The local project program and project portfolio management (PPPM) solutions provider, TPG Africa, formerly UMT Consulting SA, has introduced a range of freshly designed, specialised enterprise PPPM solutions and services.
TPG Africa has also developed a unique and practical project, program and project portfolio maturity and organisational readiness assessment tool. These services and tools are based on OPM3 and are integrated with strategic throughput principles and project portfolio management best practices.
The company's CEO Pieter Meyer says TPG Africa assists and advises organisations in the findings of these assessments and helps determine what PPPM tools will suit them best. "As part of our practical assessment services, we also perform project audits on mega, capital, large and medium-sized projects, using our own developed tools and highly qualified assessors."
TPG Africa has had enormous success in assisting mining, construction and engineering companies by establishing Integrated Project Management Control Offices (IPMCOs), to support their mega and capital intensive projects in order to control spend more effectively.
In addition, the company has introduced a range of value-added and cost-effective resourcing as a service (RaaS) models that are supported by many years of experience, intellectual property (IP) and formal account management. They provide resources with access to best practises and internal up-skilling programmes with zero cost to the client.
Meyer says this unique service offering was introduced to assist clients with skills shortages on a contractual or permanent basis. "To keep pace with increased competition and tougher economic conditions in a fast-paced global economy, organisations must do more using fewer resources."
RaaS has evolved in close co-operation with clients' needs, and more importantly, it is perfectly aligned with global market trends. It delivers best practice solutions and provides only the best skilled resources available in today's professional skills marketplace.
"Our service offering has grown significantly and we have distinguished ourselves as specialists in the market, largely due to our ability to source subject matter experts, general skills and support staff in the mining, engineering, construction, financial and insurance sectors," he explains.
TPG Africa has also established rapid Enterprise Project and Project Portfolio Management Office implementation methodologies. They are based on the Project Management Body of Knowledge Guide (PMBOK), PRINCE 2 and also include the organisation's existing standards as a means of achieving a greater degree of success.
One of its aims is to create a PPPM culture across the organisation's business units, to maintain and to document these methodologies for all projects. These methodologies are designed to meet the needs of all segments of the organisation as they engage in business and technical project work.
TPG Africa has also developed a project intelligence (PI) reporting consulting as a service, comprising tools that enhance predictive analysis scenarios that are currently performed on projects. These consulting services enable, support and enlarge the basis on which management can build its proactive strategic project decisions.
According to TPG Africa's PI specialists, software can assist executives with forecasting, trending and predictive analysis according to PPPM principles.
In addition, TPG Africa has realised that change management within project control offices has been successfully established internationally as one of the key official processes, to channel project related requirements supported by a formal approved governance model.
"Our change management controls services encourage transparency and focus on critical project objectives, empower the company's governance authority and offers clear and tailored reporting to support the projects' executive management with their decision-making process ," he adds.
The pooling of TPG Africa's resources benefits its subsidiaries and customers alike. Each subsidiary has access to the global pool of specialists, consulting and training resources to augment their local capacity during peak demand.
Meyer says within the project program and project portfolio technology solution realm, TPG Africa and The Project Group in Germany have both been exceptionally strong and world-class leaders in the implementation and configuration of Project Server 2010 and SharePoint 2010. "The Project Group is clearly the world leader in the integration of Project Server 2010 and SAP."
"By becoming the formal South African subsidiary of The Project Group in Germany, TPG Africa's current technology solution stack is now greatly enhanced for the local South African market. Over the coming months, TPG Africa will be announcing more in-depth details on each of the services and technology solution sets and how they will add even greater value to your business," he concludes.
For more information, contact TPG Africa at africa@theprojectgroup.com.