Mastering Change: How the Public Prosecution Service Uses Early Detection and Labeling in Strategic Portfolio Management

From reactive to a proactive portfolio approach that combines flexibility and control. 

Shift Left: Involved from the Initial Idea 

The Netherlands Public Prosecution Service (OM) manages one of the most complex portfolios within the government. Digitalization, legislation, chain-wide agreements, and administrative commitments all converge in a dynamic environment. How do you ensure you aren't just reacting, but steering pro-actively? 

In 2025, we took a significant step: portfolio management has "shifted left." We are no longer involved only when a change initiative is being defined, but at the very inception of an idea. This allows us to detect developments in legislation and political decision-making—both nationally and internationally—before they put pressure on our organization. 

To facilitate this, we added an Inventorisation Phase (Phase 0) to our portfolio funnel. Here, we track initiatives that are still in the early stage, such as emerging national and international regulations. Only after this do they move into Phase 1: the Orientation Phase, where a potential change initiative is detailed so that a formal decision can be made. 

Labeling: Transparent Choices 

From the orientation phase onward, labeling comes into play. We make choices transparent using three clear labels: Strategic portfolio management at the Public Prosecution Service 

1️⃣ Locked-in (Must-do): Legal obligations, administrative agreements, and supply chain continuity. 

2️⃣ Exchangeable (Could-do): Desirable improvements that only proceed if there is available capacity. 

3️⃣ Reconsider (Rethink-do): Too heavy, too complex, or too early; these require redesigning or phasing first. 

This framework prevents us from taking on everything at once and provides clear options for decision-making. We have moved away from the traditional approach to prioritization because it offered too little perspective for practical action. 

Why This Is So Important 

Portfolio management in public organizations often focuses too heavily on the delivery phase rather than the creation phase (definition and strategic weighing). This leads to reactive behavior and high costs when adjustments are made late in the process. 

A balanced focus on portfolio definition is crucial for strategic steering and riskmanagement. Unfortunately, portfolio management in public sectors often falls short in early detection and strategic choices, which limits agility. 

Shift Left offers the solution: by being involved early, we identify risks, dependencies, and legislative impacts before they strain capacity and resources. Portfolio management is now actively involved in strategy development, proactively seeking out new developments or participating in the drafting of new laws and regulations. 

The emphasis is placed on the entire trajectory before a change initiative is fully formed and executed, rather than on the execution phase alone. We have adapted our portfolio process accordingly, introducing several "tables" (consultative bodies) to monitor this. An example is the "Weighing Table", where stakeholders from strategy, impact, and legislative development track, discuss, and label new regulations. 

The Power of the Combination 

By combining Shift Left and Labeling, the Public Prosecution Service has implemented a portfolio approach that: 

• ✅ Detects risks and dependencies at an early stage. 

• ✅ Substantiates strategic choices before pressure builds. 

• ✅ Directs capacity and resources toward what is truly essential.