1. University of Nebraska
Computing Services Network
Kimberly Harper
Director of Finance & Portfolio Mgmt
Joshua Mauk
Information Security Officer

2. Computing Services Network (CSN)
Central administrative IT department for the University system
Directed by Walter Weir, University CIO

3. Portfolio and Project Management
Agenda
Portfolio and Project Management
Where we were
Where we are
Where we’re headed
I’m going to talk about portfolio management today…specifically in:
An IT environment
A strategic environment
An evaluative environment
In terms of application rationalization…an exciting new area we’re just beginning to look into.

4. Competing Needs
Board of Regents
UNCA
State of NE
We support the University in a number of areas…but there are competing needs. Everyone sees their need as a priority.

5. Never Enough Resources
Too many projects, incoming service requests, applications to deploy…
No free resources
Asked to do more with less
So how do we…
Make sure we do what really matters?
Make sure we are aligned with the strategic goals?
Assure that we will have a high probability of being successful?
Our solution…Portfolio Management

6. What is Portfolio Management?
Dynamic decision process, whereby a list of projects is constantly updated and revised.
New projects are evaluated, selected, and prioritized
Existing projects may be accelerated, killed, or reprioritized
Resources are allocated and reallocated
Includes:
Resource allocation decisions
Which projects will get funding? Which will receive top priority?
Business strategy (alignment) decisions
Balance decisions
Risk vs. return, maintenance vs. growth, short-term vs. long-term projects
We support the University in a number of areas…but there are competing needs. Everyone sees their need as a priority.

7. Portfolio Management
We have been using a portfolio management tool since 2000
Our focus has been mainly on monitoring and reporting
This allows us to answer questions like:
What services do we provide?
What projects are in the work?
How are our projects progressing?
How are we spending our resources?

8. Portfolio Management
We want to expand our capabilities and be more strategic
We want to more accurately & objectively answer questions such as:
How are our IT projects & services aligned to University goals/initiatives?
Are we focusing our efforts on projects & services that will give us the best return on our investments?
Are we utilizing our resources in the most effective & efficient way.

9. Portfolio Management
Identify CSN initiatives & map to NU strategic framework

10. Portfolio Management
Identify how projects align to CSN’s and University’s initiatives
Initiative #1: Implement, develop and maintain information systems to support University-wide administrative needs.
Projects that support CSN’s initiative 1:
s 44 open projects s 28 enhancement projects
s 15 service activities s 8 priority projects

11. Portfolio Management
Want to take valuable data, combine it with our strategic plan, to develop a tactical plan appropriate for future needs
Currently:
We are primarily staffed to “keep the business running”…and end up not being able to invest resources into “transforming” the business.
Future:
There are several major upcoming projects. Are we staffed and funded to spend 90% of our resources on “keeping the lights on”?

12. But this isn’t enough… Need to: Improve & expand portfolio management
Move from reporting/monitoring to aid planning and strategic decision making
Implement project management
Do more and better with less or same resources
Change our organization
Create a culture around project and portfolio management

13. Business Drivers for Improvement
Need to be viewed as a value-added service
Invest in continuous improvement – do more/better with resources
Need to be prepared for the future
Several major upcoming projects
Anticipated budget constraints
Evolving technology
Support the University’s and CSN’s initiatives
Be cost effective and accountable to the citizens of the state
Promote strategic organizations by developing and supporting operational and strategic-planning tools and processes
Need to address perceived PM gaps (identified via staff interviews)
Standards and procedures, communication of priorities, integrated tool sets, education/training, improved value metrics
Doing the right things AND doing them right

14. How do we address these concerns?
Change the current IT organization
Strategic planning
Better management of resources
Succession planning
Create a Project Management Office
Doing the right things, and doing them right
Do more with the same resources

15. Create a Project Management Office (PMO)
Goals of the PMO:
Ensure time, cost, scope and quality meet stakeholder requirements
Make more informed decisions about prioritization
More efficiently utilize current resources
Provide customers with single point of entry for all project requests
Provide leadership with timely and accurate reporting to assist in decision making
Support the mission and strategic initiatives of the University

16. Types of PMOs
Weather Station
Control Tower
Resource Pool

17. Weather Station Takes weather readings and makes forecasts
Project Progress
Planned vs. actual
Issue and Risk Monitoring
Addresses management disconnect between money spent and understanding of project status.
Advantages
Pitfalls
Easy start to a PMO
Creates consistency in terms, PM methodology and progress reports
Standardization of tools used for PM
Authority to ensure cooperation
Participation viewed as optional
Viewed as ‘red tape’
Not authorized to tell PM’s and clients how to do things

18. Control Tower Creates standards for Project Management
Consults on following standards
Enforces Standards
Continuous Improvement
Addresses the desire to do more with less.
Advantages
Pitfalls
Detailed Standards
Projects are prioritized based on need and resource availability
Not viewed as optional
PM is recognized as COE or as a business asset
Temptation to ‘over-control’
Underestimate additional workload for PM’s
Audit Mentality vs. Coaching

19. Resource Pool
Pool of PM’s that managers and executives ‘recruit’ for their projects.
Addresses ability to select, improve, nurture and retain PM talent.
Advantages
Pitfalls
Helps ensure projects are effectively done.
Skilled PM’s
PM’s have authority
PM’s have tools needed
How do we ensure the right projects get done?
Who governs the tools and methodology?
How do we capture lessons learned?

20. CSN’s PMO We chose the “Control Tower” PMO
This type of PMO will enable us to meet our goals:
Ensure time, cost, scope and quality meet stakeholder requirements
Make more informed decisions about prioritization
More efficiently utilize current resources
Provide customers with single point of entry for all project requests
Provide leadership with timely and accurate reporting to assist in decision making
Support the mission and strategic initiatives of the University
We evaluated key attributes of a PMO* and identified how CSN would implement a PMO to achieve these goals
*Corporate Executive Board’s “Key Developments in the PMO: Update for Chief Information Officers”

21. Key Attributes of a PMO
Source: Corporate Executive Board’s “Key Developments in the PMO: Update for Chief Information Officers”

22. CSN’s PMO Objectives Single, integrated tool
Portfolio, project, resource and work demand management capabilities
Project & portfolio governance
Establish standardized project management framework
Project manager coaching & development
Train, mentor, and provide standardized templates
Best practice collection & dissemination
Analyze project successes/failures to raise awareness, distill best practices & educate on benefits of project management
Project idea screening
Develop effective project business cases, benefits estimations and selection processes
Portfolio definition
Determine essential components of CSN’s project portfolio
Portfolio prioritization
Create comprehensive, fact-based assessment criteria to ensure optimal deployment of CSN resources

23. CSN’s PMO Objectives (cont’d)
Portfolio resource monitoring & allocation
Monitor resource availability to mitigate resource conflicts and shortfalls
Business case development
Create standard business case templates to capture project lifecycle costs, benefits, and risks
Requirements definition
Translate customer needs into specific project deliverables and outcomes
Resource coordination
Identify and allocate resources required for individual projects
Project planning
Manage project management lifecycle using actionable performance metrics & project management methodologies
Metrics tracking & reporting
Collect/report project, demand and resource management metrics to allow for better decision making
Risk management & mitigation
Audit/track project risks throughout the project management lifecycle

24. PMO Implementation Develop PMO project management plan
Serve as a role model
Stakeholder communication - KEY
Establish standards and procedures
Project classification, governance, templates
Identify/acquire PMO resources
PMO lead, Project managers, PMIS & support staff
Education/Training of stakeholders
Standards & procedures, PMIS
Pilot projects
Promote PM processes/tools to other University units & partners

25. Kimberly Harper Joshua Mauk Thank You! kkharper@nebraska.edu