| The PPM PostScript (Click on title to view full article) | ||
| 018 | The PMO as a Police Agency and Why It Doesn't Work | November 29, 2012 |
| Too often I hear PMO managers lament that they need to encourage the staff they support to ‘do something,’ yet they have no direct authority to enforce compliance. Whether it is completing assigned tasks, submitting timesheets, following processes, updating status, using templates, or anything else, the PMO is placed in a no-win situation when it is asked to serve a policing function for someone else’s staff to meet such expectations. Predictably, the more that the PMO begs, pleads, cajoles, screams or coaches, the lower compliance goes. Exasperation ensues, along with a growing “us versus them” mentality. <read more> | ||
| 017 | Leaving Las Vegas - Afterthoughts on the 2012 PMO Symposium | November 16, 2012 |
| With the close of the last session on Wednesday, the 5th annual PMI PMO Symposium is now officially in the bag. Among my many key take-away’s was to pay attention when texting ‘bellagio,’ lest you get a hilarious surprise from auto-correct (Sorry Lisa!). The PMO Symposium has come a long way from its not-so-humble beginnings in San Antonio in 2008. The 150+ attendees who gathered at that inaugural event wouldn’t have even made a respectable showing for a track session this year. Near as I can tell, there were more than 500 paying registrants and closer to 600 people total in attendance once you add in speakers, support staff, sponsors, etc. <read more> | ||
| 016 | Conveying the Value of a PMO | August 14, 2012 |
| Another posting promoted in a well-regarded Linked In group was recently brought to my attention that has effectively goaded me back into the fray. In essence, the piece declared the PMO as unnecessary and went on to suggest that its very presence was indicative of poor corporate leadership. What??!!! Might as well re-declare the world as flat as well. <read more> | ||
| 015 | Redefining the PMO - Progress Report | March 30, 2012 |
| I know it’s been some time since my last post – Mark, Lisa and I have been busy all month facilitating the gantthead.com workshop series, “Redefining the PMO.” In fact, I am writing this from the back of the room as Lisa conducts her leadership workshop in Chicago. As hosts and facilitators, these events have certainly exceeded our expectations, by virtue of the amazing people that have come to join us. <read more> |
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| 014 | People, Projects, Portfolios and the PMO | January 04, 2012 |
| Welcome 2012, you big fat baby of a new year! I genuinely enjoy the first few weeks of January; coming out of the holidays, the world seems so full of potential, excitement and fresh enthusiasm. Alas, towards end of the month everything gets tainted by broken resolutions, sobering reality and the dirty snow gloom of deep winter. It doesn’t help that I turn another year older about then. Dude -- what a buzz kill. But, back on a positive note, new opportunities abound this time of the year, and boy do we have an opportunity for you! Although the entire first quarter is going to be busy with lots of travel, fun workshops and new acquaintances, I am especially excited about a unique new conference series that Mark Perry, Lisa DiTullio and I are offering, in partnership with the amazing team at gantthead.com; People, Projects, Portfolios and the PMO. <read more> | ||
| 013 | Challenging all Vendors: Resolve to Break the PPM Paradign in 2012! | December 16, 2011 |
| I remember hearing an explanation some time ago by a noted industry analyst about why PPM adoption and usage rates were merely mediocre, complete with elaboration on the whiteboard. The rationale was that the growing level of sophistication available in top-tier PPM systems was simply overwhelming the ability of most organizations to utilize it. As illustrated by two steadily diverging lines on the board, he predicted this gap was only going to widen over time as power users and competitive pressure continued to drive more innovation beyond the comprehension (or needs) of the average Joe. While there is probably some merit to this basic argument (after all, how many of us are capable of applying more than a smidgen of the capabilities that Excel or Word offers?), I also think it is missing a more critical point. Though I agree that a growing gap exists between the design and actual usage of most PPM systems, I believe that the most significant reason for this disconnect is that the vendors have followed a long common trajectory while the needs of the workforce have radically changed. <read more> | ||
| 012 | Zen and the Art of Lifecycle Maintenance | December 2, 2011 |
| Sorry for the lapse in posting lately; first I was under the gun, and then under the radar, followed by a stint under the weather. But to quote the ‘First Rule of Italian Racing’ in the Gumball Rally, “What’s behind me is of a no concern.” (…while breaking off the rear view mirror of a Ferrari with a flourish.) Reading yet another book on agile during recent travels, one of the topics that piqued my interest was the professed value of using such techniques to speed up the value chain. <read more> | ||
| 011 | The Art of Asking the Right Questions | October 26, 2011 |
| Patrick Boylan at Intellilink Solutions invited me to join a new Linked In group that focuses on soft skills, called PeoplePM. Being a fan of Patrick and his partner Fumi Kondo, and knowing all too well of the crying need for soft skills development within many organizations, I happily accepted. As I familiarized myself with the group, I noticed an active discussion about which soft skill was the most important for a project manager to possess. It didn't take much thought for me to offer up, "the ability to ask the right questions." <read more> | ||
| 010 | The Case for a Two-P PMO | October 19, 2011 |
| I’m often asked by those considering a PPM initiative if they also really need a PMO. The short answer is “Yes.” In fact, I would go so far as to say it is a prerequisite. Given that the whole objective of a PPM program is to help streamline and integrate several related business functions under a common management umbrella of processes, techniques, information and tools, then one should not expect to successfully accomplish this by directing it in a dis-integrated manner. The PMO is ‘the head on the beast.’ <read more> | ||
| 009 | Monetizing Risk | October 11, 2011 |
| Mark and I were just discussing how risk management is such a perennial topic of interest; no doubt in part because it is such an imperfect and daunting dimension of the discipline. Risk is a bottomless lake of potential unknowns, whose waters can easily paralyze the meek, drowning them in their own vacillation. Conversely, woe be the fool who simply ignores risk, blissfully plowing forward like Alfred E. Newman, hands in his pockets as he whistles past the graveyard, oblivious to the countless failed initiatives that lie buried beneath fresh mounds of disregarded consequences. So, I thought I might share some perspectives on the subject that go beyond the standard fare. <read more> |
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| 008 | Implementing PM Tools and Methods - Kicking and Screaming... | October 3, 2011 |
| I’ve seen it too many times to know it isn’t a fluke – PMOs or other leaders within an organization mandate a solution that simply isn’t wanted or working. I have a pretty simple rule for determining whether the right mechanisms or methodologies are in place: would the organization continue to use them if they weren’t forced to? <read more> | ||
| 007 | Establishing Balance in Your PPM Initiative | September 28, 2011 |
| Too often inexperienced sponsors and implementation teams lack sufficient equilibrium when it comes to recognizing and addressing all of the many considerations that go into a successful portfolio management program. One of the most common errors is the tendency to approach the initiative primarily as a ‘software selection and deployment’ project. Given that most PPM vendors tend to make that their primary area of focus, it is somewhat understandable how customers can be easily induced to follow their lead. However, getting wrapped too tightly around the technological axle can also be the kiss of death if other aspects of the initiative are ignored as a result. <read more> | ||
| 006 | In Defense of Exceptional Craftsmanship | September 20, 2011 |
| I’ve been around long enough to definitively say that the quality of almost everything has deteriorated over the last several decades. “They just don’t make ‘em like they used to…” he laments, while shedding a misty tear. Examples abound, from the food we eat to common household items. All manner of products and services seem to have fallen prey to the forward march of mediocrity. <read more> | ||
| 005 | Are you aligned? Part II | September 6, 2011 |
| In my preceding post we introduced the general concept of alignment and described how any form of misalignment generates unsavory consequences. We also explored the notion of operational alignment, some of the causes of misalignment, and noted how alignment occurs on three key planes. In this post, we will further characterize each element of operational alignment and how they intersect. <read more> | ||
| 004 | Are you aligned? | August 30, 2011 |
| I really despise misalignment. When The Beast (my car) becomes misaligned, it simply ruins the whole driving experience. All of that drifting around and tugging on the steering wheel wears on you like a constant argument, fighting over who is in control of our direction. Left uncorrected, misalignment will eventually ruin tires, wheel bearings, suspension bushings and countless other components. Worst of all, a momentary lapse in fighting the misalignment battle could result in a head-on collision. <read more> | ||
| 003 | 2011 PMO Symposium – The one conference you can't afford to miss! | August 25, 2011 |
| Can you believe August is almost over? Wuh…what happened to summer?! Back-to-school also signals the start of the conference season. Early registration remains open through the end of August for the 2011 PMO Symposium, hosted by the PMI PMO Community of Practice. This year it is in Orlando on November 7th though the 9th, with pre-conference workshops held on the 6th. If you have never attended this event (now in its fourth year), you are missing out on what I consider to be the premier PMO gathering in the world... <read more> | ||
| 002 | Associations, Certifications and the Scarlet Letter: The Unintended Consequences of Putting Junk in Your Trunk | August 19, 2011 |
| Is it just me, or does it seem that the practice of including various laudatory initials after one’s name gotten completely out of hand? Maybe more importantly, is this indicative that are we placing way too much faith and importance on industry credentials and certifications in general? I would probably let this whole subject slide were it not for the triple convergence of recent incidents -- a sign simply too dangerous to ignore. <read more> | ||
| 001 | Thing One, Thing Two, Thing Three | August 12, 2011 |
| I’m baaack. For those who are already familiar with my musings elsewhere, let me start out by saying how excited I am to be a part of BOT International, and to once again have a vehicle to freely offer my thoughts for general consumption. If you are just discovering my mad ramblings, I hope you find them thought-provoking and useful, in addition to evoking a wry smile or congenial nod on occasion. Some of you might wonder, “Why BOT?” Well, for one thing... <read more> | ||
The PPM PostScript
Welcome to the Project Portfolio Management (PPM) PostScript. The PPM PostScript is a blog written by Terry Doerscher (see bio), principal for the PPM practice at BOT International. Many of you may know Terry from his earlier blogs, articles and other written work, as well as his PMO research, webcasts and industry presentations. Join Terry as he shares insights and observations about managing change, the role of portfolio management and the PMO, and what it really takes to attain high levels of operational performance in a today's dynamic business environments.
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