Provides an overview of the problems Finance professionals face, the solution Host Analytics provides, and why the cloud provides the best delivery model and support for future growth.
Business Improvement initiatives are getting a lot of press these days: “..our projects saved over $10M in the first 12 months of deployment using BPM” . It seems logical for an organization to jump onto the process improvement bandwagon. Much is promised of business improvement efforts, and there are many capable consultants and companies willing to support a company’s BPM deployment that can last months to years. But how does an organization know that the business improvement efforts will really result in a quantifiable benefit to the business? Process improvement initiatives are not inexpensive to start or sustain over many years, and most executives require the clear identification of benefits to justify the expenditure of training resources and driving project work before approving a long-term initiative.
Enterprise IT Governance if properly supported eventually becomes embedded in the culture and
decision making process. The larger and more diverse the enterprise, the slower the evolutionary
process becomes. Digité Enterprise helps maintain a shared vision by allowing talent, skills
and knowledge to collaborate to achieve common goal, share ownership, and foster collective
communication with complete focus on the results.
Joint UNDP-UNESCAP Initiative: CapacityDevelopment of Local Governments in ...Oswar Mungkasa
Public-Private Partnerships for Service Delivery (PPPSD) Facility of the UNDP
UNESCAP Workshop on Knowledge Transfer & Capacity
Building for Water & Sanitation Services in Asia & the Pacific
17 – 19 February 2009, Bangkok, Thailand
Provides an overview of the problems Finance professionals face, the solution Host Analytics provides, and why the cloud provides the best delivery model and support for future growth.
Business Improvement initiatives are getting a lot of press these days: “..our projects saved over $10M in the first 12 months of deployment using BPM” . It seems logical for an organization to jump onto the process improvement bandwagon. Much is promised of business improvement efforts, and there are many capable consultants and companies willing to support a company’s BPM deployment that can last months to years. But how does an organization know that the business improvement efforts will really result in a quantifiable benefit to the business? Process improvement initiatives are not inexpensive to start or sustain over many years, and most executives require the clear identification of benefits to justify the expenditure of training resources and driving project work before approving a long-term initiative.
Enterprise IT Governance if properly supported eventually becomes embedded in the culture and
decision making process. The larger and more diverse the enterprise, the slower the evolutionary
process becomes. Digité Enterprise helps maintain a shared vision by allowing talent, skills
and knowledge to collaborate to achieve common goal, share ownership, and foster collective
communication with complete focus on the results.
Joint UNDP-UNESCAP Initiative: CapacityDevelopment of Local Governments in ...Oswar Mungkasa
Public-Private Partnerships for Service Delivery (PPPSD) Facility of the UNDP
UNESCAP Workshop on Knowledge Transfer & Capacity
Building for Water & Sanitation Services in Asia & the Pacific
17 – 19 February 2009, Bangkok, Thailand
High-performing organizations achieve results by utilizing portfolio management to select the right projects at the right time with the right resources based on a data-driven selection methodology. Portfolio management adds value to an organization’s bottom line by optimizing the organization’s capacity and capabilities to meet the demands of an ever changing market and technology trends. It does this by providing insight and global visibility of the organizations approved set of strategic criteria against a backdrop of organizational constraints. This presentation provides a few of the value creation processes that implementing a best in class portfolio management solution can provide to your organization.
To learn more: http://developingaculturethatworks.com/
The above article was published in the February 2008 edition of FEDTECH Magazine. It provides a historic context regarding governing organizations, and identifies IT governance as a critical element in the Federal CIOs' "must master" tool bag. The article is one in the series I write entitled "The Business of IT."
Research Paper on Project Management and IT Governanceguest7db01d
This is a short research paper on Project Management and Governance which I wrote as part of my course work on Project Management. This is a preliminary paper and was not published.
The Business of IT - Managing Performance by Setting StrategyPaul Wohlleben
The above article was published in the September 2004 edition of FEDTECH Magazine. It provides my thoughts on the use of strategy to establish performance goals and measures that are aligned to mission. The article is one in the series I write entitled "The Business of IT."
A Comprehensive Approach to Application Portfolio RationalizationCognizant
A comprehensive approach to application portfolio rationalization will enable organizations to maximize the business value of their applications and focus on strategic opportunities.
Brigham Young University developed a new IT Governance framework that extended well beyond the execution of projects.
This framework clarified the role of product management, helping to focus the way in which product managers work with their business stakeholders to manage the lifecycle of the OIT’s applications, services, and supporting technologies that collectively comprise the “product portfolio.”
A Practical GuidetoFederal Enterprise ArchitectureCh.docxevonnehoggarth79783
A Practical Guide
to
Federal Enterprise Architecture
Chief Information Officer Council
Version 1.0
February 2001
iii
February 2001
Preface
An enterprise architecture (EA) establishes the Agency-wide roadmap to achieve an Agency�s mission
through optimal performance of its core business processes within an efficient information technology
(IT) environment. Simply stated, enterprise architectures are �blueprints� for systematically and
completely defining an organization�s current (baseline) or desired (target) environment. Enterprise
architectures are essential for evolving information systems and developing new systems that optimize
their mission value. This is accomplished in logical or business terms (e.g., mission, business functions,
information flows, and systems environments) and technical terms (e.g., software, hardware,
communications), and includes a Sequencing Plan for transitioning from the baseline environment to the
target environment.
If defined, maintained, and implemented effectively, these institutional blueprints assist in optimizing the
interdependencies and interrelationships among an organization�s business operations and the underlying
IT that support operations. The experience of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and General
Accounting Office (GAO) has shown that without a complete and enforced EA, federal agencies run the
risk of buying and building systems that are duplicative, incompatible, and unnecessarily costly to
maintain and integrate.
For EAs to be useful and provide business value, their development, maintenance, and implementation
should be managed effectively. This step-by-step process guide is intended to assist agencies in defining,
maintaining, and implementing EAs by providing a disciplined and rigorous approach to EA life cycle
management. It describes major EA program management areas, beginning with suggested
organizational structure and management controls, a process for development of a baseline and target
architecture, and development of a sequencing plan. The guide also describes EA maintenance and
implementation, as well as oversight and control. Collectively, these areas provide a recommended
model for effective EA management.
Background
Reflecting the general consensus in industry that large, complex systems development and acquisition
efforts should be guided by explicit EAs, Congress required Federal Agency Chief Information Officers
to develop, maintain, and facilitate integrated systems architectures with the passage of the Clinger-Cohen
Act1in 1996. Additionally, OMB has issued guidance that requires agency information systems
investments to be consistent with Federal, Agency, and bureau architectures. Other OMB guidance
provides for the content of Agency enterprise architectures.2 Similarly, the Chief Information Officer
Council, the Department of the Treasury, the National Institute of Standards Technology (NIST), and
GAO, have developed architecture fram.
Closing the Gap Between Project Management and Governance
In today’s increasingly competitive marketplace, budgets are tight and resources are limited. Consequently, making decisions about which projects to pursue is vital in supporting an organization’s growth, vision, and value. For this dilemma, there is a powerful cost containment and risk mitigation strategy—a combination of IT governance and portfolio management. This approach is highly relevant for budget issues state agencies and departments currently face. With the proliferation of technology at greater and greater speed, the options that could bring potential benefit are seemingly endless. Gone are the days when a great technological idea was an end in itself. Technology has truly become an enabler across all sizes and types of organizations. The challenge now is to understand which business goals can be enabled by a technology and choose the best projects to accomplish those goals. The best way to ensure and demonstrate value to the organization is to know how these projects are supporting the organization financially and operationally. Implementing sound project management practices along with a governance framework can enable this kind of visibility and control.
High-performing organizations achieve results by utilizing portfolio management to select the right projects at the right time with the right resources based on a data-driven selection methodology. Portfolio management adds value to an organization’s bottom line by optimizing the organization’s capacity and capabilities to meet the demands of an ever changing market and technology trends. It does this by providing insight and global visibility of the organizations approved set of strategic criteria against a backdrop of organizational constraints. This presentation provides a few of the value creation processes that implementing a best in class portfolio management solution can provide to your organization.
To learn more: http://developingaculturethatworks.com/
The above article was published in the February 2008 edition of FEDTECH Magazine. It provides a historic context regarding governing organizations, and identifies IT governance as a critical element in the Federal CIOs' "must master" tool bag. The article is one in the series I write entitled "The Business of IT."
Research Paper on Project Management and IT Governanceguest7db01d
This is a short research paper on Project Management and Governance which I wrote as part of my course work on Project Management. This is a preliminary paper and was not published.
The Business of IT - Managing Performance by Setting StrategyPaul Wohlleben
The above article was published in the September 2004 edition of FEDTECH Magazine. It provides my thoughts on the use of strategy to establish performance goals and measures that are aligned to mission. The article is one in the series I write entitled "The Business of IT."
A Comprehensive Approach to Application Portfolio RationalizationCognizant
A comprehensive approach to application portfolio rationalization will enable organizations to maximize the business value of their applications and focus on strategic opportunities.
Brigham Young University developed a new IT Governance framework that extended well beyond the execution of projects.
This framework clarified the role of product management, helping to focus the way in which product managers work with their business stakeholders to manage the lifecycle of the OIT’s applications, services, and supporting technologies that collectively comprise the “product portfolio.”
A Practical GuidetoFederal Enterprise ArchitectureCh.docxevonnehoggarth79783
A Practical Guide
to
Federal Enterprise Architecture
Chief Information Officer Council
Version 1.0
February 2001
iii
February 2001
Preface
An enterprise architecture (EA) establishes the Agency-wide roadmap to achieve an Agency�s mission
through optimal performance of its core business processes within an efficient information technology
(IT) environment. Simply stated, enterprise architectures are �blueprints� for systematically and
completely defining an organization�s current (baseline) or desired (target) environment. Enterprise
architectures are essential for evolving information systems and developing new systems that optimize
their mission value. This is accomplished in logical or business terms (e.g., mission, business functions,
information flows, and systems environments) and technical terms (e.g., software, hardware,
communications), and includes a Sequencing Plan for transitioning from the baseline environment to the
target environment.
If defined, maintained, and implemented effectively, these institutional blueprints assist in optimizing the
interdependencies and interrelationships among an organization�s business operations and the underlying
IT that support operations. The experience of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and General
Accounting Office (GAO) has shown that without a complete and enforced EA, federal agencies run the
risk of buying and building systems that are duplicative, incompatible, and unnecessarily costly to
maintain and integrate.
For EAs to be useful and provide business value, their development, maintenance, and implementation
should be managed effectively. This step-by-step process guide is intended to assist agencies in defining,
maintaining, and implementing EAs by providing a disciplined and rigorous approach to EA life cycle
management. It describes major EA program management areas, beginning with suggested
organizational structure and management controls, a process for development of a baseline and target
architecture, and development of a sequencing plan. The guide also describes EA maintenance and
implementation, as well as oversight and control. Collectively, these areas provide a recommended
model for effective EA management.
Background
Reflecting the general consensus in industry that large, complex systems development and acquisition
efforts should be guided by explicit EAs, Congress required Federal Agency Chief Information Officers
to develop, maintain, and facilitate integrated systems architectures with the passage of the Clinger-Cohen
Act1in 1996. Additionally, OMB has issued guidance that requires agency information systems
investments to be consistent with Federal, Agency, and bureau architectures. Other OMB guidance
provides for the content of Agency enterprise architectures.2 Similarly, the Chief Information Officer
Council, the Department of the Treasury, the National Institute of Standards Technology (NIST), and
GAO, have developed architecture fram.
Closing the Gap Between Project Management and Governance
In today’s increasingly competitive marketplace, budgets are tight and resources are limited. Consequently, making decisions about which projects to pursue is vital in supporting an organization’s growth, vision, and value. For this dilemma, there is a powerful cost containment and risk mitigation strategy—a combination of IT governance and portfolio management. This approach is highly relevant for budget issues state agencies and departments currently face. With the proliferation of technology at greater and greater speed, the options that could bring potential benefit are seemingly endless. Gone are the days when a great technological idea was an end in itself. Technology has truly become an enabler across all sizes and types of organizations. The challenge now is to understand which business goals can be enabled by a technology and choose the best projects to accomplish those goals. The best way to ensure and demonstrate value to the organization is to know how these projects are supporting the organization financially and operationally. Implementing sound project management practices along with a governance framework can enable this kind of visibility and control.
A PRACTICAL METHOD FOR ASSESSING
THE FINANCIAL BENEFIT OF PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
by
Serge J. Schiltz
Dr.sc.inf., M.B.A., dipl.inf., dipl.math., PMP
A Thesis Report
IBM's Transformation from Project to Program and Portfolio Management Member Content
- by William C. Britton, PMP
IBM Certified Executive Project Manager
To succeed, a number of project management processes, policies, and organizational constructs were established or reinforced to ensure consistent excellence in service delivery.
Maturing Project Management with the Use of a Methodology Member Content
- by Atul Ganatra, PMP
Recognizing the need for and benefits of a tailored methodology helps an organization instill discipline and consistency in the ways in which project managers manage change delivery. This article explains the benefits of implementing a customized methodology, the factors that affect the ways in which it undertakes these changes, components of a project management methodology, the stages of its implementation, and a few points for avoiding pitfalls.
Showing PMO Value Through Reporting Member Content
- by Marlies Shipman, PMP
Reporting the results of what your PMO achieves helps define the value that your PMO provides. This article has some tips on how to produce meaningful reports for a variety of audiences. In this article, "PMO" can mean project, program or portfolio management office.
Enterprise Project Management.
The definitions and the roles of the project management office (PMO) today are very diverse, and it is therefore important to examine and understand the evolving role of the PMO in a dynamic global business environment. The role of enterprise PMO is as important as any other corporate function, equivalent to other corporate functions such as strategic planning, finance, or audit. In addition, an organization can maximize the value of project management by standardizing the practices and consolidating the initiatives across the enterprise.
This document represents a significant research effort as well as a contribution to our understanding of the current state of multi-project PMOs, by Brian Hobbs.
Unveiling the Secrets How Does Generative AI Work.pdfSam H
At its core, generative artificial intelligence relies on the concept of generative models, which serve as engines that churn out entirely new data resembling their training data. It is like a sculptor who has studied so many forms found in nature and then uses this knowledge to create sculptures from his imagination that have never been seen before anywhere else. If taken to cyberspace, gans work almost the same way.
Discover the innovative and creative projects that highlight my journey throu...dylandmeas
Discover the innovative and creative projects that highlight my journey through Full Sail University. Below, you’ll find a collection of my work showcasing my skills and expertise in digital marketing, event planning, and media production.
Putting the SPARK into Virtual Training.pptxCynthia Clay
This 60-minute webinar, sponsored by Adobe, was delivered for the Training Mag Network. It explored the five elements of SPARK: Storytelling, Purpose, Action, Relationships, and Kudos. Knowing how to tell a well-structured story is key to building long-term memory. Stating a clear purpose that doesn't take away from the discovery learning process is critical. Ensuring that people move from theory to practical application is imperative. Creating strong social learning is the key to commitment and engagement. Validating and affirming participants' comments is the way to create a positive learning environment.
Improving profitability for small businessBen Wann
In this comprehensive presentation, we will explore strategies and practical tips for enhancing profitability in small businesses. Tailored to meet the unique challenges faced by small enterprises, this session covers various aspects that directly impact the bottom line. Attendees will learn how to optimize operational efficiency, manage expenses, and increase revenue through innovative marketing and customer engagement techniques.
Enterprise Excellence is Inclusive Excellence.pdfKaiNexus
Enterprise excellence and inclusive excellence are closely linked, and real-world challenges have shown that both are essential to the success of any organization. To achieve enterprise excellence, organizations must focus on improving their operations and processes while creating an inclusive environment that engages everyone. In this interactive session, the facilitator will highlight commonly established business practices and how they limit our ability to engage everyone every day. More importantly, though, participants will likely gain increased awareness of what we can do differently to maximize enterprise excellence through deliberate inclusion.
What is Enterprise Excellence?
Enterprise Excellence is a holistic approach that's aimed at achieving world-class performance across all aspects of the organization.
What might I learn?
A way to engage all in creating Inclusive Excellence. Lessons from the US military and their parallels to the story of Harry Potter. How belt systems and CI teams can destroy inclusive practices. How leadership language invites people to the party. There are three things leaders can do to engage everyone every day: maximizing psychological safety to create environments where folks learn, contribute, and challenge the status quo.
Who might benefit? Anyone and everyone leading folks from the shop floor to top floor.
Dr. William Harvey is a seasoned Operations Leader with extensive experience in chemical processing, manufacturing, and operations management. At Michelman, he currently oversees multiple sites, leading teams in strategic planning and coaching/practicing continuous improvement. William is set to start his eighth year of teaching at the University of Cincinnati where he teaches marketing, finance, and management. William holds various certifications in change management, quality, leadership, operational excellence, team building, and DiSC, among others.
RMD24 | Debunking the non-endemic revenue myth Marvin Vacquier Droop | First ...BBPMedia1
Marvin neemt je in deze presentatie mee in de voordelen van non-endemic advertising op retail media netwerken. Hij brengt ook de uitdagingen in beeld die de markt op dit moment heeft op het gebied van retail media voor niet-leveranciers.
Retail media wordt gezien als het nieuwe advertising-medium en ook mediabureaus richten massaal retail media-afdelingen op. Merken die niet in de betreffende winkel liggen staan ook nog niet in de rij om op de retail media netwerken te adverteren. Marvin belicht de uitdagingen die er zijn om echt aansluiting te vinden op die markt van non-endemic advertising.
Attending a job Interview for B1 and B2 Englsih learnersErika906060
It is a sample of an interview for a business english class for pre-intermediate and intermediate english students with emphasis on the speking ability.
Affordable Stationery Printing Services in Jaipur | Navpack n PrintNavpack & Print
Looking for professional printing services in Jaipur? Navpack n Print offers high-quality and affordable stationery printing for all your business needs. Stand out with custom stationery designs and fast turnaround times. Contact us today for a quote!
Cracking the Workplace Discipline Code Main.pptxWorkforce Group
Cultivating and maintaining discipline within teams is a critical differentiator for successful organisations.
Forward-thinking leaders and business managers understand the impact that discipline has on organisational success. A disciplined workforce operates with clarity, focus, and a shared understanding of expectations, ultimately driving better results, optimising productivity, and facilitating seamless collaboration.
Although discipline is not a one-size-fits-all approach, it can help create a work environment that encourages personal growth and accountability rather than solely relying on punitive measures.
In this deck, you will learn the significance of workplace discipline for organisational success. You’ll also learn
• Four (4) workplace discipline methods you should consider
• The best and most practical approach to implementing workplace discipline.
• Three (3) key tips to maintain a disciplined workplace.
3.0 Project 2_ Developing My Brand Identity Kit.pptxtanyjahb
A personal brand exploration presentation summarizes an individual's unique qualities and goals, covering strengths, values, passions, and target audience. It helps individuals understand what makes them stand out, their desired image, and how they aim to achieve it.
Memorandum Of Association Constitution of Company.pptseri bangash
www.seribangash.com
A Memorandum of Association (MOA) is a legal document that outlines the fundamental principles and objectives upon which a company operates. It serves as the company's charter or constitution and defines the scope of its activities. Here's a detailed note on the MOA:
Contents of Memorandum of Association:
Name Clause: This clause states the name of the company, which should end with words like "Limited" or "Ltd." for a public limited company and "Private Limited" or "Pvt. Ltd." for a private limited company.
https://seribangash.com/article-of-association-is-legal-doc-of-company/
Registered Office Clause: It specifies the location where the company's registered office is situated. This office is where all official communications and notices are sent.
Objective Clause: This clause delineates the main objectives for which the company is formed. It's important to define these objectives clearly, as the company cannot undertake activities beyond those mentioned in this clause.
www.seribangash.com
Liability Clause: It outlines the extent of liability of the company's members. In the case of companies limited by shares, the liability of members is limited to the amount unpaid on their shares. For companies limited by guarantee, members' liability is limited to the amount they undertake to contribute if the company is wound up.
https://seribangash.com/promotors-is-person-conceived-formation-company/
Capital Clause: This clause specifies the authorized capital of the company, i.e., the maximum amount of share capital the company is authorized to issue. It also mentions the division of this capital into shares and their respective nominal value.
Association Clause: It simply states that the subscribers wish to form a company and agree to become members of it, in accordance with the terms of the MOA.
Importance of Memorandum of Association:
Legal Requirement: The MOA is a legal requirement for the formation of a company. It must be filed with the Registrar of Companies during the incorporation process.
Constitutional Document: It serves as the company's constitutional document, defining its scope, powers, and limitations.
Protection of Members: It protects the interests of the company's members by clearly defining the objectives and limiting their liability.
External Communication: It provides clarity to external parties, such as investors, creditors, and regulatory authorities, regarding the company's objectives and powers.
https://seribangash.com/difference-public-and-private-company-law/
Binding Authority: The company and its members are bound by the provisions of the MOA. Any action taken beyond its scope may be considered ultra vires (beyond the powers) of the company and therefore void.
Amendment of MOA:
While the MOA lays down the company's fundamental principles, it is not entirely immutable. It can be amended, but only under specific circumstances and in compliance with legal procedures. Amendments typically require shareholder
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Personal Brand Statement:
As an Army veteran dedicated to lifelong learning, I bring a disciplined, strategic mindset to my pursuits. I am constantly expanding my knowledge to innovate and lead effectively. My journey is driven by a commitment to excellence, and to make a meaningful impact in the world.
Implicitly or explicitly all competing businesses employ a strategy to select a mix
of marketing resources. Formulating such competitive strategies fundamentally
involves recognizing relationships between elements of the marketing mix (e.g.,
price and product quality), as well as assessing competitive and market conditions
(i.e., industry structure in the language of economics).
Exploring Patterns of Connection with Social Dreaming
Portfolio management
1. CaseStudy
MANAGING FOR RESULTS
DOD A GENCY T URNS TO P ORTFOLIO M ANAGEMENT FOR I MPROVED
P ERFORMANCE AND E FFICIENCY
B ACKGROUND
TAKING THE F IRST S TEP
In 1993, Congress passed the Government Performance and Results Act,
Meeting all of the legislative requirements along with the OMB/GAO IT invest-
which required federal agencies to measure program results by linking per-
ment management guide would require the agency to ensure its IT investments
formance to investments. Because Congress provides capital to federal
resulted in measurable improvements to its mission-related and administrative
agencies, it wanted to ensure agencies’ investments yielded value and that
processes. In April 2000, determined to satisfy the intent of the legislation and
the means to achieve value were measurable. Three years later, the Clinger-
comply with the OMB/GAO guide, the agency engaged Robbins-Gioia, a manage-
Cohen Act mandated that the Department of Defense implement a process
ment consulting company with more than 20 years of experience managing com-
whereby information technology investments are managed and evaluated
plex initiatives. Robbins-Gioia was tasked to establish a program executive
based on measurable contributions to DOD mission goals and priorities. As
office (PEO) structure as an initial step in managing the agency’s emerging IT
a result of this legislation the Office of Management and Budget and
investment programs. The company had been helping the agency to success-
Government Accounting Office established an IT investment evaluation guide
fully execute its business systems modernization effort and was on site when
directed at the IT investment management process.
the DOD began to embrace the legislative intent of the Clinger-Cohen Act and
resulting guidelines. The agency turned to Robbins-Gioia for help in defining the
To comply with legislation and federal guidance and establish metric perform-
legislation, evaluating the agency’s programs and investments, and implement-
ance measures, a critical DOD agency set out to identify and establish
ing an overall methodology to support the agency’s acquisition and portfolio
processes to effectively manage its IT investments and ensure those invest-
management process.
ments were aligned with its strategic missions, business goals, and objec-
tives. With more than $3 billion in IT investments over a 5-year planning
cycle, investment management and oversight is critical to the agency’s mis-
sion. “The agency understands the significance of performance measure- With more than $3 billion in IT investments
ment in the federal government and is committed to achieving effective man-
over a 5-year planning cycle, investment
agement and oversight of its investments,” said Rex Lovelady, senior pro-
gram management consultant from Robbins-Gioia, a company engaged to management and oversight is critical to the
help the agency achieve its aims. “This initiative enables the agency to agency’s mission.
acknowledge the dollars being spent on IT, while determining outcome meas-
ures and the expected benefit and return on investment.”
Solutions used:
2. (1) identifying IT investments; (2) baselining cost, schedule, and perform-
ance; (3) establishing the business value for each portfolio investment; and
Portfolio management is a unique process that aligns
(4) identifying expected mission outcomes. The portfolio managers, in a col-
investments with strategic missions, business goals,
laborative effort with the functional proponents, were also responsible for
and outcomes while grouping like investments into managing the portfolio investments during the critical budget planning
portfolios. process by monitoring IT investment baseline changes, analyzing portfolio
impact in the selection of new IT investments, assessing portfolio risks, and
making investment decisions that impacted other portfolios.
M EASURING U P THROUGH P ORTFOLIO M ANAGEMENT
It didn’t take long to determine the agency would benefit from a disciplined yet
FACING R EALITY H EAD O N
flexible portfolio management approach to manage and oversee its IT invest- Right from the start, the agency faced several barriers in implementing the
ments in support of its functional and mission areas. Portfolio management is portfolio management process. As an integral part of the portfolio manage-
a unique process that aligns investments with strategic missions, business ment solution, the agency was required to implement a PEO acquisition
goals, and outcomes while grouping like investments into portfolios. This solu- structure, which would provide greater management and oversight of the
tion would manage investment risks to maximize ROI and contribution to mis- agency’s automated information systems (AIS). At the time, the agency
sion outcome, empower agency senior executives to make decisions with lacked an adequate program management structure to support either the
greater confidence, and provide visibility into the implementation of the total portfolio management or PEO initiative, and discovered that it would need
integrated investment strategy. to merge more than just its AIS systems. The agency would also need to
oversee contemporary systems, legacy systems, infrastructure, and other
Once on board, Robbins-Gioia helped the agency interpret IT investment man- emerging programs and project relationships to maximize IT investment con-
agement requirements and used best practices to define portfolio management. tribution to mission outcome.
A portfolio was defined as the resources, management, and related investments
required to accomplish a mission-related or administrative outcome. Portfolio Additionally, the agency was finalizing a major reorganization that required
management, then, was the process of managing and overseeing those IT the refinement of organizational roles and responsibilities. To facilitate the
investments to maximize the contribution each IT investment and portfolio process and provide direction for the implementation, Robbins-Gioia devel-
makes toward mission accomplishment. oped several of the agency’s directives. PEO operations, portfolio manage-
ment and oversight, and AIS life cycle management for emerging systems
Robbins-Gioia assisted the agency in identifying the best portfolio approach to directives documented the process and clearly defined roles and responsi-
manage the agency’s investments and laid out an overall methodology and plan bilities.
that mapped out the activities necessary to successfully implement the mission
analysis through the selecting, controlling, and evaluating phases of the portfo-
lio management process. Robbins-Gioia was instrumental in establishing an IT
investment management self-assessment questionnaire and conducting the Right from the start, the agency faced
agency’s self-assessment in accordance with the GAO investment management
maturity model. This self-assessment helped to validate the overall portfolio
several barriers in implementing the
management process and implementation plan and provided the initial frame-
work to address GAO’s subsequent IT investment management audit.
portfolio management process.
Portfolio managers were chosen to manage each portfolio’s investment areas.
The portfolio managers established the management structure responsible for
3. After identifying the portfolio managers and outlining their roles and respon-
sibilities, a plan was created that established critical action items.
“Then we took that plan and encompassed
“We created a schedule with the activities and key milestones to help keep
the agency on track to accomplish this task,” said Lovelady. “Then we took it into the agency’s overall organization, and
that plan and encompassed it into the agency’s overall organization, and it it took off from there.”
took off from there.”
–Rex Lovelady, Robbins-Gioia senior program management
consultant
From then on, the agency transitioned into the four phases that make up a
successful portfolio management process of mission analysis, selection,
control, and evaluation.
and corporate portfolio impact. The investment proposal is briefed as a mile-
Mission Analysis stone decision to the PEO review board for selection. The selection process is
To budget for an IT investment program with portfolio management, the embedded in the budget planning process and development of the annual budg-
agency would need to determine specific requirements for IT investments. et submission.
The agency’s mission areas conducted analysis that linked their mission
goals to performance outcomes. This enabled mission areas to identify Control
gaps in missions, prioritize deficiencies, and determine the strategic direc- Management and oversight is provided for those IT investment programs that
tion for the agency’s mission-related and administrative processes. are selected through the established PEO operations and life cycle management
process. The acquisition executive delegates management and oversight
If a mission deficiency was found, the mission areas would then conduct a responsibilities of the selected IT investment to the PEO, who establishes mile-
trade-off analysis to identify possible solutions for the deficiency. stone decision reviews, testing and evaluation processes, and program docu-
Nonmaterial solutions—such as reengineering business processes, organi- mentation requirements. The PEO also tailors life cycle requirements and initi-
zational and policy changes, and training and education—were considered ates program baseline reporting. IT investment program status is reported on a
first to resolve the deficiency. If the mission area determined that an IT solu- monthly basis and in-progress reviews are conducted on a quarterly or
tion was needed, it had to document the trade-off analysis, develop a mis- as-needed basis.
sion needs statement, and document the functional requirements that an
IT capability must meet to eliminate the deficiency. Evaluation
In the evaluation stage, the achievement of program goals and objectives are
“The functional proponents are responsible for defining the mission need evaluated and lessons learned documented. The PEO maintains oversight over
and functional requirements for an IT capability,” said Lovelady. “The IT com- the assessment and reporting of performance information and planned versus
munity then provides the IT solution that supports that requirement.” actual benefits as well as planned versus actual costs.
Selection The agency has implemented 75 percent of the stage 2 critical processes and
Once it is established that an IT capability would best resolve a deficiency, should reach stages 2 and 3 of the GAO portfolio management maturity frame-
an IT investment proposal is developed, transitioning the portfolio manage- work as the agency runs through the next budget planning cycle in 2003. This
ment solution into life cycle management. Prepared by the functional mis- will provide the documented, physical, and testimonial evidence of an opera-
sion area and information operations team, the IT investment proposal sum- tional and improving IT investment management process within the agency.
marizes the mission need, possible IT alternatives and recommended alter-
native, estimated cost, anticipated benefits, initial resource requirements,