Investigating Agile Portfolio Management Techniques for Prioritizing Strategic Initiatives in Large-Scale Government IT Projects

Large-scale government IT projects often face challenges in aligning strategic priorities with evolving policy objectives, budget constraints, and stakeholder demands. Agile Portfolio Management (APM) offers a dynamic framework for managing competing initiatives, enabling public sector organizations to respond to change with increased flexibility, transparency, and value delivery. This review investigates Agile Portfolio Management techniques used to prioritize strategic initiatives within complex government IT environments. It explores how frameworks such as SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework), Lean Portfolio Management, and Kanban-based governance models facilitate value stream alignment, portfolio-level visibility, and data-driven decision-making. The study also examines the role of participatory budgeting, value mapping, and weighted shortest job first (WSJF) prioritization in enhancing stakeholder engagement and ensuring optimal allocation of limited resources. Case studies from federal, state, and municipal agencies are analyzed to highlight implementation outcomes, institutional constraints, and scalability concerns. The review Highlights the importance of integrating agile governance, continuous feedback loops, and risk-adjusted prioritization to maximize strategic alignment and policy impact in public IT portfolios. Ultimately, this research provides insights into tailoring Agile Portfolio Management for bureaucratic structures, promoting accountability, and improving the responsiveness of digital government initiatives. Keywords: Agile Portfolio Management, Strategic Initiatives, Government IT Projects, Prioritization Techniques, Large-Scale Programs.