Grow Your Own PPM Solution

46% of organizations use a homegrown PPM solution. Here’s a better way to do it.

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Contributors

Rick Morris, President, R2 Consulting LLC
17 anonymous contributors

Your Challenge

As portfolio manager, you’re responsible for supporting the intake of new project requests, providing visibility into the portfolio of in-flight projects, and helping to facilitate the right approval and prioritization decisions.
You need a project portfolio management (PPM) tool that promotes the maintenance and flow of good data to help you succeed in these tasks. However, while throwing expensive technology at bad process rarely works, many organizations take this approach to solve their PPM problems.
Commercial PPM solutions are powerful and compelling, but they are also expensive, complex, and hard to use. When a solution is not properly adopted, the data can be unreliable and inconsistent, defeating the point of purchasing a tool in the first place.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

Your choice of PPM solution must be in tune with your organizational PPM maturity to ensure that you are prepared to sustain the tool use without having the corresponding PPM processes collapse under its own weight.
A spreadsheet-based homegrown PPM solution can provide key capabilities of an optimized PPM solution with a high level of sophistication and complexity without the prohibitive capital and labor costs demanded by commercial PPM solution.
Focus on your PPM decision makers that will consume the reports and insights by investigating their specific reporting needs.

Impact and Result

Think outside the commercial box. Develop an affordable, adoptable, and effective PPM solution using widely available tools based on Info-Tech’s ready-to-deploy templates.
Make your solution sustainable. When it comes to portfolio management, high level is better. A tool that is accurate and maintainable will provide more value than one that strives for precise data yet is ultimately unmaintainable.
Report success. A PPM tool needs to foster portfolio visibility in order to engage and inform the executive layer and support effective decision making.

Start here – read the Executive Brief

Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should grow your own PPM solution, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

Grow Your Own PPM Solution – Executive Brief

1. Right-size your PPM solution

Scope an affordable, adoptable, and effective PPM solution with Info-Tech's Portfolio Manager 2017 workbook.

2. Get to know Portfolio Manager 2017

Learn how to use Info-Tech's Portfolio Manager 2017 workbook and create powerful reports.

3. Implement your homegrown PPM solution

Plan and implement an affordable, adoptable, and effective PPM solution with Info-Tech's Portfolio Manager 2017 workbook.

Guided Implementations

This guided implementation is a nine call advisory process.

Guided Implementation #1 - Right-size your PPM solution

Call #1 - Scope the discussion with your existing PPM strategy.

Call #2 - Confirm your organization’s readiness for a homegrown solution.

Call #3 - Conduct a cost-benefit analysis and right-size your homegrown PPM solution.

Guided Implementation #2 - Get to know Portfolio Manager 2017

Call #1 - Enter project portfolio data.

Call #2 - Right-size reports for your project portfolio stakeholders.

Call #3 - Discuss how to customize portfolio data structure, reports, and other tool functionalities.

Guided Implementation #3 - Implement your PPM solution

Call #1 - Identify opportunities for injecting the new tool into the PPM processes.

Call #2 - Design a pilot run for using your new PPM solution.

Call #3 - Create a communication plan for leadership and project managers.

Book Your Workshop

Onsite workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost onsite delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

Module 1: Scope a Homegrown PPM Solution for Your Organization

The Purpose

Assess the current state of project portfolio management capability at your organization. The activities in this module will inform the next modules by exploring your organization’s current strengths and weaknesses and identifying areas that require improvement.
Set up the workbook to generate a fully functional project portfolio workbook that will give you a high-level view into your portfolio.

Key Benefits Achieved

A high-level review of your current project portfolio capability is used to decide whether a homegrown PPM solution is an appropriate choice
Cost-benefit analysis is done to build a business case for supporting this choice

Activities

Outputs

1.1

Review existing PPM strategy and processes.

Confirmation of homegrown PPM solution as the right choice

1.2

Perform a cost-benefit analysis.

Expected benefits for the PPM solution

Module 2: Get to Know Portfolio Manager 2017

The Purpose

Define a list of requirements for your PPM solution that meets the needs of all stakeholders.

Key Benefits Achieved

A fully customized PPM solution in your chosen platform

Activities

Outputs

2.1

Introduction to Info-Tech's Portfolio Manager 2017: inputs, outputs, and the data model.

Trained project/resource managers on the homegrown solution

2.2

Gather requirements for enhancements and customizations.

A wish list of enhancements and customizations

Module 3: Implement Your Homegrown PPM Solution

The Purpose

Determine an action plan regarding next steps for implementation.
Implement your homegrown PPM solution. The activities outlined in this step will help to promote adoption of the tool throughout your organization.

Key Benefits Achieved

A set of processes to integrate the new homegrown PPM solution into existing PPM activities
Plans for piloting the new processes, process improvement, and stakeholder communication

Activities

Outputs

3.1

Plan to integrate your new solution into your PPM processes.

Portfolio Manager 2017 operating manual, which documents how Portfolio Manager 2017 is used to augment the PPM processes

3.2

Plan to pilot the new processes.

Plan for a pilot run and post-pilot evaluation for a wider rollout

3.3

Manage stakeholder communications.

Communication plan for impacted PPM stakeholders

After each Info-Tech experience, we ask our members to quantify the real time savings, monetary impact, and project improvements our research helped them achieve. See our top member experiences for this Blueprint, and what our clients have to say.

Client

Experience

Impact

$ Saved

Days Saved

Testimonial

The University of Texas at San Antonio

Guided Implementation

10/10

N/A

Parks Canada

Guided Implementation

10/10

$25,000

Gokul was knowledgeable and presented information in an engaging and understandable format. No perceived downside, we're very much looking forward to the next call, the tools, research and guidance is invaluable. Thanks!

Armstrong Flooring Solutions

Guided Implementation

10/10

$66,183

120

Clallam County

Guided Implementation

10/10

$13,236

The tips and tricks for the tool provided to me today are an absolute lifesaver and I'm just blown away on what else I can do with it to make my life easier and more productive! To say everything I learned exceeded my expectations is a complete understatement. Barry Cousins and Meghann Norton are both amazing and I LOVE THIS TOOL!!!!! There isn't anything bad to say about either of them nor the tool and training for using it that has been provided to me.

Sub-Zero Group, Inc.

Guided Implementation

10/10

N/A

Barry was very helpful and remembered talking with me about this spreadsheet several years ago and we are still using it!

Clallam County

Guided Implementation

10/10

$2,647

Barry is amazing, knowledgeable and extremely helpful. I based my time and financial impact solely on what he has saved me just with today's assistance!

Farm Credit Financial Partners, Inc.

Guided Implementation

3/10

N/A

we did not have any resource management system or request process in the past. So technically this isn't saving time or money, it's actually more work, but the hope is that we will use resources more effectively and be able to plan better moving forward.

University of North Texas System

Guided Implementation

10/10

$13,236

Only the best. Once again, Mr. Lee was super helpful and a pleasure to work with. He's brought us very far with our tools and processes. Info~Tech is a terrific partner for us!

American Realty Advisors

Guided Implementation

8/10

$2,250

N/A

MAHLE Industries Inc.

Guided Implementation

10/10

$7,941

Prompt response for the meeting request and schedule. "Think Ahead" - very good understanding of the expectations and relevant approach in the responses. Very good and satisfying on the time spent.

South Australian Courts Administration

Guided Implementation

9/10

$89,365

Consultants view of the problems I am facing adding a different perspective and providing the associated insights that this brings. Sometime cannot locate something easily in the database.

Dataflux Pty. Ltd.

Guided Implementation

8/10

N/A

Session was a troubleshooting session to address a technical issue. The issue turned out to be a Microsoft issue relating to an upgrade to the Microsoft subscription plan, where the requisite Power View functionality did not perform as expected.

Clark Richardson & Biskup

Guided Implementation

9/10

N/A

Research Triangle Institute

Guided Implementation

10/10

$1.19M

115

Excellent!

Apogee Enterprises, Inc

Guided Implementation

9/10

$27,135

the best part was the time to talk through what I'm trying to accomplish, and seeing the tools available. The "worst" part of the experience was that I had not been able to review all the materials from our first meeting, and so that dropped some of the value.

Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission

Guided Implementation

9/10

$1.32M

115

Best: I feel we get amazing customer service from everyone on the team across Canada. Worst: A few times it was difficult to get an analyst call scheduled due to Info-Tech's availability. But these were very few. I am generally happy with the turnaround time.

CRH: Oldcastle Building Envelope

Guided Implementation

10/10

N/A

University of North Texas System

Guided Implementation

10/10

$33,091

Mr. Lee has once again given us much needed support and has truly empowered us to advance our resource capacity planning program to much greater heights --- and is a joy to work with. He has a gift for making complex concepts easy to understand and his patience as we learn is greatly appreciated. Info~Tech has been a wonderful partner and we look forward to continuing the collaboration with this fine organization.

CRH: Oldcastle Building Envelope

Guided Implementation

6/10

N/A

Knowledge transfer and education to enable self help in the future

Turner Construction Company

Guided Implementation

8/10

N/A

Have not experienced anything negative, and the best part has been the willingness and availability to help outside or scheduled meetings. Thank You!

University of North Texas System

Guided Implementation

10/10

$13,236

Mr. Lee is an outstanding Info~Tech representative who patiently leads us through the construction of the solution we are needing. His communication is very clear and he listens intently to our requirements. The result is a high quality product. In addition to the terrific results, Mr. Lee is a pleasure to work with and is a true partner to our team.

Vancouver Community College

Guided Implementation

7/10

N/A

It was very useful to see how a formal, professional approach to PPM address and resolves issues and needs related to managing a portfolio of projects. Although VCC did not follow the path of developing a complex spreadsheet-based solution, it was very reassuring to see that our modest, custom made XL-mpp-SharePoint solution share various similarities with Info-Tech's solution and it has the potential to grow, in time, into a similar professional PPM solution. Thank you for sharing your knowledge & insights. Raul Velazquez, PMP Manager IT Projects Vancouver Community College

Farm Credit Financial Partners, Inc.

Guided Implementation

9/10

N/A

David has been extremely helpful in helping us understand and modify the tool to meet our requirements.

Clallam County

Guided Implementation

10/10

$9,265

Best - having a knowledgeable, realistic, friendly person (Barry Cousins) to talk to, who understood my dilemma and could recommend the best use of the tool. The tool itself is an amazing resource! I've already spotted a couple of underutilized resources and I've been able to stay more focused on active projects as well as our entire portfolio. Worst - Barry couldn't solve my own time management issues but that isn't a fault of his or the tool. :) I'm still working on completing the project so, as a work-in-progress, the time and financial impact estimates are not a complete representation yet. Barry, thank you again for all of your help!

Thermo Fisher

Guided Implementation

9/10

N/A

Best = Travis' guidance and tools Worst = ?

Lambton Kent District School Board

Guided Implementation

9/10

$2,000

I really enjoyed working with Matt on this engagement. He was very pragmatic in recommending different approaches. Communications were very clear and he gave me lots of insight, options, and thoughts on how I could implement a PPM solution for our organization. Over to us now to get it done. Great engagement, thank you!

Mohawk College of Applied Arts And Technology

Guided Implementation

8/10

N/A

The tool is very powerful when it works but it is not user friendly when it comes to maintaining the tool given the number of areas for possible failures (user error) prone. It is very challenging to troubleshoot as well due to the lack of documentation for the tool and if you don't have the deep knowledge of how it was built, troubleshooting is hard. You are at the mercy of the tool when it breaks so maintaining backup copies is crucial so you can revert back to last known working copy..

County Of Wright

Guided Implementation

10/10

$33,091

David was very responsive, and gained an understanding of the context in which we're using the PPM tool before suggesting changes to meet our needs. The changes he made fully addressed our concerns and will make resource planning much more efficient. Thanks!

Santee Cooper

Guided Implementation

9/10

$119K

Toronto District School Board

Guided Implementation

10/10

$25,000

Barry's experience and thorough understanding of our needs and requirements with very little background and explanation.