10 challenges in adopting project portfolio management

Portfolio administration is an method utilized by organizations to centralize the methodologies, processes, and strategies utilized by their challenge administration groups and create shared enterprise-wide challenge administration.

Central PPM Administration of the various tasks Advantages to the establishmenttogether with making higher choices on evaluating and prioritizing proposed tasks, improved visibility into the standing of all tasks throughout the group and quicker supply of in the end probably the most worthwhile tasks.

Prime challenges for profitable PPM adoption

Given these advantages, it’s not shocking that analysis signifies elevated funding within the PPM main. In line with analysis from SkyQuesta market intelligence firm, the PPM market dimension was $6.3 billion in 2021 however is anticipated to achieve $11.4 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 11.37% over that point interval.

Nevertheless, a centralized method to challenge administration is troublesome to implement, and lots of organizations battle to implement PPM, in line with Karen Willow, senior sourcing advisor at administration consulting agency Swingtide.

Listed below are 10 challenges that would flip the PPM initiative the wrong way up.

Headshot of Sameer Dat, Global Leader, Technology Strategy and Operations, ProtivitySameer Dat

1. Lack of a well-defined or universally agreed-upon technique

Implementing and working a PPM requires a imaginative and prescient of what this method will do to your group and figuring out the instruments and applied sciences wanted to allow that imaginative and prescient, mentioned Samir Datt, international head of know-how and operations technique at international consulting agency Protiviti.

However as an alternative of defining the very best methodologies, processes and PPM software program To undertake them going ahead, group leaders usually flip to “the loudest voice or an important particular person within the room, and that will or might not be acceptable,” Datt mentioned.

2. There aren’t any particular targets and goals

Creating a imaginative and prescient is vital, however PPM adoption may falter if that imaginative and prescient is simply too broad and lacks particular achievable targets, mentioned Bob Dotel, chief business officer at UST, a digital transformation companies agency.

Head shot by Bob Dutel, chief commercial officer, USTBob Dotel

Dutile mentioned organizations that outline and articulate what they need to get from PPM certification are in a greater place to create and implement a administration program that meets their wants.

“You have to be clear about what you need to get out of managing your portfolio,” he mentioned. “In case you simply need higher reporting — and there is nothing flawed with simply eager to report clearly — give attention to that.” Or, whether it is about managing a constraint like expertise, the main focus ought to be on investing first in processes and instruments that handle that downside.

Header shot of Karen Willow, Senior Sourcing Consultant, SwingtideKaren Willow

3. Lack of ability to activate and scale

Creating a imaginative and prescient to centralize tasks inside a portfolio and managing them from the central platform of PPM is a begin. As troublesome as that could be, Karen Willow, senior sourcing advisor at administration consulting agency Swingtide, mentioned placing that imaginative and prescient into motion after which scaling it up — that’s, offering the sources to make it occur — is simply as large if not. The largest problem for the profitable adoption of PPM.

4. Lack of sources for the PPM initiative

On a associated notice, the challenge specialists additionally cited the shortage of enough funding for challenge administration approval and implementation as one of many main challenges. In fact, organizations shouldn’t spend limitless {dollars} on this endeavor, however they need to be practical about how a lot they should spend to realize their targets after which decide to the required {dollars}.

You have to be clear about what you need to get out of managing your portfolio. In case you simply need higher reporting—and there is nothing flawed with eager to report clearly—give attention to that.

Bob DotelChief Industrial Officer, UST

5. Lack of govt help

Creating and implementing a imaginative and prescient for PPM in addition to defining required insurance policies, procedures and instruments are vital undertakings.

They want govt help to succeed, mentioned Datt, explaining that executives should ship the message that challenge managers and challenge groups are anticipated to work inside the PPM operate and observe the requirements and governance it defines.

Such help brings your entire group on board; The shortage of it might tempt some challenge managers to observe their very own paths.

6. Not doing every little thing

Some organizations battle when adopting PPM as a result of they fail to completely implement and implement the governance, methodologies, requirements, and applied sciences wanted for fulfillment.

“We see a number of half-baked functions,” Datt mentioned.

To keep away from this, Datt mentioned PPM leaders ought to give attention to networking and coaching challenge managers to make sure all of them perceive and are expert within the strategies, processes, and software program that PPM units as requirements for the group.

7. Failure to resolve on the extent to which challenge administration is centralized

PPM does centralize some parts, similar to governance, however it additionally permits particular person groups to make their very own choices on some issues.

What to centralize and what to go away decentralized ought to be a strategic resolution, Willow mentioned, not one thing left to likelihood.

Organizations that do not take motion and resolve which parts can be central and which elements will not usually trigger confusion that limits the returns they see on their PPM efforts.

8. The opposition

Some challenge administration leaders may have vocal opposition to adopting PPM.

“Individuals aren’t all the time keen to place in PPM,” Willow mentioned. Some oppose the transfer as a result of “it implies that those that run rogues or those that do issues in a different way from one division to a different will now see this centralized with guidelines, strategies, and instruments that could be completely different from what they need.”

PPM supporters ought to have a technique to counter such opposition, and construct on issues like the administration of change (See Problem #9) and govt help for partaking opponents.

9. There isn’t a change administration element

Like all different organizational adjustments, the adoption of challenge portfolio administration implies that some staff should work in new methods. As such, Datt mentioned it’s crucial that challenge administration leaders implement a change administration technique to get everybody able to work the brand new means.

Actually, skipping the change administration element might result in a transition to PPM, as staff usually do not navigate the brand new methods of engaged on their very own.

10. The immaturity of the PPM operate

The PPM is just not a set-it-and-forget-it train.

Somewhat, it requires dedication Steady enchancment.

Specialists mentioned that organizations with a well-functioning PPM software program not solely enhance how particular person tasks are run, they develop into extra environment friendly at managing your entire challenge portfolio. They do that by specializing in steady enchancment workouts, similar to searching for alternatives to automate processes and making use of classes discovered.

“You must get some fundamental capabilities after which give attention to bettering over time,” mentioned Datt. “You must give it some thought when it comes to maturity.” “It sounds cliché, however ‘it is a journey’ applies right here. Have a roadmap of short-term advantages which you could validate, join, and notice. And decide to transferring ahead.”

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