ITTOdriven

ITTOdriven is a term used in project management to describe approaches in which project decisions and activities are guided by the ITTO framework: Inputs, Tools and Techniques, and Outputs of a given process. The idea is that every process has defined inputs needed to perform it, the tools and techniques applied to transform those inputs, and the outputs produced for downstream use. The term draws on the PMBOK Guide’s emphasis on process-oriented thinking, where outcomes are developed through repeatable, auditable steps.

It is used to improve planning, execution, and governance by making assumptions explicit and traceable. Practitioners create ITTO mappings or matrices for key processes, documenting what must be available (inputs), which methods are used (tools and techniques), and what is generated (outputs). This makes interfaces between processes clearer and supports training, quality assurance, and compliance.

Benefits include greater clarity, consistency across teams, easier onboarding, and enhanced auditability. Limitations include potential rigidity, added documentation overhead, and the challenge of adapting ITTOs in highly iterative or value-driven environments such as some agile settings.

Example: in Requirements Analysis, inputs may include stakeholder requirements and business case; tools and techniques may include interviews, use-case modeling, and requirements tracing; outputs include a requirements specification and traceability matrix.

See also PMBOK, ITTO, Process Group, Knowledge Area.