TPG has delivered PPM solutions to more than 600 customers globally. Based on this experience we have developed a structured and repeatable approach for the implementation of project and portfolio management solutions – the TPG 5-Phase Method.
The solution design phase is handled through a series of workshops to understand the requirements, methods and processes of the relevant stakeholders and user groups involved. The main objective is to get a clear picture of the expected solution and to deliver a comprehensive Solution Design Document describing the future system.
The starting point for the conception and design phase is a central project kick-off meeting. In addition to getting to know the project team, the kick-off meeting is essential for getting a precise idea of the current and the future project management solution. The definition of the project roadmap and the next steps are the prerequisites for the subsequent “Project Planning Process Workshop”. The kick-off results in an analysis of the current situation, the planned project goals as well as an architecture and solution proposal specifying how these goals can be achieved.
Before detailed planning of the PPM solution functionalities can take place, it is necessary to introduce the core team to the basics of PPM (Project Server / Project Online with SharePoint and Project Professional). As the subsequent PPM configuration workshop is based on Microsoft Project and Project Server / Project Online, a decent understanding of what can be customized in these systems is essential.
The kick-off event is followed by a 1-day “Project Planning Process Workshop” with the core team. In this workshop, the existing project planning process (PDP) will be reviewed and analyzed. The goal of the workshop is to create a unified project planning process description.
During the “PPM Configuration Workshop”, the new multi-project management solution will be tailored to your needs matching the defined planning processes. Functional and technical details have to be discussed and defined. Input is needed from your team to define templates, workflows, reporting requirements, security settings and much more.
On a separate track the technical experts from TPG and your IT team analyze the current IT infrastructure, define the necessary steps to set up the environment for the PPM installation and decide on responsibilities and deadlines. A Technical Solution Design Document describes the future landscape for your PPM solution.
By analogy with the PPM requirements, the specifics of the interface between the Project Server / Project Online system and other systems (SAP, Jira, TFS, Dynamics AX etc.) have to be analyzed and documented – if the project includes this type of integration. The integration document will be written based on the workshop results.
“During the preparation phase for the IT project, TPG provided us with advice that was fully customized to our needs and demonstrated which project management approaches work in a scientific environment and which don’t. Working with TPG, we were then able to quickly develop the processes required for a successful IT solution. We’re extremely impressed with their professional approach and with the solution we collaborated on together that meets our requirements.”
Birgit Kellner-Leidl, Project Manager, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)
