HOME ASSIGNMENT — Senior Project Manager. Office of the CEO | Cross-Company Programs & SAP Integration Context & Goal WalkMe and SAP Ariba are evolving their partnership from an embedded offering to a premium DAP-driven motion. Your task is to design a 6-month, cross-company execution plan for this shift, specifically focused on Ariba. Your Deliverables 1. 6-Month Program Plan (A. Objectives, B. Workstreams, C. Governance, D. Risks) 2. Executive Snapshot (Month-2/3 status) 3. Panel Presentation Deck (8-10 slides)

Executive Summary

Strategic Intent: Because the current embedded offering is not monetizable and cannot support customer-specific flows, we must evolve to a Premium motion. Therefore, we will run a gated 6-month program with commercial and delivery readiness as the critical path.

Key Objectives & Quote-to-Cash Maturity Ladder

Phase	Target Maturity	Outcome & ARR Target
M2: Pilot-Only	Manual Path	Manual approvals acceptable; documented steps. (Target: $0k – Pilots)
M3: Standardizing	Defined Process	Standard quoting workflow defined + contract template. (Target: $50k Pipeline)
M4: Beta	Managed Path	SKU in systems for controlled beta. (Target: $150k Pipeline)
M6: Scalable	Optimized	Scalable Q2C with minimal manual steps. Target: $500k Closed ARR (Hypothesis).

Workstreams (Canonical)

Workstream	Owner	M6 Deliverable
Commercial Readiness	Product Lead	Quote-to-Order Workflow & SKU Definition
Content Factory & Release Readiness	Content Lead	Operational Release Train (Build -> QA -> Deploy)
Pilot Delivery & Customer Success	CS Lead	Pilot Playbook with Entry/Exit Criteria
GTM Enablement & Partner Motion	GTM Lead	SI Technical Certification & Field Playbook
Insights & Measurement	Analytics Lead	Validated ROI Model & Event Taxonomy

Executive Snapshot (Deliverable 2)

Month 2/3 Status Report

Ariba DAP Premium Launch | Month 2/3 Status

STATUS: YELLOW

(Note: Illustrative Data)

Foundation phase on track; pilot recruitment in progress; one watch item on sandbox access timing.

Highlights

Entitlement spec signed off (G1 criterion met) – Unlocks content build; prevents scope ambiguity
Pilot commercial vehicle approved; first cohort nominated – Enables controlled revenue motion
Field enablement curriculum complete; Wave 1 in progress – Reps ready to position correctly
SSOT operational; Core/Steering cadence established – Cross-company alignment working

Risks

Sandbox access delayed (Tech Ops): AMBER Escalation filed; fallback env on standby
Pilot cohort quality: AMBER 2 nominees lack exec sponsor. SAP AE follow-up; backup nominees identified

Next Steps (30 Days)

Resolve sandbox access or activate fallback (Tech Ops Lead, M3 Wk1)
Complete pilot sponsor sign-offs (Pilot PM, M3 Wk2)
Content build sprint 2 kickoff (Product Lead, M3 Wk1)
Instrumentation deployment (MVP) (Analytics Lead, M3 Wk2)

Explicit Asks

Approve fallback env if sandbox SLA missed (Steering, M3 Wk1)
Confirm SAP Ariba PM availability (2 hrs/wk) (SAP Sponsor, M3 Wk1)

Status as of: Month 3, Week 2

Context Brief

SAP Ariba facilitates over $3.5 trillion in commerce annually (Source: SAP Ariba Fact Sheet). The focus is on Guided Buying, a consumer-like procurement interface designed for casual buyers.

Program Focus: Commercial & Delivery Readiness

Because the strategic goal is revenue, we prioritize the execution engines:

Commercial Readiness: Ensuring a seller can quote, contract, and provision Premium DAP without manual intervention.
Delivery Readiness: Moving from ad-hoc content creation to a managed lifecycle (Intake -> QA -> Release -> Maintain).

SAP Alignment (Execution Focus)

This program’s critical path is commercial readiness: packaging/entitlements, quote-to-cash flow, support routing, and provisioning. In parallel, we will run pilots to validate measurable outcomes (adoption lift, reduced cycle time, reduced support tickets) and to produce referenceable proof points. If SAP commercial approvals slip beyond Month 3, we will activate a pilot-only commercial track to maintain momentum while approvals complete.

Current vs. Future State (Differentiation)

Aspect	Embedded Offering (Baseline)	Premium DAP Motion (Paid)
Commercial	Bundled / No Cost	Separate SKU ($50k-$150k ARR)
Content Scope	Standardized, pre-built (One-size-fits-all)	Fully customizable + Templates + Cross-App
Ownership	Maintained by SAP/WalkMe Product	Owned by Customer CoE (Content Factory)
Support Model	Standard SAP Support	Dedicated WalkMe Success & Premier Support
Analytics	Limited / None	Full WalkMe Insights (Funnels, Friction)

Problem Statement & Goals

The Challenge

Because the embedded offering is not monetizable and cannot support customer-specific flows, the premium motion is essential. Therefore, we must package entitlements, analytics, and delivery rigor into a gated 6-month program.

Top User Friction Points

Commodity code selection
Non-catalog request workflows
Approval process navigation
Supplier discovery and onboarding

Program KPIs (Measurement Plan)

KPI Name	Definition	Target	Source	Owner
Pilot Activation Rate	% of recruited pilots reaching live	>80%	Salesforce	CS Lead
Premium Feature Adoption	Avg premium feature usage / user	Significant Increase	WalkMe Insights	Analytics
Time-to-Value	Days to first workflow completion	Benchmark (M1)	WalkMe Insights	CS Lead
User NPS	Net Promoter Score (End Users)	70%	Survey	CS Lead
Gate Readiness	% criteria met at decision points	100%	PMO Tracker	Program Lead

6-Month Execution Plan

Source: 03_6_month_execution_plan.md

Decision Gates

To ensure control, the program is governed by 3 explicit decision gates:

Gate	Timing	Exit Criteria (Definition of Done)
Gate 1: Foundation Ready	End M2	Sandbox environment live; Pilot commercial vehicle approved; Entitlement spec signed off; Core team staffed; SSOT operational; Event taxonomy defined.
Gate 2: Pilot Launch Ready	End M4	Content MVP deployed (QA sign-off); First pilot cohort onboarded; Instrumentation live; Field wave 1 certified; Provisioning SLA validated; Support model active.
Gate 3: Scale Decision	End M6	Pilot data package complete; NPS survey completed; GA readiness checklist green; Commercial model validated; Content finalized; Risk register reviewed.

Executive Project Timeline (PM View)

Research

Concept

Build

Test

Launch

Scale

MONTH

Gate 0: Foundation

Gate 2: Comm. Ready

Commercial Readiness

Discovery & Audit

Quote-to-Order Workback

SKU Live

Content Factory

Setup & Audit

Build Cycle (Release Train)

Localization

Optimization

Pilot Delivery

Criteria & Playbook

Alpha Pilots

Beta Pilots

Live Prod

GTM & Partner

Base Audit

SI Tech Cert.

Upsell Campaign

Gate 1: Pilot Ready

Gate 3: Scale Ready

Resource Allocation (FTE)

Role	M1	M2	M3	M4	M5	M6
Program Lead	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0
Product Lead	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.25	0.25	0.25
Content Builders (x2)	0.2	0.5	2.0	2.0	2.0	1.5
Partner Manager	0.1	0.2	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5

Operational Playbooks (The “How”)

Playbook	Components & Controls	Exit Criteria
Commercial Readiness Workback	SKU + Packaging ($50-150k pricing band) Entitlements Mapping Quoting Workflow Contracting Template Provisioning/Activation Steps	“Any SAP AE can quote and provision with standard approvals.”
Content Factory	Lifecycle: Intake -> Prioritize -> Build -> QA -> Pilot -> Release -> Monitor. Controls: Intake Template, Prioritization Rubric, QA Gates.	Bi-weekly release train established; QA regression suite passed.
Pilot Operating Model	Entry: ICP fit, sponsor, admin access, measurement consent. Baseline: 2-4 weeks. Exit: Measurable lift + reference approval path.	Measurable lift + Commercial next step defined.
Release Readiness SOP	Calendar monitoring; Regression Test Suite; Patch SLA (e.g., P1 fix < 24h); Kill Switch protocol.	Zero critical defects post-Ariba update; < 5% support spike.

Timeline (Month-by-Month)

Foundation & Setup

Establishing governance, systems of record, and initial process definitions.

Day 1 Playbook: Charter sign-off, Kickoff invite, Smartsheet setup (Status/RAID).
Governance setup (System of Record: Smartsheet).
Commercial Readiness Workback kicked off (SKU definition, pricing strategy).
Content Factory process defined (Intake -> Release).
Pilot Criteria & Playbook v1.
Gate 0: Foundation Ready.

Design

Structuring the product offering and identifying initial pilot candidates.

Commercial: Define SKU structure & Entitlements map; Draft legal templates.
Content: “Content Factory” Build Cycle 1 (First 10 assets).
GTM: Conduct Installed Base Audit (“Brownfield” analysis).
Success: Qualify first 5 Pilot candidates against Entry Criteria.
Gate 1: Pilot Ready.

Build

Validating the commercial flow and launching initial alpha pilots.

Commercial: Test Quote-to-Order process flow (dry run).
GTM: Conduct Partner/SI Briefings; Finalize Sales Playbook v1.
Success: Launch Alpha Pilots (2-3) using Pilot Playbook.
Content: Establish QA Gates; 25 assets complete.
Gate 2: Commercial Ready.

Enable

Activating the channel and expanding pilot coverage.

Commercial: SKU Live in Systems (Provisioning Tested).
GTM: Execute SI Technical Implementation Training; Sales Training Wave 1.
Success: Launch Beta Pilots (3-5 customers).
Content: 40 assets complete.

Scale

Expanding reach to the installed base and localizing content.

GTM: Launch Brownfield Upsell Campaign; Sales Training Wave 2 (SAP).
Content: Complete Localization for Tier 1 languages; 50 assets live.
Gate 3: Scale Ready.

Launch

Full General Availability readiness and program retrospective.

Program: GA Readiness Review (Commercial + Delivery sign-off).
Success: 10+ Pilots converted or live in production.
Content: 60 assets complete; Release train fully operational.
Review: Conduct Program Retrospective.

Governance: Operating Rhythm

Cadence	Meeting	Owner	Focus
Weekly	Core Team	Program Manager	Tactical: blockers, dependencies, priorities
Bi-Weekly	Steering Committee	VP Sponsors	Strategic: escalations, cross-company alignment, resources
Monthly	Executive Review	SVP/C-level	Health check, investment decisions, partnership health

RACI Matrix (Cross-Company)

Deliverable / Decision	Program Lead	Product Lead	Content Lead	GTM Lead	CS Lead	SAP Liaison
SKU Definition & Packaging	C	A/R	I	C	I	C
Entitlements Mapping	I	A/R	C	C	C	C
Quote-to-Cash Workflow	C	A	I	C	I	R
Contract Template & Legal	I	A	I	C	I	R
Provisioning Runbook	I	A	I	C	R	C
Support Routing & Escalation	C	I	I	I	A/R	C
Pilot Selection & Intake	C	I	C	C	A/R	C
Pilot Success Plan & Baseline	I	I	C	I	A/R	I
Content Build + QA Regression	I	C	A/R	I	C	I
Release Readiness (Ariba Sync)	A	C	R	I	I	R
Field Enablement Assets	C	C	C	A/R	I	C
SI Readiness & Certification	C	I	C	A/R	C	C
Insights Dashboard & ROI Gov	C	C	I	I	C	A

RAID Log (Executive View)

Risks, Assumptions, Issues, Dependencies

Risks (Top 5)

ID	Risk	L x I	Trigger	Mitigation	Owner	Post-Mit
R1	Entitlement ambiguity	15	No signed spec by M1 end	Entitlement workshop M1W2; spec sign-off as G1 criterion	Product Lead	3
R2	Pilot recruitment delay	12	<50% cohort nominated by M2W2	SAP AE co-nomination; exec sponsor outreach; parallel internal/external tracks	GTM Lead + Pilot PM	2
R3	Field confusion / cannibalization	9	Enablement failures; deal desk escalations	Certification gate before selling; clear positioning guide; deal desk review	Enablement Lead	2
R4	Technical provisioning blockers	15	Sandbox request >2 weeks unresolved	Pre-agreed escalation path; SLA in charter; fallback WalkMe-hosted env	Tech Ops Lead	3
R5	Measurement gaps	12	No instrumentation by M3; no data by M4	MVP instrumentation scope; manual fallback; qualitative proxies	Analytics Lead	2

Assumptions (Top 3)

ID	Assumption	Confidence	Validation Plan	Owner	Due
A1	SAP commercial process can approve new SKU in 90 days.	Medium	Confirm with SAP Liaison by M1W2.	Program Lead	M1W2
A2	3-5 existing customers willing to be design partners.	Medium	Pipeline review by M1W4.	CS Lead	M1W4
A3	40% adoption lift is achievable (Benchmark).	Medium	Validate via Pilot data by M4.	Analytics Lead	M4

Issues (Top 2)

ID	Issue	Impact	Next Action	Owner	Due	Status
I1	Commercial DRI not assigned.	High	Escalate to SAP Partnership VP.	Program Lead	M1W1	Open
I2	Sandbox access unconfirmed.	High	Submit request to SAP IT.	Content Lead	M1W1	Open

Dependencies (Top 3)

ID	Dependency	Needed By	Owning Org	Escalation Path	Status
D1	SAP Commercial Approval	Month 3	SAP Finance	Steering Committee	Pending
D2	Ariba Release Calendar	Month 1	SAP Product Mgmt	Program Lead	Pending
D3	SI Partner Commitment	Month 2	SAP Alliances	GTM Lead	Pending

Panel Presentation Deck (Deliverable 3)

SLIDE 1: Title

Ariba DAP Premium Launch

6-Month Cross-Company Execution Plan

Senior Project Manager
Office of the CEO | Cross-Company Programs & SAP Integration

[Date]

SLIDE 2: The Problem

SAP Ariba: Scale Meets Complexity

The Opportunity:

4M+ users globally
$3.5T+ in commerce annually
Guided Buying UX improvements – but enterprise complexity remains

Top User Friction Points:

Commodity code selection
Non-catalog request workflows
Approval process navigation
Supplier discovery and onboarding

The Cost of Friction: Increased support costs, Reduced compliance, Slower time-to-value, User workarounds.

Why WalkMe: Post-acquisition, WalkMe is uniquely positioned to solve adoption at scale – embedded in the SAP ecosystem with deep workflow guidance capabilities.

SLIDE 3: The Strategy

Embedded to Premium: Two-Tier Approach

Aspect	Embedded (Free)	Premium (Paid)
Pricing	Included	Separate SKU
Content	Standardized	Custom + Templates
Analytics	None	Full Insights
AI	No	WalkMeX capabilities
Cross-App	Ariba only	Multi-application
Support	Self-service	Dedicated CSM

Logic: Embedded proves value & creates awareness. Premium unlocks full potential & captures revenue.

SLIDE 4: Objectives

Program Objectives

O1: Validate Premium DAP value proposition via controlled pilot. (Reduces risk; generates proof)
O2: Establish repeatable cross-company operating model. (Enables velocity)
O3: Achieve commercial readiness (SKU, quote-to-cash) for launch. (Prerequisite for revenue)
O4: Build user confidence through Premium DAP guidance. (Validates fit)
O5: Generate sufficient pilot data for Scale decision at M6. (Data-driven gate)

SLIDE 5: Success Metrics

KPIs & Targets

Pilot Activation Rate: >80% of recruited pilots reach live deployment.
Premium Feature Adoption: Statistically significant increase vs embedded baseline.
Time-to-Value: Days to first workflow completion (Benchmark M1).
User NPS: 70% (Promoter-majority threshold).
Gate Readiness: 100% of criteria met at decision points.

SLIDE 6: Structure

Six Workstreams

WS1 Product: Content MVP, Entitlement Spec. (WalkMe)
WS2 Commercial: SKU Definition, Field Enablement. (Joint)
WS3 Tech Ops: Provisioning, Sandbox Access. (Joint)
WS4 Pilot: Recruitment, Execution, Feedback. (Pilot PM)
WS5 Analytics: Instrumentation, Dashboards. (Analytics)
WS6 Governance: PMO, Cross-company coordination. (Program Mgr)

SLIDE 7: Timeline

6 Months, 3 Phases, 3 Gates

Foundation (M1-M2): Charter, Sandbox, Entitlement Spec -> Gate 1.

Build & Launch (M3-M4): Content MVP, Pilots Live, Field Cert -> Gate 2.

Learn & Decide (M5-M6): Data Collection, NPS, GA Readiness -> Gate 3.

Critical Path: Entitlement -> Sandbox -> Content -> Pilots -> Data.

SLIDE 8: Gates

Gate Criteria Detail

Gate 1 (Foundation): Sandbox live, Pilot vehicle approved, Spec signed off.
Gate 2 (Pilot Launch): Content MVP QA’d, First cohort signed, Instrumentation live.
Gate 3 (Scale): Data package complete, Commercial model validated, GA readiness checklist green.

SLIDE 9: Operating Model

Cross-Company Governance

Executive Review (Monthly): Health check, investment decisions.
Steering Committee (Bi-weekly): Strategic escalations, alignment.
Core Team (Weekly): Tactical blockers, dependencies.

SSOT: Smartsheet (Milestones, RAID, Decisions).

SLIDE 10: Risks

Top Risks & Mitigation

R1 Entitlement Ambiguity (15): Workshop M1W2; Spec sign-off gate.
R2 Pilot Recruitment Delay (12): SAP AE co-nomination; Exec outreach.
R3 Field Confusion (9): Certification gate; Clear positioning.
R4 Tech Provisioning (15): Pre-agreed escalation; Fallback env.
R5 Measurement Gaps (12): MVP instrumentation scope.

SLIDE 11: Dependencies

Key Dependencies

Sandbox Live (W5): From SAP Tech. Critical for Build.
Entitlement Spec (W5): From Product. Critical for Scope.
Pilot Vehicle (W8): From Legal. Critical for Sign-off.
Instrumentation (W8): From Analytics. Critical for Data.
Content MVP (W13): From Product. Critical for Pilots.
Enablement (W16): From GTM. Critical for Selling.

SLIDE 12: Alignment

SAP Ariba Partnership Model

Governance: Joint Steering; Embedded liaison.
Commercial: SKU in price list; Co-sell motion.
Technical: Sandbox access; Release sync.
Content: Ariba SME reviews.
Success: Shared accountability.

SAP Gets: Adoption, Reduced Support costs, Revenue share.

SLIDE 13: Asks

Key Asks & Next Steps

Confirm Executive Sponsor (Kickoff)
Assign Commercial Counterpart (M1W2)
Provide Sandbox Access (M1W3)
Identify 5 Pilot Candidates (M2)
Confirm Content Builder Allocation (M1W1)

Next 30 Days: Governance charter, Content audit, SAP discussions, Sandbox, Pilot recruitment.

SLIDE 14: Exec Snapshot

Status: YELLOW (M2/3)

Highlights: Spec signed (G1 met); Pilot vehicle approved; Field enablement Wave 1.

Risks: Sandbox access delayed (Amber); Pilot cohort quality (Amber).

Asks: Approve fallback env; Confirm SAP PM availability.

Next Steps: Resolve sandbox, Sign-off pilots, Sprint 2, Instrumentation.

SLIDE 15: AI Usage

How I Used AI

Claude: Multi-agent content production (Workstreams, Risks).
ChatGPT: Research synthesis & “Red Team” critique.
Gemini: HTML deliverable packaging.

Judgment: Overrode commercial assumptions; prioritized governance; adjusted timeline for reality.

APPENDIX

Assumptions & Resources

Must-Keep Assumptions: Premium offered for other SAP products; Learnings reusable.

Program-Critical Assumptions: Pilot vehicle by M2; Environments available.

Resources: Charter, Tracker, Risk Register, Dashboard.

Appendix: How I Used AI in This Assignment

Force Multiplier Statement

In this assignment, I leveraged AI (Claude/LLM) not to replace strategic thinking, but to accelerate research, simulate stakeholder pushback, and refine operational structures. Here is the specific methodology:

Leverage Point	Action Taken	Value Add
Research Synthesis	Rapidly aggregated public SAP Ariba and WalkMe post-acquisition data to construct the “Brownfield” context.	Compressed research time; allowed focus on strategy.
Stress Testing (Red Teaming)	Used a “Red Team” persona to critique the initial plan. The AI correctly identified the lack of Order-to-Cash detail.	Identified blind spots before the “panel presentation,” enabling a more robust defense.
Operational Structuring	Generated the initial workstream breakdowns and Gantt logic to ensure MECE (Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive) coverage.	Ensured no operational gaps (e.g., Localization, QA) were missed in the timeline.
Judgment & Override	Human Intervention: I explicitly overrode generic AI suggestions (e.g., “generic sales training”) and replaced them with specific ecosystem mechanics (e.g., “SI Technical Certification” and “Commercial Readiness Workback”).	Applied senior-level judgment to tailor the plan to the specific political reality of the SAP ecosystem.

Sample Prompts Used

“Act as a cynical SAP Sales VP. Critique this 6-month plan. Why would you refuse to sell this Premium SKU?”
“Draft a Commercial Readiness Workback schedule for a new SaaS SKU launch, including Order-to-Cash gates.”
“Synthesize public SAP Ariba Guided Buying documentation and WalkMe post-acquisition press releases into a ‘Brownfield’ context brief.”

Appendix: Assumptions Log

Assumption	Confidence	Validation
“Embedded” = bundled; “Premium” = full paid SKU	High	Confirm with Product
SAP can approve new SKU in 60-90 days	Medium	SAP Liaison confirmation
M6 Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) Target of $500K	Low	Finance validation required

Appendix: Sources

Sources include SAP/WalkMe acquisition news (Sept 2024), SAP Ariba public documentation, WalkMe DAP capability overviews, and IDC ROI studies.