Executive's Guide to Project Management: Organizational Processes and Practices for Supporting Complex Projects

Chapter 9

An Agile Portfolio Strategy

This is a critical chapter for the senior management team (SMT). It is here that you set in motion a series of projects, processes, tools, and templates that reflect the organization and what it hopes to be. The success of your organization rests on how well you are able to build and monitor these project portfolios. All of the topics we have discussed in Parts I and II come together and form the foundation of the decisions we will discuss in this chapter. The extent to which the cadre of complex project managers (CPMs) and complex project team (CPT) members align with the project staffing needs is a major determinant in what you are able to do. If the SMT has done a good job so far, these decisions will be much more effective.

The question before your business unit and the SMT is how will you decide which projects and programs belong in your portfolio and in the organization's portfolio for the next cycle and if you are able to staff them? Subjectivity, politics, and favoritism aside you need a sound business strategy. That is the topic of this chapter.