Project Portfolio Management (PPM): From Theory to Execution

Excerpt from the full white paper on the role of the PMO and project management in the IT department

The PMO plays a central role within an IT department—and often extends beyond it. As the key figure responsible for managing the project portfolio, the PMO sets the pace for programs or projects that are sometimes critical to an organization’s development or transformation. Its role is often complex, either because it is highly visible—particularly in mature companies that have adopted a project management culture and are undergoing transformation—or, conversely, because it must “fight” to establish and implement a vision for project portfolio management (PPM) and project management.

At Abraxio, as former CIOs and PMO leaders, we are convinced that the project portfolio approach within the IT department can—and must—be transformed to offer a single, comprehensive project portfolio solution that engages all stakeholders by addressing each of their needs. That’s why we developed Abraxio, the only tool that brings together the four components of IT department management—budgets, projects, teams, and vendors—within a single, dedicated platform, enabling more effective management, oversight, and communication of the project portfolio across all relevant dimensions.

To share our experience—enriched by our daily interactions with dozens of stakeholders (PMOs and IT departments)—we are providing you with a collection of practical guides. These guides bring together methodological advice, best practices, and real-world case studies to facilitate project portfolio management (PPM) within the IT department.

In this second guide, we address the central issue of the project portfolio and the key points for successful project portfolio management.

Because to make the right decisions, ensure that ongoing projects are aligned with the company’s business realities, prioritize among the many requests that come in on an ongoing basis, ensure the capacity to execute, allocate the right resources at the right time, and optimize… The only relevant tool—capable of providing a comprehensive, consolidated, and standardized view of activities—is the project portfolio.

We hope this guide will be useful to all PMOs, those who aspire to become PMOs, and, more broadly, everyone who works with them, both within and outside the IT department. Feel free to check out our other Resources on our website.

Supporting materials: diagrams, expert advice, testimonials from CIOs …

We hope this content will help you manage your Projects.