Keeping PPM Simple

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Keeping PPM Simple

Steve Chamberlin

October 8, 2007






The age-old problem of having more projects than resources to implement them--combined with the more recent focus on better alignment of projects with the strategic goals of the organization--has created an unprecedented interest in project portfolio management methods. However, PPM can place a huge burden on an organization--particularly mid-sized and small organizations--if not done properly. Here is a checklist for how to get the major benefits of PPM while keeping it simple:
 
1. Avoid “Minertia”
What is minertia? It is the tendency we all have to focus on minutia that causes negative inertia. We gather many project details that get plugged into endless spreadsheets and analyzed to death. The result is wasted hours gathering information or tracking details that never really help us make improvements, and more often than not never get used for anything. So, minertia should be avoided. Here are some ways to avoid PPM minertia: 
  • Don’t collect too much data. The 80/20 rule applies to data collection.



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