EPK: The Source for Critical Portfolio Information and Insight

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EPK The Source for Critical Portfolio
Information and Insight

• Christian M. Bass
• Pcubed (Program Planning Professionals)
• Account Manager

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Presentation Agenda

• Business Situation
• Approach and Schedule for implementation
• Implementation Issues/Problems
• Implementation Solutions
• Results
• Additional Solutions of Interest

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Business Situation

• Main Issues to Address?
• Timekeeping
• Resource Management
• Governance
• Status Reporting
• PM maturity of the organization?
• Low
• No Full-Time, Dedicated or Trained Project
  Managers
• Software Engineers Serve as Project Managers
• No PMO, Templates or Documentation
• Project Server experience?
• Historical Instance, but No Support and Limited
  Adoption

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Approach and Schedule

• Approach
• Governance
• Timesheet / Resource Management
• Metrics and Status Reporting
• Adoption and Support
• Schedule

Engage partner 1Q06
Governance, Timesheets Resource Mgt April -
June 06
Metrics Status Reports June - Aug 06
Adoption Support Sep Oct 06
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Business Benefits of Resource Planning

• Defined and Documented Current Portfolio Process
• Gaps in Process Communication
• Different Names for the Same Projects
• Known Areas of Business Pain / Return Ripeness
• Nascent Process Maturity
• Leveraged Existing Disciplines to Turn the Tide
• Configured Automated Tool to Capture Current
  Spreadsheets Ended the Tyranny of Excel
• Built Out From New Tool Into Process
• Introduced Web Enabled Intake Funnel
• Increased Transparency of Resource Utilization
• Created Agreement as to Roles and
  Responsibilities of Shared Resources

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Immediate Goals of Resource Planning

• Increased Efficiency Through Dynamic Data
• Entered Once
• Multiple Views Reports
• Reduce Manual Spreadsheet Updates
• Improved Project and Product Projections
• Resource Demand vs. Capacity Across Portfolio
• What If Scenarios to Determine Optimal
  Resourcing
• Increased Transparency
• Projected FTE Demand
• Compare FTE, Named Resource, Schedule Assignments
  and Timekeeping
• Share Accurate Resource Data with Key
  Stakeholders
• Quantitative Data for Enterprise Decision Making

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Configuration Executive Summary
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Implementation Issues

• Budget Structure
• Changed Accounting Structures for Department vs.
  Enterprise
• Confusion in Lines of Reporting and Timekeeping
• Time Phased Differences in Estimate Definitions
• Lack of Staffing
• Lack of EPM/EPK Administrator
• Lack of System Administrator
• Reorganization
• Sponsors Departure from Company
• Reorganization of IT and Corporate Departments

Users Meeting January 23-25, 2007
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Implementation SolutionsBudget Structure

• Changed Accounting Structures
• External vs. Internal
• Solution Edited Cost Category Tree
• Desire to Collapse Multiple Tabs into One
• Solution All Estimated Cost Categories on One
  Tab Conversion Rates Unit Costs
• Solution Script to Copy Discrete Estimates to
  Independent Cost Types
• Solution Calculated Cost Types to Display Units
• Confusion in Lines of Reporting and Timekeeping
• Some Roles Used for Estimates Do Not
  Timesheet
• Solution Leveraged Edited Cost Category Tree
• Solution Used Script to Copy Comparable Cost
  Types

Users Meeting January 23-25, 2007
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The Stacked Estimate
Users Meeting January 23-25, 2007
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Scripted Benefits
Stacked Estimate Internal FTE External
Unit Cost HW / SW Unit Cost
Calculated Estimate Internal FTE External
Unit Cost HW / SW Unit Cost
Copied Estimate Internal Employees Estimate
vs. Timesheet
Copied Estimate External Contractors Estimate
vs. Invoicing
Copied Estimate HW / SW HW / SW Estimate vs.
Purchasing

• Pro
• Summarization of Units
• Non-Editable
• Con
• Script Maintenance
• Support Complexity

• Pro
• Easy to Enter Maintain
• Cost Total - LH of Views
• Con
• Units Dont Summarize
• Broken Comparisons

Users Meeting January 23-25, 2007
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Implementation SolutionsBudget Structure

• Time Phased Differences in Estimate Definitions
• Early Estimates vs. Latest Estimate
• Different Meaning at Each Decision Point (see
  exmpl)
• Approved Budget vs. Latest Estimate
• Introduced an Estimate History Cost Type
• Pipeline Discipline
• Project Duration vs. Forecasted Start and Finish
• Role of Consultants for Later Estimates
• Known and Needed for Latest Estimate

Users Meeting January 23-25, 2007
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Estimate MeaningResult of Time-Phased Context
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
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Users Meeting January 23-25, 2007
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Implementation SolutionsLack of Staffing

• Lack of EPM/EPK Administrator
• Demonstration of Need for Support
• Bridge Support Part Time
• Coaching Dedicated Administrator EPM Expertise
  Posed Some Challenges
• Lack of System Administrator
• Provided Expertise
• Placed Pressure Upon Scope

Users Meeting January 23-25, 2007
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Implementation SolutionsReorganization

• Sponsors Departure from Company
• Status Reports Supported Process and Tool
  Adherence
• SQL Reporting Services Pulled Live-Data From MS
  Project Server, EPK and Windows SharePoint
  Services
• Reorganization of IT and Corporate Departments
• Interest in Expanding Resource Mgt into Other
  Departments
• Exploring Role with Portfolio Server and Visual
  Studio Team Services
• Earlier Inclusion of Product Managers Would
  Have Anchored Deployment

Users Meeting January 23-25, 2007
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Status ReportOverlay of Data Sources
Users Meeting January 23-25, 2007
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Results

• June Reporting
• Preparation Period 3-days vs. 2 weeks
• Reports, Graphs and Modeler Created WOW!
• Project Status Reporting
• Consistent Data
• Efficiently Compiled
• Built-In Auditing Improved Accuracy
• Improved Timekeeping
• 30 Compliance to 65 Compliance Prior to Sponsor
  Push
• Product Planning Began Using Data for Improved
  Estimating

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Results

• Portfolio Manager Discipline
• Bi-Weekly Resource Planning
• Monthly Budget Alignment
• Bi-Weekly Project Status Reporting
• Missing Metric Reporting to Business
• Project Manager Discipline
• Understanding of Governance Phases
• Templates for MS Project Schedules
• Project Team Contract via Resource Plans
• Templates for WSS Increased Utilization
• Status Report Increased Data Maintenance

Users Meeting January 23-25, 2007
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Results

• Survey of Project Managers Found
• Increased Knowledge of PM Processes
• Favorable View of Status Report Tool
• Desire to See Increased Executive Use of Tools
• Improved Facility with PM Tools
• Enhanced Understanding of Resource Management

Users Meeting January 23-25, 2007
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Value Delivery Calculator
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Additional Solutions of Interest

• Rolling Fiscal Years
• How to Transition Between Fiscal Calendars
• Consider Resource Planning, Scripts and Reports
• Defining FTE
• Spreadsheet Tracking Requires Assumptions
• MS Project Resource Pool Max Units Can Allow
  Assumption
• Forecasted Spend
• PMs Update Estimate Cost Type
• Track Decision Points in Estimate History
• Uses Timesheets of To Date Figures

Users Meeting January 23-25, 2007
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Rolling Fiscal Years
2006 Fiscal Calendar
Months
Months
Months
FY08
FY07
FY06
2007 Fiscal Calendar
Months
Months
Months
Quarters
FY09
FY08
FY07
FY06
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What is an FTE?
EPK Calculations
Spreadsheet Assumptions
Leave
25 Assumption
Training
Meetings
Total Full Time Capacity
Other Activities
Leave
Training
Meetings
Availability
Other Activities
Availability
Two Approaches to the Calculation of FTE Capacity
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Source of Dashboard Financials
External
HW/SW
Internal
Internal
HW/SW
External
Calendar Month
Timesheet Period (1 Week)
Calendar Month
Actual Budget
PTD Actual
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Data for Dashboard Financials
External
HW/SW
Internal
Internal
HW/SW
External
Internal (Last Full Period)
External HW/SW
Entire Project Estimate
Report Generation Date
Actual Budget
PTD Actual
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Components of Forecasted Spend
PTD Actual
Only Last Full Month
Full Week Rolls Into Month
Forecasted Spend
Report Generation Date
Current and Future Months
Actual Budget
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Questions?