Kimberly McCoyProject Manager| TekSystems - ContractorZanesville, Oh, United States
Hello!
My organization is looking into software to help determine project prioritization and distribution. Is there anything out there like this that people would recommend? We currently just list everything in excel, but are looking for a more efficient way.
Carlos UrrutiaProgram Specialist| TEAAustin, Tx, United States
Smartsheet could be helpful Saving Changes...
Chris BlytheProject Management Consultant| Hawksview ConsultingNelson, New Zealand
We use Smartsheet for the programme and project management of our capital works programme.
We've used Planview, but we had a version tailored for New Zealand government, which didnt suit our work environment.
We are looking into how Sharepoint could be used in future for capturing our portfolio and project documents. but very early days. Saving Changes...
Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
Kimberly,
lookout for project portfolio management software, acronym PPM. There are hundreds on the market (go to e.g. capterra to see lists).
Planview, upland, HP PPM, Blue Ant, Talaja PPM are some examples I had a look into, all have their merits.
It is often recommended to first define your processes and then select a SW. This leads often to deep changes to the SW. Another approach might be to find key constraints of your organization, select a SW provider who can comply to these and help you implement and learn, using their default methodology.
In any case, it is a project, the last one I saw was worth 2 million Euro (incl licenses) and took 1 year for the 1st Golive. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Sorry for be direct but thinking about software is a waste. The first thing, the hard thing, is to define the prioritization method and the prioritization criteria. When you have that then you ca use an excell spreadsheet like we use in my current work place. Saving Changes...
Acuity PPM is a good option for portfolio, program and project management. Free Software. Saving Changes...
Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
Agree with Sergio that software for PPM is a waste in most cases. SW vendors are selling their packages anyhow, and some PMOs use it to discipline projects.
I have seen an organization with 450 annual projects, 30-40 of them significant. We managed these 30-40 in Excel and it was sufficient for increasing transparency, keeping the PMO busy and provide value to management.
We refrained from managing resources in this approach, which would have added too much bureaucracy.
When AI gets more interested in PM, we might see more tools in PPM.
BTW - a typical problem with PPM processes is that they might be agreed but management overrides them (pet projects), which de-valuates them. If everybody sticks them they are a #1 improvement to your PM maturity. Saving Changes...
Vladimir LiberzonR&D Director| Spider Project TeamMoscow, Russian Federation
Project prioritization and portfolio management are more complex than estimating and management of separate projects with analyzing overall figures. Look at the presentation http://www.spiderproject.com/images/img/pd...%20Problems.pdf If your project portfolio has resource and financial constraints Excel does not help much. Saving Changes...
Milena IlievaProgram Manager Global accounts| VMWareVienna, Austria
I agree with Sergio and Thomas, the tool can only do what it has been configured or setup for. Important is to define the KPIs of the project portfolio, which should be in alignment with the strategic targets / KPIs, and this will set the prioritisation. Normally the KPIs are defined by the management, or at least with their involvement - what do they want to see, how the project portfolio KPIs affect business targets.
Then even Excel can do the work. Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Dear Kimberly I absolutely agree with Sérgio. "The first thing, the hard thing, is to define the prioritization method and the prioritization criteria." What indicators to use to prioritize projects? Performance Indicators (KPI's) or Objectives and Key Results (OKR)? Saving Changes...
Is there a particular reason that Excel isn't serving the needs of your portfolio governance committees - is it a scalability limitation or something else?
I would agree with a number of the previous respondents that PPM capability starts with the behaviors of the decision makers involved and a consistent set of values and processes used to make portfolio decisions. Then, the software can help the governance committees with their decision making.
