starts earliest and runs longest — it is the backbone of the digital oilfield.
Key Milestones:
Unified Data Lake SCADA Integration Data Quality Framework Real-time Streaming API Gateway
Deliver real-time operational visibility and decision-support tools for field technicians, control room operators and engineers — moving from reactive to proactive operations management.
Key Milestones:
Well Performance Dashboard Choke Optimisation Tool Shift Handover App Anomaly Alerting
Introduce machine learning models and AI-driven insights that move operations from descriptive to predictive and prescriptive — enabling earlier intervention and smarter resource allocation.
Key Milestones:
Well Breakthrough Predictor Production Uplift ML Model Reservoir Simulation AI NLP Work-order Triage
Enable transparent, AI-powered reporting for senior leadership — replacing watermelon dashboards with a single source of truth that surfaces risk, tracks OKRs and supports board-level decisions.
Key Milestones:
Executive Analytics Platform Automated KPI Reporting Governance Framework v1 Board-ready Dashboards
Cross-Theme Milestone Summary
| Phase | Period | Theme 1 — Foundation | Theme 2 — Operations | Theme 3 — AI/ML | Theme 4 — Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 T1 | 2018–2019 | Unified Data Lake, SCADA integration | Well Performance Dashboard v1 | — | — |
| Phase 2 T2 | 2020–2021 | Real-time streaming, API Gateway | Choke Optimisation, Shift Handover App | Breakthrough predictor (pilot) | KPI reporting prototype |
| Phase 3 T3 | 2022–2023 | Data Quality Framework, governance | Anomaly alerting at scale | Production uplift ML v1, Reservoir AI | Executive Analytics Platform |
| Phase 4 T4 | 2024–2025+ | Self-service data access, AI-ready pipelines | Fully automated ops intelligence | NLP triage, prescriptive AI suite | Board dashboards, automated governance |
Product Boundaries
Define what is inside and outside the scope of the PDO Digital Oilfield Platform — covering business capabilities, processes, technologies and personas within the end-to-end value stream.
What they define
- The scope perimeter of the product — what it owns end-to-end
- Which business capabilities the product enables or replaces
- Which processes sit inside vs. outside the product boundary
- Which technology layers are owned, integrated or excluded
- Which user personas are primary, secondary or out-of-scope
Why they matter
- Prevents feature creep — teams can say "that's out of scope" with confidence
- Clarifies integration points with adjacent systems (e.g. SAP, SCADA, Maximo)
- Aligns investment and resourcing to the defined scope
- Enables accurate build-vs-buy-vs-integrate decisions
- Sets clear accountability between product, IT and operations teams
High-Level Scope Summary
| Dimension | In Scope | Out of Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Business Capabilities | Production Optimisation Well Performance Monitoring Operational Reporting Predictive Maintenance Executive Analytics | HR & Payroll Procurement / ERP HSE Case Management Financial Accounting |
| Processes | Well Monitoring & Choke Control Shift Handover Production Reporting Anomaly Detection & Alert | Physical Well Interventions Contracts & Tendering Drilling Operations |
| Technologies | Data Lake / Platform AI/ML Models Dashboards & UX Layer API Integration Layer | SCADA Hardware Core ERP (SAP) Field Control Systems (PLC) |
| Personas | Field Technician Control Room Operator Reservoir Engineer Digital Lead Corporate Performance | Drilling Engineers Procurement Officers Finance Controllers |
Product Objectives & Key Results
Align product outcomes to measurable business results — cascading from Oman's national strategy through PDO's WIGs to the MD Insights Platform OKRs, operationalised via the OGSM framework.
What OKRs define
- Objective — an inspirational, qualitative statement of what to achieve
- Key Results — 3–5 specific, measurable outcomes that prove the objective was met
- Alignment — each OKR traces up to a WIG and down to a feature / capability
- Cadence — reviewed quarterly; reset annually or when strategy shifts
Why they matter for PDO
- Links the platform directly to PDO's WIG targets (production, cost, safety, governance)
- Gives executives a clear Line of Sight from national plan to field execution
- Ensures product team prioritises features that move the needle on business KPIs
- Operationalises strategy via the OGSM framework — Objectives, Goals, Strategy, Measures
The framework below shows how Oman Vision 2040 cascades through the Eleventh Five-Year Plan, into PDO's WIGs, through the MD Insights Platform Product Vision, and is operationalised via the OGSM framework — creating an unbroken line of sight from national strategy to field-level execution.
Four-Layer Cascade Explained
✓ Reduce costs via data analysis
✓ Track quality of decision making
4% incremental production (Wells Delivery)
Reduce UTC by $0.57/bbl (Closed-in wells)
WRM 360 · Surface Equip. 360
Maint. Ops 360 · Eng. & Projects
Planning Revisions -4.5%/qtr
Production Incr. per month +0.25 kbb/d
ROI of Reinstated wells >200%
Four Product Objectives are defined — each aligned to a specific WIG and expressed as 3–4 measurable Key Results. The WIG Alignment tag on each objective shows the direct link to PDO's corporate priorities.
The OGSM framework (Objectives, Goals, Strategy, Measures) translates each OKR into a concrete execution plan — linking what we want to achieve (Objectives), quantified targets (Goals), the features/capabilities that deliver it (Strategy), and how we'll know we've succeeded (Measures / Value KPIs).
| Objective | Goal (Quantified) | Strategy — Create Features | Measures — Value KPIs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optimise well reinstatement decisions | 4% incremental production (Wells Delivery) · Reduce UTC by $0.57/bbl | Closed-In Wells Wells Delivery (WRM) Surface Equip. 360 |
Wells Reinstated via platform — #Count Planning Revisions −4.5%/qtr ROI of Reinstated Wells >200% |
| Reduce costs via data analysis | UTC reduction $0.57/bbl · Planning revision reduction 4.5%/qtr | Closed-In Wells Analytics WRM 360 Dashboard Maint. Ops 360 |
UTC portfolio reduction vs. baseline Scenario count per decision session Cost avoidance $M tracked per quarter |
| Track quality of decision making | ≥80% decisions via platform · <24 hr time-to-insight for leadership | Executive Analytics Platform Audit Trail Engine Eng. & Projects Dashboard |
% decisions with full audit trail Time-to-insight: days → <24 hrs Leadership NPS on reporting quality |
| Empower people with trusted, role-relevant insight | ≥80% adoption · NPS ≥ +40 · Handover time −30% | Role-Based Dashboards AI Shift Handover Mobile Field App |
Monthly Active Users per persona Shift handover time (minutes) vs. baseline NPS score per persona cohort |
Key Value KPI Scorecard
OKR Opportunities
Identifying and mapping potential opportunities that align product capabilities with measurable OKR outcomes across the PDO analytics platform.
OKR Opportunities
Opportunities are product features, capabilities or initiatives that directly contribute to achieving Objectives and Key Results. By mapping each opportunity to an OKR, the PDO Analytics Platform ensures every investment delivers measurable business value.
What is an OKR Opportunity?
An OKR Opportunity is a defined product initiative or capability that has a clear, traceable link to one or more Objectives and measurable Key Results. It transforms strategic intent into actionable product backlog items with business justification.
Why Map Opportunities to OKRs?
Without explicit OKR mapping, product teams risk building features that don't move strategic metrics. Opportunity mapping ensures prioritisation is driven by business impact rather than technical preference or stakeholder noise.
PDO Platform PrincipleEvery feature in the PDO Analytics Platform backlog must trace back to at least one WIG-aligned OKR. If it doesn't move a key result, it doesn't make the cut.
Product Value Development Framework
How product features are evaluated and developed to deliver measurable OKR value
Prioritised Feature Backlog Mapped to OKRs
Full backlog view showing feature opportunities and their OKR alignment across all four WIGs
Backlog Governance RuleThe PDO platform backlog is reviewed bi-weekly. Any item without a mapped OKR and quantified KR contribution is returned to the discovery queue — it cannot be accepted into a sprint until the OKR link is established and signed off by the Digital Lead.
Maintenance Product Opportunity Map
Sustain and maintenance opportunities linked to platform reliability OKRs
CXO Strategic Opportunity Overview
Executive-level view of the highest-impact opportunities aligned to WIG-level OKRs
Board-Level Strategic ViewThe CXO overview is published quarterly alongside the OKR scorecard. It provides senior leadership with a clear line of sight from product investment decisions to WIG-level business outcomes — replacing watermelon reporting with transparent, evidence-based product governance.
Business Case
Build the financial and strategic justification for implementing the product — ROI, NPV, risk analysis, and go/no-go decision criteria.
Content In Development
Stage 9 — Business Case content will be published soon.
Implementation Planning
Create a detailed roadmap covering milestones, resource allocation, dependencies, and delivery timelines.
Content In Development
Stage 10 — Implementation Planning content will be published soon.
Development
Build the final product through engineering and design collaboration using Agile sprint cycles.
Content In Development
Stage 11 — Development content will be published soon.
Launch
Deploy the product to users with a comprehensive rollout strategy, change management, and communications plan.
Content In Development
Stage 12 — Launch content will be published soon.
Optimization
Continuously improve the product based on usage analytics, user feedback, and evolving business needs.
Content In Development
Stage 13 — Optimization content will be published soon.