AI in Project and Portfolio Management Today

This image was, of course, generated by AI

We look into the current role of artificial intelligence (AI) in project management, highlighting some tools and services available today (Q4 2023) to project and portfolio managers. 

Although AI has significantly advanced in many sectors, its incorporation into project management is still developing. 

For a better perspective, let's discuss the difference between two primary types of AI: generative AI, especially Large Language Models (LLMs) such as GPT, Llama, or Bard, and AI models designed for specific applications, such as project management.

Generative AI models, trained on extensive datasets, are proficient in conversation and content creation—tasks reserved for humans until last year. Some models can interact with non-AI tools, such as calculators or code interpreters.

On the flip side, deterministic AI are custom-trained and are consistent and reliable, making them ideal for automating tasks in project management since they offer the same output for a given input. Familiar deterministic examples include chess engines and grammar checkers. 

So, why does this distinction matter? Your experience with AI and the value it can deliver for you and your team significantly depends on grasping this difference. For instance, while AI platforms like DALL·E are exceptional at generating art or text, analyzing niche areas like project budgeting or risk assessment requires the specialized approach of a custom-trained model. 

Existing project management tools can utilize generative pre-trained models such as the GPT API or open-source LLMs like Llama from Meta by interacting with them similarly to human conversation: they present a textual prompt to the model and subsequently use the model's response within the tool.

Developing custom-trained models is more complex but might yield better results. Now, training a model requires large datasets, computational resources, and deep AI expertise. This is why fine-tuned models to a specific dataset are still rare in many AI solutions.

In short, being aware of the distinction between pre-trained models offered as a service and custom-trained to specific needs will give you clear expectations about the options accessible to you and your team.

With this out of the way, let's explore a selection of AI applications in project management, highlighting which are available today and still in development or their early stages. Remember, we're just taking a quick peek at some AI tools in project management. This isn't a full list, and since AI changes so fast, some of these might already be old news!

Peace Treaty Between Waterfall and Agile

Waterfall and Agile have struggled to get along, dividing project managers who would adopt one or the other methodologies out of the deep belief that one is wrong and the other is right. 

We are all familiar with the pitfalls of the Waterfall approach: its need to forecast everything at the outset and its inflexibility in adjusting to emerging needs.

Agile methodologies opened up a new way to understand project management for many, but somehow, along the way, they have been frequently misunderstood. 

AI may improve each methodology, making them better at what they do and providing a clearer roadmap to using one, the other, or hybrid solutions.

AI Solutions

  • AI can mitigate the constraints of the Waterfall method. It can help project managers optimize resource allocation and enhance the precision of duration/effort estimations. This AI application still needs to be fully operational for the abovementioned reasons related to training models. Still, its potential is significant as it counteracts the limitations and biases inherent in human data processing. We will have to wait to see this functioning.
  • Assessing User Stories: AI's capability extends to evaluating user stories and requirements for clarity and coherence. Tools like GPT are accessible for checking the alignment of a user story structure with industry best practices, saving hours of back and forths. This is available for immediate use.

Human Bias in Project Management

Every one of us brings a set of biases to the table, often influencing independent decision-making. Take project justification, for example: despite relying on standardized ROI templates, project sponsors can, either intentionally or unintentionally, skew data to favor their preferred outcomes.

AI Solutions

  • Objective Decision Making: AI promises decisions free from emotional biases. Is this project aligned with the company strategy? Should I raise concerns or even kill my project? Well-trained models can answer these types of questions without hesitation.

However, while AI eliminates emotional biases, it can still reflect biases in its training data. For instance, the AI might tilt toward Western perspectives if the data predominantly originates from Western cultures. But one clear advantage is that AI is immune to external pressures or motivations. There are no out-of-the-box models available yet.

  • Risk Identification Across Methodologies: Identifying risks is an area where AI can bring significant value. The challenge, again, lies in the maturity of the technology. Effective risk identification requires comprehensive training data, including historical risks, team member performance histories, task categories, budgets, and even factors like holiday schedules. Many businesses today don't have such extensive datasets, making this an area of ongoing development. AI's applications in this domain are promising, but we will need more time for effective implementation.
  • Sentiment Analysis: One of the immediate applications of AI in project management is to gauge the mood of a team by examining their interactions and comments on project management platforms and collaboration tools like Slack or MS Teams. This capability is readily available and can be utilized by project managers today.

Transparency in Project Management

Possibly our favorite. Projects engage participants from diverse backgrounds within an organization and outside of it. The responsibility for effective communication largely falls on the Project Manager, who frequently finds it challenging to ensure that every stakeholder is reached and is exposed to the information in a way they will understand.

These communication challenges persist even at higher levels, such as program and portfolio management. And yes, dashboards provide good visual representations, but genuinely understanding them for informed decision-making can still be an obstacle for many.

AI Solutions

  • Data Transformation for Stakeholders: Generative AI is great at interpreting and summarizing complex data into recipient-adapted information. If you have consolidated your project data on a project management platform, AI can adeptly restructure it, making it accessible and understandable for all stakeholders. This capability is in active use today.

Let’s see how a PPM tool like ITM Platform makes this possible:

When your organization manages projects with different incumbents, such as project managers, team members, and other participants, PPM tools are indispensable for handling, consolidating, and providing grouped information. It functions like a working pyramid, where the most distilled information originates from the data at the base, offering dashboards that present overall information in a structured manner.

AI brings to the table the interpretation of all this data in a more human-readable and adapted way. Don’t know how to read an Earned Value chart or a Cumulative Flow diagram? No problem. All the underlying data, including financials, time estimates, reports, issues, and risks, are fed into the AI, which in turn delivers a human-readable report for you.

AI can interpret massive amounts of project and portfolio data.

AI will determine which information is relevant and which is not, providing a high-level summary and highlighting the details you should focus on.

  • Communication Augmentation: Tools such as chatGPT currently support project managers in enhancing the efficiency of their communication, especially in multi-language environments. To make good use of this, basic “prompt engineering” training can make it even better. Coursera and Udemy offer excellent courses on this topic for users.

AI Capabilities in Project and Portfolio Management: Now and in the Future

Here are the main points we've seen as a quick recap of what is widely available today and what is emerging on the horizon. Remember, these are just a handful of them used to illustrate our path in adapting AI in project portfolio management.

AI Solutions for Project and Portfolio Managers

  • Language Model Assistance: Draft clear and concise messages, emails, and reports using AI language models.
  • Team Morale Analysis: Analyze team comments on platforms like Slack and MS Teams to understand team sentiment.
  • Customized Data Presentations: AI transforms complex data into presentations tailored for different stakeholders.
  • User Story Analysis: Use AI to review user stories for clarity and compliance with industry standards.
  • Automating Tasks: AI helps create, edit, summarize, train, and utilize tool-specific features to improve efficiency.

Future AI Applications in Project and Portfolio Management

  • Predictive Project Forecasting: AI could offer more precise estimates of project parameters and early identification of potential obstacles.
  • Automated Risk Analysis: AI might be capable of predicting project risks by analyzing historical data across multiple projects.
  • Proactive Decision-Making Assistance: AI could suggest optimal actions in real-time, aiding project managers in keeping projects focused and aligned with objectives as they evolve.

A Note on Security and AI Usage

When using AI models with your data, be aware of potential privacy exposures. If you're training your own models, privacy concerns are less prominent. However, with third-party AI services, particularly AI-as-a-service, choose providers that guarantee your data won't be stored. Additionally, avoid sharing any information that could disclose details about your company, its employees, or other sensitive data.

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On the Same Page: A Guide to Project Communication

NASA's Mars Climate Orbiter got lost in space because of a classic "whoops" moment in communication. One group of engineers was all about metric units, while the other partied with the imperial system. The result? A spaceship taking an unintended spacewalk.

In the world of project management, we might not be launching rockets, but our success hinges on the same principle: clear communication. It's not just about firing off emails or scribbling notes; it’s about creating a lingua franca everyone gets.

Picture this: You're leading a software project that's so sleek even the code seems to wear sunglasses 😎. However, stakeholders express concerns about end-user adoption and market fit. Rather than assuming the project's direction, you introduce feedback-driven development sessions, where stakeholders can voice their insights and foresee potential risks. This proactive approach not only ensures the software aligns with market needs but also keeps stakeholders actively engaged and invested in the project's success.

Dive into this guide, and we'll unpack the art (and science) of project communication.

From Paper to Pixels: The Story of Project Communication

Project communication, much like the broader landscape of human connection, has undergone a transformative journey over the years.

Analog Beginnings

In earlier office scenes, typewriters echoed, hand-delivered memos were the norm, and Gantt charts proudly occupied wall spaces. Updates weren't a click away; they were presented in scheduled briefings. Patience played a critical role as stakeholders awaited these intervals of information.

The Digital Shift

As we ushered in the digital era, immediacy became the new standard. Emails began to bridge communication gaps swiftly. Digital Gantt charts emerged not just as quicker alternatives to their analog counterparts but as tools that encouraged interaction and dynamic adjustment.

Collaboration Takes Center Stage

With tools like Slack, Teams, and Trello coming into play, the concept of a traditional 'office' began to expand beyond physical walls. Geographical boundaries became less of a barrier as these platforms promoted real-time collaboration, ushering in a new age where teamwork could thrive, irrespective of location.

The Modern Landscape and Beyond

Today, the essence of project communication revolves around clarity and inclusivity. It's about ensuring every stakeholder is informed, engaged, and aligned with the project's objectives. As we cast our gaze forward, emerging technologies like AI and VR hint at even more immersive communication experiences tailored to individual needs.

Transparency in Project Management

At the heart of successful project management lies transparency. It's more than just sharing information; it's about creating an open environment where all stakeholders feel valued, informed, and involved.

  1. Trust is the Cornerstone: Look at how Tesla operates. They openly share ambitious goals and visions with their teams and the public alike. Employees trust that they're working towards groundbreaking objectives, while investors and the public trust in the potential of the company's direction.
  2. Clarity Brings Focus: Ambiguity can lead a project astray. Just as Netflix's transparent and direct internal memos ensure everyone understands the company's direction, clear project communication is critical to keep all stakeholders aligned.
  3. A Shared Vision: Transparency ensures everyone is aligned towards a singular vision. This doesn't mean there won't be disagreements, but with an open flow of information, it's easier to ensure everyone is on the same page.

The Positive Ripple Effects of Transparency

Transparent communication doesn't just benefit the immediate project—it has broader implications:

  1. Team Moral: When teams see the real-world impact of their work, much like the real-time user feedback in platforms like Airbnb, morale soars and productivity follows suit.
  2. Stakeholder Satisfaction: Informed stakeholders are generally happier stakeholders. When they can see the progress of a project—be it through a Gantt chart, a Kanban board, or any other visual tool—they're less likely to feel anxious or uncertain about the project's trajectory.
  3. Project Success and Adaptability: A transparent project management approach allows for quicker identification of issues, more agile decision-making, and a higher likelihood of project success. For example, if a sprint isn't going as planned, a visual tool can help stakeholders quickly grasp the situation, facilitating swift corrective actions.

Information is abundant yet attention is scarce. Transparency is about bridging the gap between intricate project details and stakeholder understanding.

Adaptability in Strategy and Execution

Remember the fall of Blockbuster? Their failure to adapt to the digital streaming revolution, despite an early lead in the rental market, led to their downfall. And while they faltered in adapting to the digital age, their downfall was exacerbated by a failure to communicate and rally around new market dynamics.

Fluid Strategies Through Clear Messaging

As Netflix pivoted from DVDs to streaming, their communication—both internal and external—was clear, ensuring all stakeholders understood and bought into the new direction. This wasn’t merely a strategic shift; it was a masterclass in communicating change.

Learning, Iteration, and Feedback Loops

True adaptability thrives on feedback. Spotify’s team structures, like squads and tribes, are built not just for agile operations but for agile communication. These feedback-rich environments ensure lessons are shared, learned, and acted upon.

Scenario Planning and Communication

Consider the aerospace industry. Given its complexity, companies often deploy scenario planning to anticipate potential shifts in policies, market demands, or technological advancements. But the key lies not just in creating these scenarios but in communicating them effectively. Ensuring that teams are not only aware of potential changes but also understand their implications can drastically reduce the response time when adaptations are necessary. It’s a top-down approach to ensure that both leadership and frontline workers are prepared for the twists and turns of the project landscape.

Feedback-Driven Development and the Art of Acknowledgment:

In the world of software development, adaptability can often mean the difference between a product's success or obsolescence. Platforms like GitHub or GitLab encourage developers to continually iterate based on user feedback. But here's where effective communication shines: it's not enough to adjust based on feedback. Companies that communicate back to their user base about the changes implemented (or reasons for not implementing certain suggestions) build a loop of trust and validation. This bottom-up feedback ensures that products or projects remain relevant and users feel heard.

Circle of Trust

Adaptability isn't just about adjusting to new challenges—it's about ensuring everyone is informed, aligned, and on board with those changes. As seen with companies like Netflix and platforms like GitHub, success is often determined by how well change is communicated

Engaging Stakeholders and Clients: Strategies for Effective Communication

Project management is an intricate dance of aligning various parties—internal stakeholders, external partners, and clients. One of the most significant aspects of this alignment is effective communication. Whether you're dealing with a stakeholder from a different department or a client from a different continent, crafting clarity and fostering engagement is paramount.

Understanding the Communication Landscape

The vast majority of projects, regardless of their nature, ripple through various segments of a business and its external environment. Ensuring all relevant parties are informed is not just courteous—it's fundamental to a project's success.

Stakeholder Engagement:

The Value of an Informed Stakeholder: A stakeholder, when kept up-to-date, can make insightful decisions, give timely feedback, and contribute more substantially. Conversely, those left uninformed might become hindrances or sources of resistance.

Digital Tools for Stakeholder Engagement:

  • Collaboration Platforms: like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Trello allow stakeholders to be part of the dialogue, irrespective of their location. PPM tools such as ITM Platform also include collaboration features linked to the different project items.
  • Visual Aids: Tools like Kanban boards, flow diagrams, or infographics help stakeholders grasp complex information swiftly.
  • Feedback Mechanisms: Digital platforms now offer intuitive ways to gather stakeholders' thoughts, ensuring their voice isn't lost in the project's noise.

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Client Communication:

The Essence of Client Dialogue: When it comes to the success or failure of a project, the client's perception is the ultimate determinant. Take Domino’s Pizza. Facing declining sales and criticism about their pizza's taste in the late 2000s, Domino's didn't deflect— they leaned in. In a bold campaign, they openly acknowledged the feedback and showcased their commitment to change. More crucially, after unveiling improved recipes, they actively sought customer opinions to further refine their offerings. 


This iterative approach—acknowledging issues, taking action, then looping back for feedback—wasn't just damage control; it drove a major upswing in sales and bolstered their brand image by proving that client voices mattered.

Mastering Digital Client Interactions: With a significant shift to digital touchpoints, it's essential to

  • Actively Listen: With limited non-verbal cues in digital communication, it's vital to concentrate and engage with what the client communicates.
  • Adapt to Communication Modes: Different clients have varied preferences—be it video calls, emails, or instant messaging. Being flexible in communication mode can foster better understanding and rapport.

Strategies for Clear and Effective Communication

To create deeper connections with stakeholders and clients alike, consider:

  • Setting Clear Expectations: Before immersing into any project phase, be clear about its scope, outcomes, timelines, and challenges that might arise.
  • Frequent Updates: Both stakeholders and clients appreciate regular project updates. This keeps them engaged and reduces feelings of exclusion.
  • Feedback Loops: Establish a routine of checking in, gathering thoughts, and addressing concerns. This not only keeps everyone on the same page but also identifies potential pitfalls early.
  • Education: Occasionally, you might come across stakeholders or clients unfamiliar with specific nuances of the project or the field. Taking time to explain these aspects not only informs them but also instills confidence in your expertise.
  • Exceed Expectations: Going that extra step, be it a prompt response, delivering before a deadline, or providing additional post-project support, can set you apart in the eyes of your stakeholders and clients.

Meaningful dialogue is rooted in mutual respect, understanding, and a shared vision for project success.

Remote Project Management: Challenges, Solutions, and Best Practices

The marriage of remote work with traditional practices is here to stay. This integration provides flexibility and broader reach but also introduces unique challenges to remote project management.

  1. Building Trust Remotely: Without the advantage of face-to-face interactions, cultivating trust becomes a nuanced challenge. In a remote setting, fostering a culture where team members rely on each other's expertise is imperative, even if they've never shared physical space.
  2. Communication Over Distances: Digital tools have revolutionized communication, but they also come with their pitfalls. The absence of in-person nuances means there's a higher risk of misinterpretation or missing critical details amid digital interactions.
  3. Maintaining Team Cohesion: Geographical dispersion can occasionally lead to feelings of isolation or detachment from the central project goals. Ensuring that every team member feels integrated and driven by the project's mission is paramount.

Best Practices for Remote Project Management

  1. Establish Clear Communication Norms: It's essential to outline the mediums, frequency, and type of team interactions. Having set structures, such as daily updates or monthly stakeholder briefings, reduces confusion and aids in creating a structured communication framework.
  2. Encourage Work-Life Boundaries: Remote work can sometimes blur the lines between personal and professional lives. Promote a culture where work hours are respected, and personal time remains undisturbed.
  3. Invest in Team Building: Foster team cohesion through virtual activities or challenges tailored for remote teams. Shared experiences can solidify team bonds, even from a distance.
  4. Harness Digital Tools for Structured Focus: Remote work presents an array of potential distractions, ranging from household chores to the irresistible appeal of digital media. Introducing multiple tools can add to this cacophony rather than streamline work. The key is not just to adopt but to adapt tools in a manner that channels 'deep work'. Consider strategies such as Structured Digital Silence and Asynchronous Communication Prioritization.

The challenges posed by remote project management also pave the way for innovative solutions. 

Final Thoughts

As we draw this exploration to a close, it's evident that the myriad threads of project management — be it strategy, adaptability, stakeholder engagement, or client communication — all converge at one point: effective communication. The success of any project doesn't merely hinge on resource allocation or meticulous planning but on how efficiently and transparently information flows among all involved parties.

Reflecting on the Pivotal Role of Communication in Driving Project Success

Over the course of this guide, we've underscored the importance of fostering an environment where clarity, trust, and adaptability reign supreme. Projects, by their very nature, are dynamic. They ebb and flow, sometimes predictably and at times unexpectedly. In such a landscape, the capacity to communicate effectively acts as an anchor, grounding the team and stakeholders alike, and steering the project through tumultuous waters towards its objectives.

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." 

George Bernard Shaw

Avoiding assumptions, regularly checking in, ensuring alignment, and seeking feedback are the bedrock of keeping happy stakeholders and clients.

Peering into the Future

As we look to the horizon, the landscape of project management is poised for further evolution. With the integration of AI-driven tools, we can anticipate even more streamlined communication processes, predictive analytics guiding decision-making, and virtual reality enabling immersive stakeholder experiences.

Furthermore, as teams become more globally dispersed, the need for tools and strategies that bridge time zones, cultural divides, and language barriers will only intensify. The aspiration for the future is not just about more advanced tools, but about cultivating a deeper sense of empathy, understanding, and collaboration, irrespective of geographical or digital divides.

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Data Visualization in Project Portfolio Management: A Practical Guide

Effective project portfolio management (PPM) relies on the ability to understand and analyze complex information quickly. Managing a project portfolio involves analyzing numerous data points, including project schedules, budgets, resource allocation, and risk assessments.

With so much information to process, it's essential to have a clear and concise way to present this information to stakeholders, managers, and team members. This is where data visualization comes in.

As a PMO leader, it's crucial to have a deep understanding of the health of your projects and how well-aligned they are with the business strategy. Timely access to this information can help you make informed decisions about resource allocation and adjust your strategies to ensure that you're meeting your goals.

Data visualization in aligning PPM to the business strategy

Data visualization is essential for strategic decision-making, and it goes beyond just creating aesthetically pleasing charts and graphs. Aligned adequately with the business's strategy, data visualization can provide critical insights into the company's performance and help identify areas for improvement.

Strategic planning and execution monitoring are the areas where data visualization becomes particularly important, as the ability to analyze and interpret data effectively can make an impact.

For example:

  • Visualizing investment per strategic goals.
  • Identifying areas of low performance.
  • Optimizing resource allocation
  • Aligning investment with risk management

Main types of data visualization for PPM

The art of data visualization lies in representing information in a graphical format. A well-designed chart enables users to quickly grasp complex information and identify patterns, trends, and correlations that may not be apparent in textual or numerical formats. Conversely, a poorly designed chart could be confusing and hinder understanding.

Data visualization can take many forms, including charts, graphs, maps, and infographics.

Some common chart types include:

  1. Bar charts: These are useful for comparing data across categories, such as project budgets or resource allocation, and are easy to read and understand. For example, a bar chart can be used to compare the total expenses of different projects in a portfolio, providing a clear visual representation of which projects are consuming the most resources.
  2. Column charts: Similar to bar charts, column charts are also useful for comparing data across categories but are displayed vertically. They can be particularly helpful for comparing data over time or for displaying multiple series of data. For instance, a column chart could display the progress of several projects over time, making it easier to identify trends and evaluate performance.
  3. Line charts: Show trends over time, making them ideal for tracking project progress, costs, and resource usage. However, they can be less effective when comparing data across multiple categories. An example of a line chart in PPM might be to track the cumulative cost of a project over time, allowing stakeholders to assess the project's financial performance.
  4. Pie charts: Pie charts display the composition of a whole, such as the percentage of resources allocated to each project. They are visually appealing but can become difficult to read with too many categories. A pie chart could be used to illustrate the percentage of overall resources allocated to different project types or departments, giving stakeholders a quick overview of resource distribution.

When picking a visual type, consider these factors: the type of data being presented (categorical, numerical, or time-based), the goal of the visualization (comparison, trend analysis, or composition), the complexity of the data (the number of data points and categories), and the audience's familiarity with the data and their ability to interpret different visualization types.

👀 Here's a cheat sheet to help you decide which type to use:

  • Categorical data: Use a bar chart.
  • Numerical data: Use a column chart.
  • Time-based data: Use a line chart.
  • Comparison goal: Use a bar chart or column chart.
  • Trend analysis goal: Use a line chart.
  • Composition goal: Use a pie chart.
  • Few data points and categories: Use a pie chart or bar chart.
  • Many data points and few categories: Use a column chart or line chart.
  • Many data points and categories: Use a grouped or stacked bar chart.

Best Practices for Data Visualization in Project Portfolio Management

Ensuring data accuracy and integrity

Before creating a visualization, ensure that the data being used is accurate and up-to-date. Inaccurate data can lead to misleading or incorrect visualizations, undermining decision-making and causing confusion. For example, if resource allocation data is outdated, a pie chart displaying resource distribution may give stakeholders a false understanding of the current project landscape.

Choosing the right metrics to visualize

Select the most relevant and meaningful metrics for your visualization, focusing on those directly aligned with your project portfolio management goals. Avoid overwhelming your audience with too much information by limiting the number of metrics in a single visualization. For instance, when visualizing project progress, focus on key performance indicators (KPIs) like schedule variance, cost variance, or percent complete.

Creating clear and concise visualizations

Simplicity is key when creating visualizations. Ensure that your charts and graphs are easy to understand by using a clear, concise format that highlights the most important information. Avoid clutter and unnecessary elements that may distract from the data. For example, when creating a line chart to track project costs, focus on the main cost components and avoid adding too many minor cost items that may clutter the chart.

Using color, layout, and design to enhance visualizations

The use of color, layout, and design can greatly impact the effectiveness of a visualization. Use color to emphasize key data points, group related data, or indicate progress. Choose a layout that is easy to read and navigate, and use design elements to guide the viewer's eye through the visualization. For instance, when designing a bar chart comparing project budgets, use contrasting colors to differentiate between different projects, making it easier for the viewer to understand the comparison.

Avoiding common mistakes in data visualization

Some common mistakes to avoid when creating data visualizations include:

  1. Overloading the visualization with too much information: Simplify your visualizations by focusing on the most important data points and excluding irrelevant or redundant information. For example, when visualizing project risks, focus on the high-priority risks and avoid cluttering the chart with low-priority risks.
  2. Using inappropriate or confusing chart types: Choose the correct one for your data and audience (use the cheat sheet above). For instance, avoid using a pie chart to compare data across multiple categories, as it can be difficult to read and interpret.
  3. Misrepresenting data through scaling or manipulation: Ensure that your visualizations accurately represent the data. Avoid using disproportionate scales or manipulating data to fit a specific narrative. For example:
These two charts represent the same dataset, but they have different effects on the reader.
  • 4. Ignoring data quality and accuracy: Verify the accuracy and reliability of your data sources before creating visualizations. Outdated or incorrect data can lead to misleading visualizations and poor decision-making.

Tools for Data Visualization in Project Portfolio Management

There are several tools available to help project and portfolio managers create effective visualizations, all of which should be integrated or connected to your PPM solution.

ITM Platform's built-in dashboard feature allows project and portfolio managers to access pre-built dashboards, create their own, or modify existing ones to suit their needs. 

Since it's built within ITM Platform, it is project portfolio-specific and has direct access to the data generated by different teams, making it seamless to obtain curated information.

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Power BI is a robust data analytics tool that enables users to create highly customized visuals. It's easy to use, yet very powerful, and allows you to connect with different data sources.

Learn how to connect Power BI to ITM Platform

Connecting other analytics tools with your PPM’s API.: ITM Platform's API allows users to connect other analytics tools, such as Tableau or QlikView, to their project portfolios. This enables users to create highly customized visualizations incorporating data from various sources.

Key Takeaways

Data visualization is an essential tool for effective project portfolio management, enabling organizations to make sense of complex data and make better-informed decisions. By selecting the right visualization type, ensuring data accuracy, and following best practices for design and layout, you can create impactful visualizations that support your PPM goals.

As you embark on your journey to improve project portfolio management through data visualization, remember the importance of choosing the right metrics, creating clear and concise visualizations, and avoiding common mistakes.

With that, you'll be well on your way to unlocking the full potential of data visualization in your project portfolio management journey.

Team members: the foundation for project management success

As a PMO manager, team manager, or project manager responsible for delivering results, you understand the complexity of project management. It demands seamless collaboration, coordination, and communication among all stakeholders to succeed.

In this post, we delve into the vital role Team Members also play in achieving the expected outcomes. 

By offering free Team Member licenses, ITM Platform is fostering a collaborative environment where Project Managers can engage all team members to focus on delivering the best project outcome rather than worrying about the cost.

The participation of team members encompasses several essential aspects:

  • Work execution
  • Time management
  • Progress reporting

Let’s break them down.

Work execution

Team members are the backbone of a project as the ultimate workforce that make outcomes possible. Three key dimensions impact the success of their efforts:

  • When team members feel a sense of belonging, they are more motivated and committed to delivering high-quality work.
  • Clear communication and collaboration with project managers, other team members, and stakeholders help ensure everyone works towards a common goal.

    Team Members’ access to the PPM tool provides them with an opportunity to share ideas and thoughts, leading to a more collaborative and inclusive approach to project management. 
  • Realistic view of progress: Team members provide a down-to-earth vision of the actual project status, which allows project managers to identify risks and address any issues early on.

By ensuring that these three aspects are in place, project managers can create a positive and productive work environment that leads to successful outcomes.

The PPM workforce pyramid: Team members are the foundation of project success

Time management 

Team members are pivotal to project time management, both in the effort estimates and the actuals. Why this matters:

  • Task effort estimation helps forecast schedules, resources, and costs, allowing project managers to make informed decisions. This is essential for both waterfall and agile projects to stay on track and within budget, and ensures mid and long-term resource availability.
  • Effort estimation is a continuous learning process that helps project managers to improve their accuracy over time. 

    Task managers and project managers can learn from past experiences and refine their estimation techniques by comparing initial estimations with actuals. Through regular practice, effort estimation becomes a valuable tool for project success, helping managers to stay on top of schedules, resources, and costs.
  • The accuracy of time reporting by team members plays a crucial role in determining the cost, both in terms of time and money, of individual tasks and the overall project.

    While timesheets can be a burden to complete, ITM Platform has a user-friendly interface that makes the process quick and painless. Team members will be able to see the benefits of accurate effort reporting, without feeling weighed down by the task of completing timesheets.
All-in-one timesheet that allows reporting progress and collaboration with comments

Progress reporting

Project progress report and status, especially in waterfall projects, is based on the progress of each task. That's why task progress reporting is essential.

  • Team members can act as task managers and provide accurate progress reports for realistic project tracking. Their involvement leads to informed decisions and a successful project outcome.
  • Without task managers’ participation, project managers are left to rely on their own assumptions about the current status of the project. This can result in unrealistic progress reporting and incorrect decision-making. 

    Project managers simply cannot stay on top of the details of every single task, and they need the involvement of team members to get an accurate picture of what is happening. 

The input of the Team Members is essential so that the project manager has accurate information about the status of their project. Otherwise, progress will be unrealistic.

In conclusion, Team members provide valuable insights into time management, opportunity cost, communication, shared vision, and project progress. 

By offering Team Member licenses for free, ITM Platform is making project management more accessible and inclusive. Take advantage of this opportunity and utilize free Team Member licenses to improve your project management today!

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OKRs: From Strategy to Results

OKRs are a management tool designed to align work with strategy.

Between strategic planning and the execution of day-to-day activities are several hierarchical levels and a multitude of people transmitting ideas among each other. OKRs ensure that the finished result is reflective of the initial plan.

OKRs integrate into an intermediate level of the management model. In the context of an organization, they fill the tiers between strategic objectives and the activities that ultimately implement them.

OKRs are the drive belt between strategy and daily activity

OKRs are based on an objective and several key associated results. Expressed in a standardized model:

[Verb] [Subject]
                [Key Result]
                                [Target][Date]

Let’s look at a concrete example:

Increase Productivity
                Packages packaged
                                Average of 12/hour in the first semester
                                Average of 14/hour in the second semester
                Calls answered
                                8 operator/day in the first semester
                                9 operator/day in the second semester

The activities are responsible for the key results and, ultimately, the realization of the strategic objectives.

Why OKRS?

OKRs solve any disconnect between strategies and their execution. They are also an effective motivational tool because they offer a purpose to daily activity.

We often do as we are commanded. But how often have we felt that we do not know why? OKRs ensure that daily tasks are both defined and explained.

According to Gallup, teams with committed staff have 21% higher productivity that those without.

  • Only 30% of workers understand their global strategy
  • Less than 50% understand how their work adds value
  • Only 13% of workers are committed to their work

OKRs help teams understand the purpose of their work.

Technology accelerates the distribution and tracking of work, but it does not explain why it is required.

How OKRs are built

Let’s remind ourselves of the structure of an OKR:

[Verb] [Subject]
                [Key Result]
                                [Target][Date]

Those organizations that are accustomed to traditional management models may find it helpful to use a Canvas to arrive at the definition of their OKRs.

The following example built by the ITM Platform team serves as a helpful basis:

You can download this OKR Canvas in PDF or Excel formats

The following are some proven steps for generating OKRs with or without a canvas:

  1. Start the process from the top, working downwards.
  2. Define your objectives.
  3. Anticipate each key result’s overall impact
  4. Establish action plans for each outcome.

OKRs should be circular. Information should not only propagate down from objectives to activities. Information should feed back to the company’s management.

The third point suggests that action plans should be ready when results are not achieved or exceeded. Action should remain closely tied to the initially conceived plan. Improvising offers worse results.

For example, what if we only generated three customer leads from a Google Adwords campaign for which five were hoped for?

Without a plan for this eventuality, it might be tempting to increase the Adwords budget and adjust the OKRs that depend on it. This might involve reducing the ambition of their objectives or postponing their results.

Anticipate scenarios in which activities do not deliver their expected results.

If we plan for these scenarios, we can strategize more effectively. We might consider that Adwords might not be the best option. We might consider that the market is not responding well to the product and that structural changes are required.

Best Practices when using OKRs

Like all business management practices, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Using the same measures may have the opposite effect in different organizations. Don’t try and stuff yourself into a shirt that doesn’t fit!

The following best practices cover aspects that need to be adapted for each case:

  • Period. In general, OKR’s are quarterly. This is a short enough term to execute actions and still see measurable results. Some organizations may prefer biannual deadlines if results can not be yielded sooner. Start-ups may iterate over shorter, perhaps monthly, periods.
  • Number of targets. The standard number is between three and five simultaneous targets. The general rule is not to have too many.
  • Key results per objective. As before, do not be excessive. If four key results are to be achieved, the objective can probably be divided into two.
  • Revisions. Just because an objective has been set with a certain periodicity does not mean that results cannot be measured over shorter periods. Course corrections can be made. Be careful not to overreact. Some metrics will require time to materialize accurately.
  • Visibility. By their nature, OKRs are public and shared. The motivational sense would be lost if not.
  • High impact. Choose the OKRs that will have the most significant impact on your organization. Aim for those that have the highest ratio of benefit to cost.
  • Feedback mechanisms. The results of one set of OKRs must be considered when planning the following set. Establish a mechanism by which planning and outcomes can communicate.

Goals vs. OKR vs. KPIs

They look alike, but they are not the same. Objectives, OKRs, and KPIs (Key Process Indicators) are related but serve different purposes.

ObjectivesOKRsKPI
A single sentence

SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-placed)

Delivers a result		It is a management unit

Non-measurable target

Measurable results
Quantifiable data

Requires data source

High periodicity

Measure daily operations
Increase sales by 20% in DecemberIncrease sales with 10 new customers, Q1 30% cross-sellingMonthly income

As shown in the table above, all three are hierarchically related. In turn, objectives define the OKRs, and KPIs measure the key indicators in the overall running of the business.

Common mistakes when implementing OKRs

Using OKRs does not guarantee success. While it is an intuitive mechanism, bad practices can cause them to fail.

The most common risks are:

  • Do not overpromise and raise expectations above what can reasonably be attained. Do not sell OKRs are a solution to all your problems but as an effective management tool.
  • Speed up the process more than your organization can assimilate. Do not hurry.
  • Abuse their use. OKRs are a tool with a purpose. A hammer is a tool for driving nails, but not every problem is a nail. Not every management problem can be solved using OKRs.
  • Absent leadership. OKRs are a way of implementing a strategy. Without a leader, the rest of the organization will let them dilute.
  • Lack of adaptation. Following a guide to the letter is a risk. Prepare to adapt to your reality.

OKRs and project management

There is a threefold link between OKRs and projects:

  • Use projects as a mechanism for the materialization of OKRs
  • Use OKRs as a control mechanism for long-term projects
  • Use OKRs as a portfolio management control mechanism

Projects as a mechanism for the materialization of OKRs

Remember the hierarchy between OKRs and the activities that will materialize them.

Activities will often be complex and will require a team. What is the best tool to manage complex and multidisciplinary work? Projects, of course!

OKRs as a control mechanism for long-term projects

In year-on-year projects, OKRs can be an exciting tool to control their results.

We already know about agile methodologies and their benefits for iterative management. The reality is that it is not always advisable or even possible, especially when the expected result is known.

One of the biggest problems long-term projects present is the effect of distance. Some results are only seen at the point of delivery. This is where OKRs can be invaluable.

You can use OKRs as a control measure with deadlines that suit your project’s duration and the key results that you expect at intermediate stages.

OKR as a portfolio management control mechanism

Any project office (PMO) wants to improve its management indicators. This may not be on a project-by-project basis but across the organization itself. As with any company with revenue and customers, a PMO should have indicators of success that quantify productivity, image, or efficiency.

Related reading: Strategic alignment: selecting higher value projects.

Let us look at an example:

Increase on-time deliveries
                Reduction of non-productive hours
                                10% in the first semester
                                12% in the second semester
                Reduction of unavailability of resources
                                Less than 10 days per month in the first semester
                                Less than 7 days per month in the second semester

Thus, the PMO – and more generally, project portfolio management – of your organization can find great benefits with the use of OKRs.

Conclusions

  • OKRs are an excellent tool for strategy implementation.
  • There are methodologies to build them; you do not need to start from scratch.
  • There are excellent best practices for implementing them.
  • There is no universal recipe. You need to adapt the methodology to your company.
  • OKRs are an ideal complement to project portfolio management.

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How to make remote work a success

Companies all over the world are making their operations work remotely for the first time. If you work in an industry where teamwork is crucial, a sudden request to work from home doesn't have to be a strain on you or your team. There are unique opportunities and challenges that come with working outside of a traditional office.

Here we define what remote teams are, explore advantages and disadvantages and how to successfully work from home.

 

First, what are remote teams?

The best way to understand remote teams is to think of them as small groups of people who are committed to achieving specific company objectives. They often work for the same company and answer to the same boss but live in different cities or even countries. You can also think of remote teams as being similar to virtual ones. The reason for this is because both deal with very similar opportunities and challenges. However the difference is that virtual team members answer to different managers while working together on the same project.

 

Advantages to working from home

Many people are discovering that working from home is a great advantage, and companies are inclined to agree. Hiring a contractor over an employee, and using that employee to build a virtual team for projects, is advantageous in a number of ways:

    • Improvements in employee work/life balance
    • Little to no travel time
    • Flexible work hours
    • Project collaboration and file sharing is easy now
    • Overall increase in employee productivity
    • Employee satisfaction
    • Easier to attain and retain top talent

While it is apparent that pulling in virtual workers for a team project is a great idea, it’s also important to make sure the business avoids the following possible overall pitfalls. If these issues are successfully deterred, then working from home in a team project works well.

 

Embracing the “disadvantages”

Most companies worry a remote team could take a lot of time and effort to get started because all team members must learn to effectively communicate and get to know one another. However, this shouldn’t be seen as “lost time”. In fact, this is far more beneficial to the company than anything else.

Since communication amongst remote teams is often dispersed across longer periods of time, team members learn to communicate deliberately. The result is employees with better communication skills and stronger unity. Remote teams are also capable of developing stronger bonds with one another because they learn to connect with one another on deeper levels.

Another common fear managers have when using remote teams is that team members aren’t synchronized due to their different time zones and work schedules. What many don’t realize is that this is actually a positive factor. Since consistent communication is difficult to maintain, it puts pressure on workers to complete work on time in order for the next to begin. This will prevent future delays or confusion.

 

Making remote work a success

Setting up a remote team is the first step but once you have it up-and-running you’ve got to know how to make it successful. There are a few things you need to keep in mind during the start-up phase and all throughout the rest of its development:

1. On-boarding
Home cannot be forced upon member of your team: whoever prefers a detached, professional collaboration with no soft commitment will eventually have their way; but on the corporate side it should encouraged and tied closely to corporate culture and values, to a strong branding and to on-boarding. Based on how this process pans out, both employees and consultants can either feel important contributors to the organizations or just another fly on the wall.

Supportive communication has an enormous importance. How well you welcome and integrate members into the team, make requests for feedback or encourage spontaneous interactions are fundamental elements leadership should consider. It’s important to advocate autonomous work while keeping track of progress.

For that reason, the integration of collaboration tools and project management technology is particularly relevant in the project leader portfolio. A potential tool to help facilate this process is ITM Platform Teambot. This is an app for Slack that enables our user base to review their current projects and tasks, report hours, track progress and interact within the platform without ever leaving Slack’s IRC-type chat interface.

Combining the collaborative power of Slack with the PPM capabilities of ITM Platform is a great example of keeping all project members on the same page, multiplying team interactions and ensuring that project planning and execution are strictly aligned.

ITM Platform Teambot with Slack

2. Stay Focused
When you work from home, losing focus is more of an issue than in an office. No matter how dedicated a worker is to a project, staying on task might become challenging. Avoid this situation by remaining highly professional when it comes to work. Becoming exceptionally organized, and understanding your role on the team. This will help you maintain focus and stay on task with the project, because you will avoid being frustrated with lack of understanding.

3. Be Flexible
Today’s virtual world runs on a global scale. Be mindful of the cultural differences and communication barriers that you may encounter. Anyone who has been on a virtual team understands this issue. While the project is in the planning stages, remain professional. Speak on a professional level, and use textbook English in all written communication. It is important to do this to avoid as many misunderstandings as possible. As the project moves forward, make sure communication barriers are broken down by asking for clarification when necessary. Most businesses will appreciate a question over having to redo a portion of a project due to a misunderstanding.

4. Make sure you have the right tools
All project team members must have access to the right technology to do the job, such as survey tools or company passwords. Remote projects depend on this access almost exclusively to get projects finished. Often, businesses will set up secure passwords for each team member. This way, if a team member becomes dishonest and acts in an unethical manner, the company will know where the breach happened. Be sure to keep your security information secret, only use it to work on projects, and never act in a way that would cause anyone to question your integrity. Make remote team projects work by acting as you would if you were sitting in an office with a boss breathing over your shoulder.

Avoid messy digital communications. Emails, though important, is becoming a thing of the past when it comes to organizing and communicating with your team. With different time zones and locations, continuous email chains become difficult to manage. Maintain productivity by taking advantage of amazing project management softwares such as ITM Platform. This way, you can prioritize what’s best for your business, control project tasks and financials, and use real-time information to report how projects are performing.

5. Connect with your team
Lastly, you should think about ways to reach out and strengthen staff relationships. Oftentimes, remote teams organize staff retreats or even meetups for those who live nearby. If these aren’t possibilities then think about creating fun social media groups via twitter or facebook. This allows co-workers to share funny memes, gifs or videos; all simple ideas to help strengthen the bond amongst remote teams. Why not a virtual happy hour?

If you’re interested in creating your own remote team or successfully managing the one you currently have, sign up for a free trial with ITM Platform. Our team is here to support you every step of the way.