For CIOs

State And Local Government: Find ARRA Support In PPM Tools

Keep ARRA In Your PPM Purchasing And Expansion Plans

by Tim DeGennaro, September 30, 2009

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), signed in February of 2009, has caught many state and local governments unprepared. With billions in available stimulus funds, these entities are faced with the challenge of complying with new ARRA tracking . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

Integrate EA With Project Portfolio Management Governance

Organizations Should Use EA Archetypes To Align Expectations With Deliverables

by Henry Peyret, September 18, 2009

Project portfolio governance is often the entry point for EA governance: EA teams are involved to validate projects' design and architecture fit with standards. A recent survey suggests that current EA involvement in project portfolio governance suboptimizes . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Conquering Your Fear Of Project Portfolio Management Tools

New Tool Options Overcome The Barriers That Threaten Your Investment

by Margo Visitacion, August 28, 2009

In today's world, organizations must balance the demands that a tight economy and low risk tolerance drive without missing opportunities to advance business. Understanding the real status of projects and portfolios is critical to enabling success. And . . .

For Enterprise Architecture Professionals

Next-Generation IT Requires Next-Generation EA

EA Makes The New Core Processes Of IT Work

by Alex Cullen, Gene Leganza, Jeff Scott, Jost Hoppermann, June 30, 2009

What business wants from IT is changing, and that means IT has to change how it manages itself and the IT-business relationship. Building on current project delivery and operational management competencies, CIOs are adding new core management processes: . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Anatomy Of A Portfolio Management Tool

Common Qualities Apply To All Types Of Portfolio Management Tools

by Phil Murphy, June 23, 2009

The term "portfolio management" is officially in vogue — it has been appended to applications, projects and programs, enterprises, and to IT itself. But what does it mean to manage a portfolio? What are the criteria for determining whether portfolio management . . .

For CIOs

The ROI Of Project Portfolio Management Tools

A Total Economic Impact™ (TEI) Analysis Uncovers Significant Benefits

by Craig Symons, May 8, 2009

Project portfolio management (PPM) discipline has remained a significant effort in organizations of all sizes. Both inside and outside of IT, leaders are turning to PPM to better capture, manage, prioritize, and align investments and resources with the . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Road Map: Workforce Resource Management — A New Market For Project Portfolio Management

PPM, BPM, And Web 2.0 Collaboration Are On A Collision Course

by Tim Harmon, May 4, 2009

Users have to employ a plethora of software tools to effect a comprehensive workforce resource management capability, including project portfolio management (PPM), business process management (BPM), and human capital management (HCM) products. PPM vendors, . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

PPM Tool Selection: Look Beyond Core Functions

Industry, Governance, And Compliance Play A Larger Role

by Margo Visitacion, March 5, 2009

For organizations that invest in project portfolio management tools (PPM), comparing core functionality won't provide a clear picture of the best solution to fit their needs. Governance, compliance, and business objectives are becoming much stronger drivers . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Four Steps To Optimize Your Application And Project Portfolios In Volatile Economic Times

by Phil Murphy, Margo Visitacion, January 14, 2009

Economic instability around the globe is forcing organizations to react: Some organizations will have to cut costs to survive, some organizations will proceed as usual, while still others will take a more predatory stance to gain market share from their . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Oracle Acquires Primavera

Acquisition Signals Intent To Serve Project-Intensive Industries With Leading Project-Based Solutions For The Enterprise

by Margo Visitacion, R "Ray" Wang, November 6, 2008

On October 8, 2008, Oracle announced its intention to acquire Primavera Systems for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition brings together a leading project financials vendor with a leading enterprise/capital project and program management vendor, a combination . . .

For Technology Product Management & Marketing Professionals

Inquiry Insights: Project Portfolio Management

by Tim Harmon, October 30, 2008

In the past 21 months, inquiries on project portfolio management (PPM) have continued to increase and become more sophisticated, exposing issues ranging from organizational models to performance benchmarking to enterprise fit and fitness. These inquiries . . .

For CIOs

Adjusting Your Project Portfolio For A Tough Economy

by Alex Cullen, October 29, 2008

Given the current economic turbulence, the CIO and his or her staff must work with their business counterparts to revisit and revise their portfolio of projects. Necessity may dictate tough decisions about which projects to undertake, which projects to . . .

For CIOs

The Essential Steps Of PPM Tool Adoption

Behavioral Change Must Accompany The Right Tool

by Alex Cullen, September 29, 2008

Improving project management is high on the list of IT executives. In fact, in a 2007 survey of 503 IT decision-makers, it was rated as their most important driver. To capitalize on this goal and boost visibility, IT organizations often choose to invest . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Making Use Of A Simple Model For Project Prioritization

by Mike Gilpin, September 3, 2008

Application development organizations rarely have enough bandwidth to tackle every project that the business would like to see developed. But when trying to determine which project should come first, the rationale is often muddled, or worse, faulty. By . . .

For Vendor Strategy Professionals

Road Map: Corporate Portfolio Management — A New Market For Project Portfolio Management

An Aging But Effective Technology's Rebirth In Corporate Portfolio Management

by Tim Harmon, August 21, 2008

Fifty years into its life as a business tool, project portfolio management (PPM) is a weather-worn but proven asset to IT and sophisticated project managers alike. But growth is beginning to tail off, and more exciting technologies like Web 2.0 collaboration . . .

For CIOs

The Building Blocks Of An Effective IT PMO

by Lewis Cardin, August 6, 2008

All but the smallest IT organizations need a portfolio management office (PMO). IT will always have more work in its list than it can work on, and, given the complex operating environment of most IT shops, managing all the resulting projects to successful . . .

For CIOs

Selecting Your Portfolio Management Tool

A Road Map For Project Portfolio Management Tool Decision-Making

by Lewis Cardin, August 6, 2008

The portfolio management solution space becomes more complicated as project portfolio management (PPM) tool vendors react to increasing expectations from their customers. Meanwhile, as firms mature in their portfolio management offices' (PMOs') processes, . . .

For CIOs

Who's On First — A Simple Model For Project Prioritization

by Craig Symons, July 25, 2008

Rarely have we encountered an IT organization where the demand for IT resources did not exceed the available supply. Mature IT organizations have developed IT demand management and portfolio management processes to focus IT resources where they can have . . .

For CIOs

The Application Management Continuum Offers CIOs A Contemporary Approach To Modernization

by Phil Murphy, July 14, 2008

The technology needs of an industry evolve and mature unevenly — in the early years, companies replace technology frequently to scale in step with organic growth. As the industry matures, it reaches a leveling-off point where the need to gain and retain . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Project Portfolio Management (PPM) For Product Development

R&D Executives Have Distinct PPM Requirements; Technology Options Abound

by Roy C. Wildeman, June 20, 2008

Just as CIOs are turning to project portfolio management (PPM) software to help drive faster, more predictable IT projects, R&D executives are investigating PPM initiatives to address similar pain points in the product development process. Unlike . . .

For CIOs

CIOS: Make Innovation Part Of The Enterprise Portfolio

by Bobby Cameron, April 25, 2008

What starts out as an innovative concept, if successful, becomes a budgeted project like any other. CIOs can help ensure the future success and sustainability of their firm's innovation by driving the effort to track and communicate progress in the context . . .

For CIOs

Portfolio Management Solutions: Do I Need One?

by Lewis Cardin, April 22, 2008

CIOs need more effective management of and reporting on their project portfolio. The business community wants transparency into their investment status. IT governance committees pester the PMO for better-quality reporting to support decision-making. Project . . .

For CIOs

SaaS-Based Tools Lower Barriers To PPM Success

Flexibility And Lower Barriers To Entry Enable PPM Across Maturity Levels

by Lewis Cardin, April 10, 2008

As CIOs face pressure to "do more with less," project portfolio management (PPM) — with its promises of productivity and better allocation of precious budget dollars — has surged in popularity. It's no surprise that PPM is moving off of the spreadsheet . . .

For CIOs

Executive Q&A: Level 5 Portfolio Management

by Craig Symons, February 28, 2008

Level 5 portfolio management represents the highest (optimized) level of maturity an IT organization can aspire to. It is characterized by an enterprisewide use of best practices and results in the maximum return on its IT-enabled business change investments. . . .

For CIOs

Serena Brings A Portfolio Focus To The PPM Market

The Forrester Wave™ Vendor Summary, Q4 2007

by Lewis Cardin, December 18, 2007

Serena has established its own distinct position in the project portfolio management (PPM) field. Serena's product is designed for companies that need an uncomplicated yet fully functional PPM solution. The vendor differentiates itself from the pack by . . .