Project Portfolio Management for Executives in Depth

Onsite Training: Technical and Project Management
  • Course:Project Portfolio Management for Executives in Depth
  • Course ID:PFMEXEC3 Duration:3 days Where: Your Office (7+ Persons)
  • Available as a private, customized course for your group at your offices or ours and in some cases as a WebLive(TM) class.

  • Download Course Description (PDF)

Course Outline

I. Introduction

  • What is PFM?
  • Fundamental PFM concepts
  • Measuring your investment in projects
  • What’s at stake; why PfM matters
  • Portfolio success rests on project success
  • Benefits of a formal approach to PfM

II. PfM Process Overview

  • The PfM process
  • PfM governance structures
  • PfM process groups
  • PfM stakeholders
  • Steps for improving the PfM process

III. Portfolio Definition

  • Portfolio overview
  • Stakeholders & governance
  • Portfolio processes
  • Portfolio definition document
  • Authorization

IV. Project Identification and Categorization

  • Project request; project charter
  • Categorizing projects
  • Project tiers
  • Using the project register

V. Project Evaluation

  • The evaluation team
  • The evaluation process
  • Focusing on business value
  • Evaluating projects for four levels of success
  • Importance of effective estimation practices
  • Selection criteria & scoring
  • Evaluation tools and techniques

VI. Project Selection and Funding

  • Selection and funding guidelines
  • Project selection logic and tools
  • The prioritization process
  • Prioritization tools
  • Authorization and budgeting
  • Project pipeline management

VII. Managing the Portfolio

  • Managing change
  • Portfolio metrics
  • Using gate reviews to drive portfolio updates
  • Rebalancing the portfolio
  • Measuring business value
  • Reporting on portfolio results

VIII. PfM Implementation

  • The PfM implementation program
  • Success factors and risks

IX. PfM Practice Assessment

  • PfM best practices
  • Short practice assessment; are you using formal PfM today?
  • Evaluating results
  • Wrap-up discussion

 

Course Overview

Course in a Nutshell

Project Portfolio Management (PfM) is the primary business function that underlies execution of an organization’s business strategy. Organizations implement strategy through projects, and PfM is the process behind project selection and prioritization, funding, oversight and evaluation. If your projects are not delivering the business value you expect, chances are your PfM process is not working well.

This course is intended for organizations that have an interest in adopting a more formal PfM approach. PfM is a business process of some complexity and with many participants. When PfM is effective, only high value projects are funded and every project is given the resources and oversight it needs to succeed. This course explains the PfM process, level sets expectations, and provides opportunity for the management team to begin development of many of the processes and governance structures they need for successful implementation of formal PfM. Two and three day versions of this course are available.

 

Customize It!

  • Do you have specific problems in the selection, funding and oversight of projects? This course material can be customized to focus on those areas of greatest concern.
  • Would you like to improve your current Project Portfolio Management approach? This course presents a practical approach to implementing formal PfM that can be used by any organization.

 

 

Audience / Prerequisites

Aimed At

Anyone who is considering improvements in their PfM process will find this course to be of special value. This includes CEO, CFO, COO, CIO and other Senior Executives; Functional Managers responsible for multiple projects; managers responsible for project selection and oversight; Portfolio Managers and PMO Directors.

 

Prerequisites

Participants should have some experience with the selection, funding and oversight of projects. This course does not require any special knowledge of project management concepts although a basic understanding is helpful for some of the exercises.

 

Testimonials
  • “Relevant, important, eye opening, and powerful! Awesome content! … [Liked] instructor’s passion and competence. Course text easy to read, clear examples.” – Xerox Research Center of Canada