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.

If we take a brief look at my laundry list of the key elements of implementing a successful portfolio management program, the reason why becomes apparent.

• Assessment and Analysis
  • Objective assessment of the organization’s current state
  • Opportunity analysis
  • Business case development
  • Organizational commitment to change
• Planning and Preparation
  • Defining changes via program vision, goals and objectives
  • Developing a realistic strategy and plan to phase in changes
  • Acquisition and allocation of adequate skills and capacities
• Execution
  • Requirements management and scoping
  • Process (re)design and development
  • Supporting technology needs assessment
  • Tool selection, acquisition and initiation
  • Product configuration aligned to processes
  • Interface development
  • Report development
  • Content development
  • Solution validation
• Deployment
  • Organizational change management & communications
  • Thorough training
  • Resetting expectations, driving accountability, and effecting cultural change
• Ongoing Operations
  • Ownership and operational support for the program
  • Organizational interaction and collaboration
  • Establishing data fidelity
  • Information analysis and decision support
  • Management responsiveness to monitor, control, correct or improve operations
  • Continuing performance reviews and making ongoing program adjustment

Having participated in several dozen PPM ‘lessons learned’ sessions over the years, some recurring themes are worth highlighting. Chief among them are regrets that not enough time and effort was spent on the non-technology aspects of their implementation. In particular, post-mortem discussions illustrate the need for greater focus on ensuring processes were well-engineered, and doing more preparation and coaching to facilitate the accompanying culture shift.

Managing expectations and controlling the volume of change is also an often-cited issue. It is easy to become overwhelmed by the potential capabilities of modern PPM systems, and attempt to try and inject too much functionality at a pace that is too fast for end users to absorb and apply.

Another common issue is short-sightedness; what I affectionately refer to as the “dog that caught the car” syndrome. So much emphasis is placed on getting changes developed and deployed that organizations tend to forget to adequately prepare for actual operation, creating the potential to quickly lose momentum and create confusion.

So, if you are considering or just now beginning a PPM initiative of your own, make sure that you employ a little Feng Shui when it comes to establishing balance – place equal focus on the strategic, functional and cultural aspects of the implementation in addition to technological considerations.

~ Terry 9/28/11