EPPM gains momentum

In a recent cross-industry poll of project and portfolio management professionals and stakeholders, two-thirds indicated that they were either evaluating, implementing or have already deployed an enterprise project and portfolio management system (EPPM), says the San Francisco Chronicle.

EPPM refers to an integrated top-down approach to managing multiple project-intensive environments - such as IT PPM, new product development and business process improvement - using a single system.

Benefits of this approach include the ability to improve corporate strategy alignment, programme execution, resource utilisation and TCO for the supporting technology.

This contrasts with the traditional approach which relies on a combination of manual processes and desktop tools (Microsoft Excel and Project) and 'best-in-breed' PPM applications for each project portfolio environment.

According to Red Orbit, the poll was taken during a recent EPPM case study and best practice Webinar hosted by Santa Clara-based PPM solution provider, Instantis, entitled: 'Enterprise Project Portfolio Management at Grace - One System, Multiple Project Portfolio Environments.'

“Nearly 100 participants representing every major vertical industry were asked: “What statement best describes the status of Enterprise (multi-initiative) PPM at your company?”

EPPM deployment leader at Grace and Webinar presenter, Jeff Martin, says the goals of the EPPM deployment at Grace is to leverage a single platform for managing productivity management, new product development and merger integration projects and then expand the system footprint to include IT PMO.

“We wanted greater visibility to project alignment with strategic initiatives, as well as better visibility to project activity and results to improve accountability,” he says.