The document discusses CA Clarity PPM, a project portfolio management solution. It describes how Clarity PPM helps organizations align IT initiatives with business goals, offers analytical insights into project portfolios, and facilitates real-time monitoring of project progress. The document also provides an overview of Advanced Software Systems, Inc. (ASSYST) and the services it offers for implementing and customizing Clarity PPM solutions.

1. The One Point Source
Advanced Software Systems, Inc. Maturity Level 3
An Employee Owned Company
Capability Document PPM Solution: Bridging the Gap between IT Initiatives and Business Goals
Introduction
Factors like economic globalization, intense competition in the market place, and an increasingly
finicky and fickle customer base that has instant access to multiple alternative options, have led to
Why CA Clarity PPM?
businesses relying more on Information Technology to gain strategic advantage. Given such a
• Gartner PPM MQ Leader – 6 years scenario, failure of IT initiatives in meeting corporate priorities can lead to disastrous
in a row (2002 – 2007) consequences. Uncertainty about the success and outcome of IT enabled projects puts
organizations in a serious predicament that could lead to stalling of business opportunities and
• Among top 3 according to IDC PPM
resultant loss of revenue.
Market Share Report (2007)
Most companies ascribe failure of IT initiatives to the lack of efficient IT governance. A well-
• Over 10 years of PPM domain
defined IT governance process can infuse predictability, precision and clarity into IT initiatives,
knowledge and thought-leadership optimize resource utilization and improve financial planning. Gaining measurable value from IT
investments today demands an organized and standardized Project Portfolio Management (PPM)
approach. CA’s Clarity™ PPM system is rightly acknowledged as the most reliable solution for
ensuring the attainment of envisaged business objectives from IT projects.
As an effective IT governance framework, Clarity PPM eliminates the risk of failure and ensures
the successful completion of projects within the stipulated budget and timeframe. Clarity PPM
efficiently supports IT governance within organizations with its highly evolved functionality
modules for project and resource management, portfolio and demand management, budget and cost
controls, and risk analysis. Clarity PPM appropriately customized by ASSYST for varied business
verticals, offers top-down information on the progress of projects, including high-end overview
for executives and drilled-down details for managers.
CA Clarity Project Portfolio Management System
Clarity PPM Highlights An ideal solution for ensuring the success of IT initiatives within an organization, Clarity PPM
• Helps organizations align IT incorporates strong capabilities for resource planning and financial management, enabling real
initiatives and resources in line with time portfolio analysis. Besides strong IT Governance, Clarity PPM offers excellent support to
corporate goals New Product Development, Professional Resources Automation and Enterprise Project
Management Office. Recognized by Gartner and Forrester as a leading solution for portfolio,
• Offers analytical insight into entire project, resource, process, finance and demand management, Clarity PPM meets corporate
project portfolio priorities and enables proper management of IT initiatives. With extended project visibility, what-
• Helps executives and managers to if scenarios, and cost and risk controls, Clarity PPM maximizes productivity and performance.
quantify the amount of revenue Clarity PPM has a modular structure that integrates seamlessly to enable judicious IT governance
spent on individual projects and management of incoming demand, projects, and resources to ensure the highest potential
• Facilitates real time monitoring of return from an IT initiative. Clarity PPM is created in Web services architecture, and its modular
project progress structure allows phased implementations as small as 50 users focused or as big as 100,000 users
focused.
• Helps in making better informed
decisions, and in identifying Clarity PPM Modules
opportunities for asset reuse The CA Clarity PPM solution comprises of a set of modules that include Project Portfolio
• Ensures the establishment of Manager, Resource Manager, Demand Manager, Project Financial Manager, etc., which facilitate
consistent processes across projects real-time performance analysis and comparison. These modules act as the tools for managing
investments, resource capacity and demand and to monitor the progress of an organization’s IT
• Provides tools to predict project enabled business projects. Some of the main modules of the Clarity PPM System are briefly
outcomes, and identify inter-project described below:
dependencies
Project Portfolio Manager: This module offers the tools needed for aligning project investments
with corporate goals for achieving the highest return on the use of resources. Using the features in
this module, organizations can maintain a structured environment, which is vital for establishing
portfolio criteria, developing plans and what-if scenarios and communicating strategic decisions to
stakeholders. Having extensive performance analysis and scorecard features, CA Clarity Project
Portfolio Manager offers reliable insight into the true costs and benefits of strategic projects, and
provides access to real time data to continually improve investment performance and decision
©Advanced Software Systems, Inc.
All Rights Reserved. making.
Advanced Software Systems Inc. ♦ 22866 Shaw Road, Sterling, VA 20166 ♦ Phone: 703-230-3100 ♦Fax: 703-230-0640
marketing@assyst.net ♦ www.assyst.net

2. The One Point Source
Advanced Software Systems, Inc. Maturity Level 3
An Employee Owned Company
Resource Manager: Deploying the right professionals in the right teams at the right time is the
CA Clarity PPM Benefits most effective way to enhance productivity and performance within an organization. CA Clarity
Resource Manager provides sophisticated yet easy to use tools for understanding and assessing the
• Monitors project progress
skill sets of individuals, tracking their development, experience and interest, and for managing the
• Provides access to detailed data and entire process of resource requisitioning, searching and staff assignments.
information
Demand Manager: This module connects an IT organization’s services to project functions. With
• Detects redundant and overlapping the use of complex and highly evolved tools, CA Clarity Demand Manager offers organizations a
functions single window view through which all demand can be assessed and managed. The Demand
Manager module will help organizations in improving the allocation of resources, systematically
• Optimizes resource and services collecting and evaluating ideas, effectively managing unplanned work, and in understanding and
• Helps develop better project managing the cost of Demand.
strategies Project Financial Manager: This module offers a complete solution for managing the costs and
• Ensures better financial revenues associated with critical projects. CA Clarity Project Financial Manager provides the tools
management needed to accurately capture expenditures, access historic information and to generate a wide range
of financial reports. It provides organizations with reliable foresight to manage costs, and ensures
• Adds value to business the optimal utilization of allocated budgets.
• Supports organization goals CA Clarity PPM System
• Improves IT performance
Solutions
• CA Clarity Certified Resources IT New Product Professional Enterprise PMO
Governance Developments Services Automation
PPM Modules
ASSYST’s Clarity PPM Services Project
Portfolio Manager
• Offers Consultancy Services on
effective implementation and Project Resource Demand Project
Manager Manager Manager Financial Manager
deployment
• Implements and customizes Clarity Plarform
PPM solutions
Clarity Studio Process Manager
• Offers CA Clarity PPM solution in
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) format G2000
Architecture
• Develops custom features to
supplement functionalities of
existing Clarity PPM solution
CA Clarity PPM Features
• Develops interfaces with other • Brings visibility, transparency, accountability and measurement to IT enabled business
systems like SAP, PeopleSoft, projects
Oracle, etc.
• Meets broader business objectives and aligns IT investments with corporate priorities
• Migrates from existing or older • Enables access to detailed data that helps to meet Sarbanes Oxley Act compliance
versions (Niku) to Clarity 8 requirements
• Conducts performance tuning of • Improves IT governance, enhancing project performance
existing Clarity PPM installations • Allows real time monitoring of project progress at each level
• Offers customized Clarity PPM • Provides effective cost control and risk management, ensuring lower cost of ownership
training for end-users. • Improves decision-making and helps more judicious allocation of resources
• Integration with third party Clarity PPM @ ASSYST –A Standardized Approach
applications According to research done by the Center for Business Practices, organizations are only
moderately satisfied with their existing PPM solutions. Reasons cited include limited pertinence of
existing solutions and inadequate customization. Vendors doing the implementation must have a
thorough knowledge of the tool’s capacity, its technical architecture, and the functional needs and
©Advanced Software Systems, Inc. business requirements of the organization, to ensure success. ASSYST has a team of Clarity trained
All Rights Reserved. and certified resources to help organizations align PPM implementation with business goals.
Advanced Software Systems Inc. ♦ 22866 Shaw Road, Sterling, VA 20166 ♦ Phone: 703-230-3100 ♦Fax: 703-230-0640
marketing@assyst.net ♦ www.assyst.net

3. The One Point Source
Advanced Software Systems, Inc. Maturity Level 3
An Employee Owned Company
ASSYST’s Clarity PPM implementation staff ensures data integrity and accuracy across disparate
The ASSYST Advantage systems and back office applications, anticipating problems before they can occur. They perform
the necessary data conversion to enable the Clarity PPM system to pull the required information
• Competitive pricing
from existing systems. They create various formats for the reports to be generated from the PPM
• Simple engagement model system. They help in adding new PPM modules when such additions are found desirable. And they
provide customized training to project managers and other end users to help them elicit the best out
• Skilled resource pool with cross of the system.
platform expertise
ASSYST’s approach helps organizations have a stable PPM process in place, and to derive real
• Allows frequent technology refresh value from it. By putting ASSYST on the job of implementing Clarity PPM, organizations can
and increased knowledge transfer increase productivity, enhance return on investment, improve service execution and ensure
• Enhances process efficiencies and reliability. ASSYST’s methodology for implementing, supporting, and upgrading Clarity PPM is
improves quality by leveraging based on industry best practices and on our own years of experience in Project and Portfolio
CMMI practice Management. ASSYST offers measurable benefits to its clients by way of increased productivity,
faster completion of IT initiatives, reduced risk of failure and lower workload on in-house teams.
• Allows rapid deployment of new Moreover, ASSYST’s onshore-offshore service delivery model brings in great benefits to its clients
applications by offering them the best of both worlds – cost reduction and value addition.
• Frees internal resources to focus on By implementing Clarity PPM, ASSYST establishes a single and comprehensive source for all
core activities project related information, while also putting in place a robust and reliable tool to carry out
multiple project management tasks with ease, speed and efficiency. The customized solution caters
to the need for information across an organization’s hierarchy – be it an overview of organizational
IT initiatives for the CEO or detailed information on specific projects for a Project Manager.
ASSYST’s Clarity PPM Services
ASSYST’s Highlights ASSYST’s portfolio of Clarity PPM services includes the following:
• Headquartered in Northern VA • Customized implementation of Clarity PPM solutions in accordance with the distinct
• Established in 1993
business needs of organizations
• Migration from existing or older versions of Clarity (Niku) to Clarity 8.1
• An Employee Owned Company
• Upgrading of Clarity 7.5.3 for four different environments: Development, SIT, UAT and
• Assessed at CMMI Level 3 Production.
• Global provider of information • Post-upgrade maintenance support to ensure improved performance
technology services • Performance tuning of already implemented Clarity PPM installations, including
• Strong market reputation for timely adaptation and optimization
delivery and service quality • Consultancy services on effective implementation and deployment of Clarity PPM
assessing pros and cons
• Adherence to proven
methodologies, standards and • Integration of Clarity with third party applications using XML Open Gateway
processes • Allocation of highly skilled resources on and offsite for effective implementation of the solution
• Deep industry and process • Providing Clarity PPM in Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) format, allowing clients to use
knowledge the solution as a hosted service that they rent out on a per-month / per-user rental basis
• Competent, highly skilled workforce • Developing custom features to supplement functionalities of installed PPM solution
• Developing Clarity PPM interfaces with other systems like SAP, PeopleSoft, Oracle
• Flexible engagement models
• Data migration and conversion from existing systems to Clarity and facilitating
• Comprehensive project management Customized Reporting using Business Objects and Actuate®
and quality assurance procedures
• Customized Clarity PPM training for end-users, enabling organizations to get specialized
• Robust IT infrastructure knowledge about their Clarity installation
About ASSYST
ASSYST is a CMMI Level 3 global information technology services company with an enterprise-
wide focus on quality, and a deep commitment to continuous process improvement, that enhances
the value of its clients' IT investments and facilitates the alignment of their internal information
technology with their overall business.
©Advanced Software Systems, Inc. CA Clarity™ is a registered trademark of Computer Associates.
All Rights Reserved. All other trade names mentioned are trademarks of the respective organizations.
Advanced Software Systems Inc. ♦ 22866 Shaw Road, Sterling, VA 20166 ♦ Phone: 703-230-3100 ♦Fax: 703-230-0640
marketing@assyst.net ♦ www.assyst.net

4. The One Point Source
Advanced Software Systems, Inc. Maturity Level 3
An Employee Owned Company
Clarity Case Study
Background
Customer Profile Customer was having a large PMO and faced challenges to in the areas of Project and program
• Leading Mid Atlantic Health time management (deliverable activity timelines, projects, tasks, assignment, etc.), Project resource
Insurance Provider management (allocation of project personnel using a resource profile repository, resource loading,
leveling, overhead, etc.) and Cost management (tracks project resource costs, facilities,
• Ongoing 18 Month billing/chargeback, etc.). Objectives of this project was also to support industry best practices in
Implementation for approximately the areas of Timekeeping, Enterprise Project Management and Enterprise Portfolio Management.
1500 Users Customer evaluated various Project Portfolio Management solutions available in the market and
finally decided to adopt Clarity Project Portfolio Management. Customer chose ASSYST to
• IT Organization consists of 450+ support Implementation of the solution. C
employees, consultants and on &
off shore resources Solution Delivered :
• Clarity 8.1 PPM Enterprise Program and Portfolio Management Solution (EPPMS)
Customer has identified CA Clarity as the tool that will support industry best practices in the areas
• Integration with PeopleSoft and of Timekeeping, Project Management and Portfolio Management. Clarity is being implemented to
Beeline Vendor Management meet these requirements, and to provide integration with other information systems (e.g., Oracle
System Financials, Beeline, and PeopleSoft). ASSYST is responsible for the enterprise wide
implementation of the tool. EPPMS objectives include, Project and Program time management
(deliverable activity timelines, projects, tasks, assignment, etc.), Project resource management
(allocation of project personnel using a resource profile repository, resource loading, leveling,
overhead, etc.) and Cost management (tracks project resource costs, facilities, billing/chargeback,
etc.)
EPPMS is being realized by implementing Clarity over multiple phases. The scope of Phase I is to
define and deploy resources and programs/projects in Clarity to initiate, define, and actively
manage program/project progress via scheduling and progress tracking. This phase also initiated
the building blocks of with automated interface for resource and skill loading from PeopleSoft.
ASSYST has successfully completed deployment of Project Management, Resource Management
and PPM modules. Project is currently on Phase II and ASSYST is responsible for Integration of
Clarity to existing Customer systems and deployment of Demand Manager. Phase III of the project
would entail implementation of IT Financial Management, IT Portfolio Management and Business
Relationship Management. ASSYST is providing Project management and leadership for Fit Gap
Analysis and requirement gathering Technical Architecture. The major responsibilities for
ASSYST team include:
• Provide program leadership for the project
• Development of detailed project workplan
• Conduct analysis of requirements
• Supervise and assist business requirement mapping and prototyping
• Produce solution definition
• Assist with test case preparation and execution
• Assessment and design of interfaces (e.g. PeopleSoft, Beeline)
• EPPMS Architectural Design
• Installation of Clarity, accelerator and fixed packs
• Cleansing and loading of project schedules
• Assist configuration and branding of the application to meet business need
• Build knowledge transfer process
• On-site education and knowledge transfer
Clarity Project and Portfolio Management for Model Office
ASSYST is supporting the Clarity 8.1 Implementation for Model Office initiated by Customer
PMO. Assyst is providing leadership to develop a Project Management Plan that defines the
anticipated tasks and establishes the expected timeframe for completion. Assyst is involving with
identifying key managers and staff responsible for administering, managing and maintaining the
Customer’s interim PPM environment and processes. One of tasks carried out for this Model
Office Clarity implementation was setting up of the Hosted environment and manage access.
Advanced Software Systems Inc. ♦ 22866 Shaw Road, Sterling, VA 20166 ♦ Phone: 703-230-3100 ♦Fax: 703-230-0640
marketing@assyst.net ♦ www.assyst.net

5. The One Point Source
Advanced Software Systems, Inc. Maturity Level 3
An Employee Owned Company
ASSYST is tasked with Solution Configuration support for this project. Assyst conducted detailed
Fit Gap analysis and mapped Customer’s program management processes to Clarity.
The tasks that were successfully executed include loading of Project Schedules into Clarity along
with all client resources loaded into Clarity. ASSYST has developed scripts to automate the
process of loading resources and roles data from PeopleSoft and Beeline. All project budgets
loaded and reconciled into Clarity. All client business units organized in Clarity along with project
schedules check-in as initial baseline. Assyst is implementing Resource Manager and Project
Manager Modules using Customer project and resource data. Assyst is currently performing
responsibilities including, Installation Backup & Configuration Documentation Migration Plan,
Conversion of Data and System and user testing.
The major responsibilities for ASSYST team include:
• Provide program leadership for the project
• Provide hosted Clarity environment
• Development of detailed project work plan
• Analyze and document current process and user requirements
• Develop and document new business processes and procedures
• Supervise and assist business requirement mapping and prototyping
• Cleansing and loading of project schedules
• Assist with test case preparation and execution
• Loading of resource and role data from PeopleSoft and Beeline
• Assist configuration and branding of the application to meet business need
• Build knowledge transfer process
• Building custom reports and using Business Objects/Crystal and Actuate
• On-site education and knowledge transfer
Solution Benefits:
• Created a single virtual resource pool
• Improved on-time, on-budget, on-plan delivery
• Defined and achieved PMO targets for resource and project allocation
• Centralized demand management
• Resource allocation and capacity planning
• Consistent portfolio management processes across lines of business
Advanced Software Systems Inc. ♦ 22866 Shaw Road, Sterling, VA 20166 ♦ Phone: 703-230-3100 ♦Fax: 703-230-0640
marketing@assyst.net ♦ www.assyst.net