Gaining Stakeholder Buyin for Enterprise Project Management EPM

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Gaining Stakeholder Buy-in for Enterprise
Project Management (EPM)
Janey Trowbridge Jtrowbridge_at_canalbc.com
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Overview

• What is EPM?
• Why EPM?
• Gaining buy-in from
• Executive Management
• Middle Management
• Project Managers
• Performing Organization

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What Is EPM?

• Management of a web of simultaneous projects to
  meet organizational goals
• Systematic process
• Not just meeting Cost-Scope-Schedule-Quality
  requirements
• Not just a PMO, methodology, training or tool
• Not just for IT projects
• Based on Paul C. Dinsmore. Enterprise Project
  Management. New York AMACOM. 1999.

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Why EPM?

• Boosts productivity
• Fattens the bottom line
• Helps churn out products and services faster,
  cheaper and better
• Reduces rework
• Improves communication and coordination
• Instills project players with team spirit and
  motivation
• Based on Paul Dinsmore. Five Ways Not to Pitch
  Project Management in Your Organization.
  PMNetwork 172 (February 2003) 60.

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Gaining Buy-in fromExecutive Management

• Sources of Resistance
• Perceives that EPM adds no value
• Doesnt see connection between strategic goals
  and PM

• Strategies for PM
• Tie EPM to their strategic interests
• Advocate for regular strategic planning/budgeting
  project prioritization
• Demonstrate/communicate value through regular,
  relevant deliverables
• Educate in EPM and importance of effective
  portfolio management
• Solicit an executive sponsor for each project

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Gaining Buy-in fromMiddle Management

• Sources of Resistance
• EPM will add more time to PMs job and little
  added value
• Subordinates will be away at training
• Its another management fad
• Some of our bosses dont support it

• Strategies
• Demonstrate, communicate immediate results
• Involve them in development of EPM deliverables
• Involve them in design of EPM program for their
  PMs
• Solicit a project sponsor if appropriate

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Gaining Buy-in fromProject Managers

• Sources of resistance
• EPM is not immediately relevant to our jobs
• Some of our bosses dont support it, so isnt
  worth investing time in it

• Strategies
• Find most effective relevant approach(es) to
  close Project Manager skill-knowledge gaps
• Dont mandate use of PM methodology foster peer
  pressure
• Establish PM career track
• Foster dialogue between Project Managers and
  their bosses

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Gaining Buy-in from the Performing Organization

• Sources of resistance
• Culture is not conducive to EPM
• One size fits all will not fit the
  organizations needs

• Strategies
• Design EPM initiative as a change project
• Find best tool to assess organizational culture
  and PM maturity
• Implement in small increments check and review
• Advocate for customization of PM methodology
• Support Corporate and Area PMOs
• Conduct EPM activities across organizational
  units
• Develop community of PM practitioners