tips to manage project portfolio management (ppm) processes

2.  Methodologies are static and quickly become out of date.
 Focus on PPM processes and best practices that are scalable
to project type and size and answer not just the "what is to be
done", but the "who, when, where, how, and why" of the work
effort as well.

3.  Though PPM tools provide some collaboration features, most
organizations seek to use the existing enterprise collaboration platform
rather than placing project files and folders in an additional repository.
 Processes, tools, and collaboration work together and are each required
to effectively manage projects and continually improve the organization.

4.  Processes that provide workflows scalable to project type and size
enable the project team to effectively execute a wide variety of projects
without being burdened by too much bureaucracy.
 PMO processes can provide the structure, guidance, and flexibility to
truly help, not create additional work for, the project manager and
project participants.

5.  People oriented processes serve specific purposes, ensure efficiency and
consistency, and tend to become "roadmaps" for continuous
improvement and knowledge sharing.

6.  PPM processes and best practices that have process owners or "care-takers"
are continually improved upon by reviewing and applying lessons learned
feedback and process improvement suggestions.
 Hence, process owners help drive continuous improvement and
institutionalization of the PPM processes and best practice
knowledge, skill, and execution capabilities.

7.  Don't wait until there is a problem to review the processes and best
practices of the PMO or project portfolio managing organization.
 Establish process owners and delegate to them the duty of periodic
assessment of their assigned processes and best practices.
 Encourage them to proactively find ways to streamline and improve
existing processes and to identify new processes and best practices that
could be of value to the organization.

8.  Rather than experiencing the same difficulty over and over again,
recognition and incentives for process improvement encourage and reward
project team members to get involved.
 The end results are not just lessons learned documents, but practical
improvement suggestions to streamline processes, improve best practices,
and eliminate defects and waste. As Edward Deming put it, "Fix the process
and you fix the problem."

9.  A clear understanding of the "as-is" state enables the team to discuss
and debate what works well, what needs improving, and to agree upon
actionable process improvement suggestions.

10.  Some PMOs establish project management and a portfolio management
processes aligned to the latest industry standards and are disappointed to
find out that they are not being effectively used throughout the
organization.
 In managing the project portfolio management processes of the
PMO, recognize that applied processes must extend far beyond just the
knowledge standards.

11.  In addition to the methodology, processes and policies need to be put in
place for such things as where specifically to store project
documents, when project status reports are due, how and when project
data is to be entered into the PPM tool, how and when complex and
situational techniques as Earned Value Management (EVM) and Monte
Carlo Risk Analysis are to be employed, who is involved in the review and
decision process, and how and when are the various PPM meetings and
reviews conducted.
 Ensure that your PPM processes provide not just the “what” of the
“what is to be done,” but also the practical context and specifics of the
“Who, When, Where, How, and Why.”