PPM Perspectives

Ideas, Projects, and Collaboration

Where does and idea end and a project start? The easy answer is that an idea starts at the "water cooler" and becomes a project when we decide to implement the idea. Most of the time ideation is fun and open, and project execution tends to be siloed and fairly boring. Does it really need to be so and most importantly: "Is this approach producing the best possible results?"...

Time Capture Profiles

I recently compiled the following profile outlines to help identify the types of information and level of detail needed by organizations when tracking time. Does one or more of these profiles match what you do or would like to be doing? If one or more do match, what is the balance in your organization? If none of the profiles match your needs, what are you tracking and why?

Project Culture (part 42)

I received an excellent comment from Ken Tobin via email on my previous post called "On Time on Scope?"  I was pretty sure that post would stir the pot a bit, and I got some good feedback on it. 

Below is Ken's comment:

Sustainable Project Portfolio Management

The best of analytics are worthless if the data is not accurate. Project Portfolio Managements requires a lot of data about what a company is actually doing: projects, resources, budget, demand... So for PPM to be  effective and sustainable we must ensure that the data is there, is reliable, and is kept up to date. Easier said than done!

Virtuosity

In gymnastics, completing a routine without error will not get you a perfect score, the 10.0—only a 9.7. To get the last three tenths of a point, you must demonstrate "risk, originality, and virtuosity" as well as make no mistakes in execution of the routine.

Risk is simply executing a movement that is likely to be missed or botched; originality is a movement or combination of movements unique to the athlete—a move or sequence not seen before. Understandably, novice gymnasts love to demonstrate risk and originality, for both are dramatic, fun, and awe inspiring—especially among the athletes themselves, although audiences are less likely to be aware when either is demonstrated.

On Time On Scope?

I was speaking with an experienced product development manager and we discussed a recent survey from one of the big analysts about project success or failure.  He said something that I recognized immediately.  "These stats about project failure are completely misleading."  He didn't use the word "misleading" but I can't print the word he used.

"Here's the problem with all of those studies...

Justifying PPM and documenting its value

No one size fit all.
I have seen hundreds of PPM and IT governance implementations and I am afraid there isn't a single formula for figuring out their value. The specific conditions and maturity of an organization determine the approach and metrics that are appropriate. But don't worry, I am not trying to suggest that you need to hire expensive consultants to do a customized value study. Here are four typical profiles I have seen that cover most organizations:

• New to PPM - no big crisis, but wanting to stay ahead of it
• PPM processes in place - using homegrown tools/spreadsheets
• Poor project delivery track record - little or no processes
• On-premise PPM tool in place - switching to SaaS PPM (on-demand)

Let's take a quick look at the criteria and metrics appropriate for each of these situations.

Up and Comers

I was talking about a PPM implementation with an IT Exec this morning and one topic that came up was staff development.  We had been discussing the success factors in his implementation and we got into the topic of his team.