Business Intelligence (BI) is a popular topic in the business world – especially within the Project Management Office (PMO). Organizations are constantly looking for ways to pull together information and analyze it. Data can show an enterprise where it has been, but its real power lies in the ability to predict where it is going. BI doesn’t come easy, though; everyone must believe in its benefits in order to achieve success.
You Can’t Manage Anything Without Intelligence
Within many PMOs, the focus relies too heavily on management. Projects have set structures for easier governance, but data is collected and evaluated as each individual project sees fit. This strategy creates an information void – so to speak – for the organization. Data cannot be compared apples to apples, so it is essentially meaningless.
PMOs need both management and intelligence to succeed. BI brings intelligence into the picture via procedures and tactics that are designed to aggregate apples-to-apples information. Once data is in one place, observations can be reported and assessed – giving the PMO the critical ability to adjust operations and align itself with business goals.
How to Become a Data-Driven PMO
While BI sounds attractive, it cannot be realized overnight. Processes must be defined and standardized, and a culture must be established that understands and appreciates the value of good data. To attain that culture, every employee must become a stakeholder during the transition – starting at the top.
A data-driven PMO has five core beliefs:
- Data is for everyone, everywhere in the enterprise. Information is not reserved for senior management, statisticians, and analysts; it adds meaning to every department and position.
- Standardized data is valuable data. When every project tracks the same metrics, information becomes exponentially more powerful.
- Data is the key to improving performance. Information provides transparency across the entire PMO, including insight into budget and resource allocation.
- Data must be shared throughout all organizational levels. Collaboration drives progress, empowering everyone to be more productive and innovative.
- All decisions should be data-driven. Decisions, such as project prioritization, resource management, and budget distribution, should be based on facts – not feelings.
BI Tools to Expedite Adoption
The process of developing a data-driven PMO culture can take years, but there are robust solutions available that can speed up the process. Power BI with Microsoft Project Online provides analytic tools that can connect hundreds of data sources. It offers ad-hoc analysis with a unique, 360-degree view of business operations. And for even faster adoption, Projility’s Hammerhead BI integrates with Power BI and Project Online to bring pre-configured dashboards and reports to the table. It enhances analytics with a pre-defined data model and is extensible into Hammerhead Projects for users who need a data warehouse for all their Project Online data.
With Power BI, Project Online, and Hammerhead BI, PMOs can leverage data more efficiently, with easy-to-navigate dashboards. Team members can see the value of standardized practices and metrics, and buy into the real benefits of BI – visibility and insight. A PMO culture that appreciates the power of data can use it to propel growth and secure success.
Is your PMO data-driven?
Projility provides expert solutions for effective change. We offer enterprise portfolio and project management solutions based on Microsoft Project Server and Project Online, with tailored dashboard reporting, analytics, and decision-making tools via our Hammerhead technology. Projility also implements professional services automation systems established on Microsoft Dynamics CRM Project Service, and presents cloud-based strategies, migrations, and hosting solutions through Microsoft Azure. Contact us for more information.
