Software Package Selection > Vendors and Markets

Gartner’s new report on the state of the PPM market evaluates 30 technology providers and identifies important trends, including the infiltration of the SaaS deployment model and increasing support of Agile.

Gartner’s 2010 Magic Quadrant report surveys the state of PPM in a challenging economy, evaluating 31 technology providers, naming six “leaders” and identifying two important market trends.

After more than 20 years in the financial services industry, this writer thought he knew exactly what to anticipate moving into his new role as a software vendor project manager. He was wrong...

Gartner’s 2009 Magic Quadrant report surveys the state of PPM in a challenging economy, evaluating 19 technology providers, naming six “leaders” and addressing some emerging market trends.

RFPs are a double-edged sword for many vendors. In the first article, we looked at the challenges with layout and content. In this second installment, we look at the challenges vendors experience in the process from the point they are made aware of the RFP to the submission of the bid.

Why has Project Portfolio Management struggled to be adopted in organizations? While part of the problem lies with the vendor overselling the product, the bulk of the issue stems from our collective failure to educate ourselves on PPM--and understand how we should adopt it.

From data processing centers in the '60s to PC networks in the '80s to this century's Cloud, the systems for managing large amounts of data are coming full circle. Read up on the latest trend: Mobile Data Centers.

On new development projects, the production stage can be the point of no return. Before it’s too late, a rigorous gating process can help to ensure that development activities, teamwide input and critical stakeholder priorities are all aligned with the overall project vision.

Many, if not most, projects rely on outside suppliers — vendors, contractors, consultants — for critical activities and expertise. But these partnerships can do more harm than good if ground rules aren’t established and respeected throught the project. Here are seven factors for working successfully with your project’s external participants.

There’s more to vendor management than deliverables and deadlines. Let's look at a few basic concepts that will help PMs avoid some of the biggest pitfalls.

The use of supplier relationship management (SRM) can be considered symbiotic in nature, since the mutually beneficial aspects of having such a two-way dependent/supportive partnership can make each party’s success tied to the other’s. Can we relate?

Saying some PPM solutions are “out of reach” for many businesses, Microsoft Project 2010 emphasizes integrated portfolio management capabilities, among enhancements in reporting, demand management and business intelligence. Should dedicated PPM providers be worried?

Some RFPs are bad…really bad. It makes you wonder how clear the purchasing organization is on what they are trying to achieve. Here, we look at the process that an organization goes through in preparing and issuing an Request For Proposal--and identify some best practices.

Leadership gaps arise as projects trend toward higher complexity. It will take some significant new skills to succeed in complex near-future projects. When you succeed with the workforce, however, much of the complexity evaporates.

From functionality to return on investment, here are some key criteria to focus on when considering a project portfolio management solution.

If your project is making a big time change in your organization--or touching a lot of people--you might want to take a page from the marketing department: A little "brand" can go a long way.

This two-part article will provide you with some insight into some of the most frustrating aspects that vendors experience when they attempt to decipher the hieroglyphics found in the proposal documents. The first part will focus on the content of the RFP.

Supporting project delivery across project, program, PMO and portfolio management processes, BrightWork is a SharePoint-based collaboration tool that can be adapted to each organization’s capability and maturity level without overwhelming users with unnecessary functionality.

A new agile procurement process--one that can operate in conjunction with and alongside an agile software development methodology--should significantly improve both the procurement of software vendor’s services and and successful delivery of software projects. This article will explore the underlying principles as well as map the reconciliation points required to harmonize agile development and procurement methods.

Screening candidates on PMP certification is not enough to determine if they are an effective project manager. Use the following key questions to help staff your project and program management teams.

There's no doubt that Cloud Computing is a major force on the IT horizon, but security and continuity risks may develop into a dangerous storm for organizations relying on this low-cost alternative.

With the cost, quality and complexity of healthcare under a national microscope these days, some hospitals are already realizing critical improvements by implementing project portfolio management, thanks to niche solutions designed specifically for their needs.

The relationship forged with strategic providers can make the difference between success and failure within the organization. Here, the value proposition they represent is often based more on their service and support levels than price. In essence, SPs become de facto stakeholders with the organization--and thus require special consideration in terms of how the relationship is cultivated and managed.