- Organizations want reliable project reporting and clear, consistent project management standards, but many are unwilling or unable to allocate time for it.
- Many IT project managers are given project management responsibilities in addition to other full-time roles – without any formal allocation of time, authority, or training.
- Most IT project managers and stakeholders actually want clear and consistent standards but resist tools and procedures they believe are too time consuming and inflexible.
- Standard project management procedures must be “light” enough for project managers to adapt to a wide range of projects without increasing the total time required to manage projects successfully.
Our Advice
Critical Insight
- Most IT project management advice is focused on the largest 10-20% of projects – projects with large enough budgets to allocate time to project management. This leaves most IT projects (and most people who manage IT projects) in limbo between high-risk ad hoc management and high-cost project management best practices.
- Project management success doesn’t equate to project success. While formal methodologies are a key ingredient in the success of large, complex projects, most IT projects do not require the same degree of rigorous record-keeping and planning.
- Consistent, timely, and accurate reporting is the “linchpin” in any sustainable project and portfolio management practice.
Impact and Result
- Maintain timely and accurate project portfolio reporting with right-sized tools and processes.
- Establish clear and consistent project management standards that make better use of time already spent managing projects.
- Enable project managers to manage their projects more successfully with a set of flexible and lightweight tools and templates.
IT Project Management Lite Research & Tools
Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:
1. Assess the value of a minimum-viable PMO strategy
Perform a measured value assessment for building and managing a minimum-viable PMO.
- IT Project Management Lite Storyboard
2. Perform a project and portfolio needs assessment
Focus on the minimum required to maintain accuracy of portfolio reporting and effectiveness in managing projects.
- Minimum-Viable PMO Needs Assessment
3. Establish standards for realistic, accurate, and consistent portfolio reporting
Emphasize reporting high-level project status as a way to identify and address issues to achieve the best results with the least effort.
- Minimum-Viable Project and Portfolio Management SOP
4. Create a standard, right-sized project management toolkit
Free PMs to focus on actually managing the project while still delivering accurate portfolio metrics.
- Zero-Allocation Project Management Workbook
5. Train PMs for zero allocation
Ensure project manager compliance with the portfolio reporting process by incorporating activities that create value.
- Zero-Allocation Project Manager Development Plan
- Zero-Allocation Project Management Survival Guide
6. Perform a post-implementation assessment
Evaluate success and identify opportunities for further improvement.
Infographic
Workshop: IT Project Management Lite
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 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.
1 Preparation
The Purpose
Define goals and success criteria.
Finalize agenda.
Gather information: update project and resource lists (Info-Tech recommends using the Project Portfolio Workbook).
Key Benefits Achieved
More efficiently organized and executed workshop.
Able to better customize and tailor content to your specific needs.
Activities
1.1 Discuss specific pain points with regards to project manager allocations
1.2 Review project lists, tools and templates, and other documents
1.3 Map existing strategies to Info-Tech’s framework
Outputs
Understanding of where efforts must be focused in workshop
Assessment of what existing tools and templates may need to be included in zero-allocation workbook
Revisions that need to be made based on existing strategies
2 Make the Case and Assess Needs
The Purpose
Assess current state (including review of project and resource lists).
Discuss and analyze SWOT around project and portfolio management.
Define target state.
Define standards / SOP / processes for project and portfolio management.
Key Benefits Achieved
Gain perspective on how well your processes match up with the amount of time your project managers have for their PM duties.
Determine the value of the time and effort that your project teams are investing in project management activities.
Begin to define resource optimized processes for zero-allocation project managers.
Ensure consistent implementation of processes across your portfolio.
Establish project discipline and best practices that are grounded in actual project capacity.
Activities
2.1 Perform and/or analyze Minimum-Viable PMO Needs Assessment
2.2 SWOT analysis
2.3 Identify target allocations for project management activities
2.4 Begin to define resource optimized processes for zero-allocation project managers
Outputs
Current state analysis based on Minimum-Viable PMO Needs Assessment
Overview of current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
Target state analysis based on Minimum-Viable PMO Needs Assessment
A refined Minimum-Viable Project and Portfolio Management SOP
3 Establish Strategy
The Purpose
Select and customize project and portfolio management toolkit.
Implement (test/pilot) toolkit and processes.
Customize project manager training plan.
Evaluate and refine toolkit and processes as needed.
Key Benefits Achieved
Ensure consistent implementation of processes across your portfolio.
Establish project discipline and best practices that are grounded in actual project capacity.
A customized training session that will suit the needs of your project managers.
Activities
3.1 Customize the Zero-Allocation Toolkit to accommodate the needs of your projects
3.2 Test toolkit on projects currently underway
3.3 Tweak project manager training to suit the needs of your team
Outputs
Customized Zero-Allocation Project Management Workbook
A tested and standardized copy of the workbook
A customized training session for your project managers (to take place on Day 4 of Info-Tech’s workshop)
4 Train Your Zero-Allocation Project Managers
The Purpose
Communicate project and portfolio management SOP to Project Managers.
Deliver project manager training: standards for portfolio reporting and toolkit.
Key Benefits Achieved
Equip project managers to improve their level of discipline and documentation without spending more time in record keeping and task management.
Execute a successful training session that clearly and succinctly communicates your minimal and resource-optimized processes.
Activities
4.1 Project Manager Training, including communication of the processes and standard templates and reports that will be adopted by all project managers
Outputs
Educated and disciplined project managers, aware of the required processes for portfolio reporting
5 Assess Strategy and Next Steps
The Purpose
Debrief from the training session.
Plan for ongoing evaluation and improvement.
Evaluate and refine toolkit and processes if needed.
Answer any remaining questions.
Key Benefits Achieved
Assess portfolio and project manager performance in light of the strategy implemented.
Understanding of how to keep living documents like the workbook and SOP up to date.
Clearly defined next steps.
Activities
5.1 Review the customized tools and templates
5.2 Send relevant documentation to relevant stakeholders
5.3 Schedule review call
5.4 Schedule follow-up call with analysts to discuss progress in six months
Outputs
Finalized workbook and processes
Satisfied and informed stakeholders
Scheduled review call
Scheduled follow-up call