This document discusses balancing customization of project management software with avoiding over-customization. It provides the following key points: 1) Project management software like Primavera Unifier is highly configurable but should be configured to improve processes, not work around them. 2) Over-customizing software can lead to future issues, confusing processes, and wasted time. 3) Processes should be reviewed through a "Lean" lens to simplify and remove excess steps before customizing software. Keeping processes and customizations as simple as possible helps avoid over-customization.

1. REMINDER
Check in on the
COLLABORATE mobile app
Beyond Customization
Prepared by:
Cari Stieglitz, PMP
Program Director, Faithful+Gould
Diana Kennedy
Primavera Architect, Faithful+Gould
Increasing User Adoption with
Unifier’s Functionality
Session ID#:

2. Introductions
■ Cari Stieglitz
■ Diana Kennedy

3. Beyond Customization
■ We are asked to adapt and change with technology at
an exponential rate.

4. Beyond Customization
“According to the experts, the next century looks like an airplane runway
that never ends, with the technology careening faster and faster toward
an unknown terrain. -Nora Isaacs”
Because the IT industry thrives on rapidly changing
technologies. Those who work in IT should embrace change
rather than fight it.

5. Beyond Customization
■ How do you balance the power of the software with the threat
of “over-customization”?

6. Technology Change
■ Primavera Unifier - Enterprise Project Portfolio Management
▪ Highly configurable to “build the tool around the process – not
the process around the tool”
▪ Purpose-built business processes and integrated automation
through workflow, alerts and document management
▪ Provide clients with an ongoing, customized solution which
melds their evolving line of business with best practice.

7. Technology Change
■ Process Change
▪ If Unifier is configured on top of bad processes, don’t blame
Unifier. Use Unifier to perform process analytics and to make
incremental improvements.
▪ •Unifier is not a silver bullet, but it is a tool to be used on the
evolving path to improvement.
“Automating Bad Process Doesn't Make it
Effective!” Simon Moffatt on Oct 28, 2009

8. Technology Change
Business Process Unifier Workflow

9. Technology Change
Over - Customization

10. Technology Change
■ Over – Customizing Leads to:
▪ Future restrictions
▪ Confusing processes
▪ “Muda” or wasted time, waiting, and over-processing

11. Technology Change
Avoid over-customizing by reviewing processes
through a “Lean” lens.

12. Technology Change
■ Translate existing processes into a custom BP with lean form
design.

13. Technology Change
How do I do this?

14. Technology Change

15. Technology Change
■ Remember KISS • Form Numbering
• Workflows vs. Multiple BP’s
• Choose the right BP type
• Remove excess fields
• Think about clear formatting
• Support LEAN processes
• Remove excess workflow steps

16. Technology Change

17. Please complete the session
evaluation
We appreciate your feedback and insight
You may complete the session evaluation either
on paper or online via the mobile app