With new technologies emerging every day and market disruptors creating unexploited niches in the marketplace, change has become the inevitable new norm. While embracing change can be good for corporation, it can often be difficult for the PMO. Transformations require funding and manpower that aren’t always supported by the enterprise as a whole. If you approach innovation proactively and methodically, though, then change can be managed.

Why is Change Needed?

The need for change within an enterprise can typically be classified one of two ways:

  1. Change to thrive; or
  2. Change to survive.

If you aren’t actively trying to do one or the other in today’s business environment, then you might as well close your doors. Just to keep up with the competition, you must employ new technologies, enhance customer service experiences, and search for ways to increase profitability – constantly.

What is Change Management?

The term “change management” (CM) has been around for decades. It is the structured way that your organization handles the preparation and implementation of changes throughout your enterprise. For Project Portfolio Management (PPM) purposes, CM can refer to alterations within a single project or the entire PMO – from the change’s initial introduction to its application.

Why is Change Management Important?

A solid CM process is crucial for effective PPM. Much like Newton’s first law of motion, “Every object persists in its state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line unless it is compelled to change that state by forces impressed on it.” CM is the force that compels change within your PMO. Without it, you’ll be blocked by inhibitors every step of the way.

What hinders change?

  • Culture – Whether it’s a fear of the unknown or poor leadership, many company cultures work really hard to maintain the status quo.
  • Time – Change can’t happen overnight. Many organizations are simply too impatient to see a transformation through to the end.
  • Cost – With time, comes money. Depending on the magnitude and scope of the change needed, resources may have to be channeled from other areas.
  • Communication – Messaging is critical. If everyone isn’t on the same page, the process will be incomplete.
  • Technology – If your systems are outdated or too complicated, employees will feel that they don’t have the tools necessary to change.

Ways to Infuse Change Management into Your PMO

CM and PPM have a common goal: project success. They naturally want to work together to streamline your efforts and deliver on initiatives.

To incorporate a sound CM process into your PPM, you have to:

  1. Focus on the people. Employees – from decision-makers to team members – have to “buy in” before anything is going to transform. Part of your CM structure must involve influencing the people who will administer the change.
  2. Adopt a framework. Standardization is important for PMOs. If you have a PPM tool in place that allows for uniformity across projects, it will be easier to implement a change across the entire portfolio.
  3. Think about the trade-offs. Although most changes require time and resources, the long-term impact on the organization must be considered. Will adjustments today pay big dividends in the future?
  4. Establish visibility. By providing visibility into the PMO, you can engage enterprise leaders and maintain consistent messaging.
  5. Find the right technology. The proper solution for your company will allow you to govern both CM and PPM together, within one program.

Hammerhead Enables Seamless CM Integration

If you are looking for a platform that will support a perfect union between CM and PPM, Projility’s Hammerhead solutions may be the answer you’ve been looking for. Hammerhead leverages the power of Microsoft Project Online and Project Server via real-time, role-based, flexible dashboards and a dynamic reporting framework. It is a solution that can be tailored to your enterprise’s needs while providing essential project insight and visibility. It promotes communication within project groups, making it a tool that facilitates change by understanding the importance of processes and people within the PMO.

Change doesn’t have to be difficult.  By approaching change proactively and methodically and making it part of your daily PPM routine, you will see how transformation can become part of your PMO’s culture.

Is your PMO ready for a disruption?

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.