Corporate project management. Corporate Project Management System: Benchmarking

Corporate standards for project management.

Description of the situation. (

Company "Medpribor" (public joint-stock company, shares are listed on the stock exchange) - a medical equipment manufacturing company. The enterprise was founded 10 years ago by scientists and engineers as a limited liability company, was transformed into an open joint stock company, and then into a public joint stock company.

Now the company is a major player in the medical equipment market. The company is trying to get involved in the federal import substitution program and is initiating the launch of new important projects. The company aims to significantly increase its market share and improve business performance over the next 5 years.
But the company has serious competitors who also develop high-quality medical equipment and have already implemented a number of best management practices, including in the field of project management. Competitors are beginning to develop major projects to further strengthen their market positions.
At present, the Medpribor company intends to carry out a number of organizational changes, including the start of the implementation of a project management system, and is taking the first steps in this direction.

The company's management set a course for the creation of a full-fledged corporate project management system. To this end, the head of the project management office is instructed to study in detail the various standards for project management. Next, he must develop an overall configuration of the project management system, taking into account the level of maturity of the existing system and presenting ways to improve the next five years.

Questions:

Spend comparative analysis features of popular project management standards.
Form the structure of a corporate standard, taking into account the use of the provisions of individual international and national standards in it.
Offer your vision of the corporate project management system in the company.
Develop on a larger scale the main phases of the project for the development and implementation of a corporate project management system and evaluate the time parameters of the life cycle of this project.
Consider the development and implementation of CPMS as the implementation of a change in the company's activities.
What will be, in your opinion, the economic effect of the launch of CPMS in the company?

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The corporate project management system (CPMS) is a set of organizational, methodological, technical, software and information tools aimed at supporting and improving the efficiency of planning and PM processes in a company.

The introduction of CPMS in the company assumes that the management of programs and projects is carried out using a specialized organizational structure within the framework of the methodology adopted in the company using a project-oriented information system.

Creating an effective corporate PM system involves the presence of three components (Fig. 11.2):

Regulatory and methodological support (standard);

Technical and information support;

Organizational and staffing.

Overestimation of the importance of tools and insufficient attention to the creation of an effective organizational structure for management, staff motivation are often the cause of failures and disappointments in the construction of CPMS. Conversely, it is practically impossible to ensure the effective implementation of management procedures without the use of modern means of information processing and communications. The presence of a unified information model for project planning and a unified information environment is the most important factor that ensures the efficiency of project teams and managers of various levels on-line.

Comprehensive implementation of CPMS involves the balanced development of all the main components of the management system. Ignoring or insufficient attention to one of the components significantly reduces the efficiency of the system as a whole. For example, it is unlikely that a corporate standard will be effectively applied by specialists who do not have basic knowledge in the field of PM and who have not been trained in the application of the procedures and methods of the standard itself. Conversely, training staff only in the general principles and methods of PM without taking into account the specifics of the company and corporate standards will give limited results.

The development and implementation of CPMS is a set of sequential measures (an internal corporate project) that requires careful study of both strategy and implementation tactics.

The objectives of the project for the implementation of CPMS, as a rule, are reflected in indicators of increasing the efficiency of projects implemented in the company, development programs and the investment process as a whole. The results of this project can be working formal procedures for launching, planning, organizing the execution, control and completion of projects and programs, the necessary organizational structures (for example, a strategic committee, project office, etc.), provisions for the main roles of project participants (chief manager, curator and etc.), a specialized information system, trained personnel, a database of standard indicators, an archive of documents on implemented projects.

The specifics of CPMS implementation projects include:

The difficulty of formulating and agreeing on clear goals and requirements for the final results and criteria for success. Possible change (clarification) of these requirements during the project;

Increased formalization in the preparation and adoption of managerial decisions, which implies an increase in requirements for the qualifications and degree of responsibility of personnel, resulting in a high dependence on the human factor;

The need for organizational changes, which may be associated with a conflict of interests of individual departments and managers.

Thus, the CPMS implementation project belongs to the “open” type, i.e. to projects that are difficult to plan with a high degree of accuracy on early stages and, accordingly, the planning and implementation of such projects is carried out in stages, taking into account the results achieved. For the success of such projects, the task of developing an overall implementation strategy with the allocation of key phases and intermediate results is of particular importance.

It should be borne in mind that the transition to unified project management technologies in different companies is carried out in different ways. The choice of one or another project implementation strategy is determined both by the specifics of the company's projects and the current state of business development, the company's readiness for implementation (organizational maturity - see clause 11.5). The development of a strategy usually begins with an analysis of the prerequisites and objectives for the implementation of CPMS, prioritizing the achievement of results, taking into account risks and limitations.

Typical risks of such projects are associated both with organizational errors - choosing the wrong strategy, erroneous positioning of the project in the company, and with the human factor - insufficient motivation, low qualification of personnel (see Chapters 19 and 20).

The most common risk factors are:

Mistakes in goal setting and project definition, lack of a balanced approach to the implementation strategy;

Inadequate expectations of project participants;

Lack (insufficiency) of support from top management and other key stakeholders;

Errors when building a project team;

Insufficient qualification and motivation of personnel.

Mistakes in goal-setting and definition of the project for the implementation of CPMS,

usually associated with given task is understood in the company in a limited way, is not considered as a project, there is no understanding of the real scale and complexity of the project. As a result, implementation work begins with solving local problems, for example, with the purchase software, in the absence of clear requirements for the final results. Lack of plans, unrealistic deadlines, underestimation of resource needs (including due to insufficient accounting for hidden work and the volume of attracting employees from various departments of the company) lead to loss of control, disruptions and, as a result, to a decrease in confidence in the success of project participants at all levels.

Inadequate expectations of the participants are partly a consequence of the unclear definition of the project. The company's management may have inflated expectations regarding the speed and depth of changes (I want "all at once"). Experience shows that high initial expectations can lead to disappointment and loss of interest in the project when the first difficulties appear. Among the most common misconceptions of the participants are overestimation of the role of external consultants (consultants will come and do everything themselves), as well as underestimation of the role and scope of work in the project of the company's personnel. The level of resistance to change is often underestimated. Frequent phenomena are the conflict of interests of participants in the redistribution of areas of responsibility and authority, different understanding of the tasks and capabilities of the system by different users.

Changes in the company's PM system, as a rule, affect the processes of formation and implementation of its development strategy and, accordingly, require approval at the highest level of management. The absence (insufficiency) of support from top management and other key project participants leads to delays in making (approving) the main organizational decisions on the implementation of PMMS and, accordingly, to serious risks for the project.

The risks associated with project team building errors include both an insufficient level of authority and positioning in the company of the project manager, and the “narrowness” of the team (in terms of active involvement specialists of the company - future users of KSUP). If external consultants are involved in the project, then one of the important conditions success - the creation of a single team that speaks the same language and understands both the specifics of the subject area and the principles of application of project-oriented management.

A big obstacle to the implementation of the system can be insufficient qualification and motivation of the staff. The effective application of formalized management processes presupposes both basic management knowledge (the conscious application of certain methods and procedures) and a certain level of information technology proficiency. It is also very important to understand the benefits of the implemented system both for the company and for the participants personally (facilitating interaction, transparent remuneration system, career prospects).

The main (critical) factors for the success of the CPMS implementation project are as follows:

1) the presence of agreed goals and results of the project;

2) support from top management;

3) creation of a really working joint team;

4) availability of plans (strategic, priority actions, response to risks);

5) taking into account the requirements of users;

6) sufficient qualification of participants and users of the project;

7) availability of a motivation system for all project participants;

8) the presence of a system of communications, control and change management;

10)use adequate information technologies.

Success factors from the first to the fourth determine the strategy for the implementation of the project and are very important for its start.

Starting a project, we evaluate how clearly defined and fixed goals (both short-term and strategic), success criteria, results and boundaries of the project. Of course, consultants can help develop the relevant documents, but it is important to achieve the same understanding and approval of both the company's management and all key members of the project team.

Assessing the level of support from top management, we consider his personal interest, understanding of the need for changes in business process management, readiness to participate in decision-making on the project. In addition, the indirect support of senior management in the appointment of personnel and project leaders (manager and curator), delegating appropriate powers to them is assessed.

Creation of a really working project team implies the possibility of building it up as part of the company's specialists and external consultants. Active participation of the customer's management and specialists in the work of the joint project team, real powers (power) of the project manager and curator should be provided at the earliest stages. Importance may have an internal marketing program launched from the very beginning of the project (in order to involve employees in the project and ensure a positive attitude towards it).

The importance of the next factor is quite obvious. The presence of plans (strategic, priority actions, response to risks) makes it possible to more clearly define the responsibility of various participants, including external and internal ones, for the results, ensure coordination of their actions, and justify the need for resources to management.

Factors 5 through 10 more related to the tactics of the project and are important for avoiding problems in the process of its implementation. However, already during the preliminary survey, these factors can be assessed and taken into account when developing strategies and plans. Additional, re-evaluation of them during the project is also useful for understanding its dynamics and direction of development.

Taking into account the requirements of users (project managers and functional managers of the company, team members), their involvement in development can complicate this process, but it allows minimizing the complexity of the stage of introducing the system into real use, avoiding rejection. Ideally, all potential users should understand the usefulness of the project results and be actively involved in the development and testing process. At the initial stage of the project, the potential for constructive involvement of users in the project, their interests and concerns are assessed.

Insufficient qualification of participants and users of the project in the field of management technologies, including information, and methodology can become a significant limitation in the implementation of the system. At the beginning of the implementation project, both the qualifications of the company's management and the current qualifications of personnel in a particular subject area, as well as the readiness for training, the need and possibility of attracting additional personnel are assessed.

The assessment of the motivation of project participants includes, for example, an analysis of the understanding of their interests (primarily senior management, project managers, and other participants). Do the project participants expect to improve their working conditions from the introduction of new project technologies, real personal benefits (training, experience with new technologies, salary increases, career growth, etc.) or do they consider innovations only as an additional load with unclear payment terms? Do the project team members understand how the results of their work will be evaluated and are they satisfied with such a formulation of the question?

An effective system of communication, control and change management is especially important for projects open type that involve dynamic management and a certain flexibility in decision-making, taking into account the results achieved. The control system assumes that all key project parameters are monitored (work schedule, budget, resources, mood of the project team), a system for making changes has been developed, the project team receives complete and timely information about the current state of affairs, etc.

Most of the PM procedures and methodologies in the company are developed based on the experience and assumptions of managers and employees, as well as the experience of external consultants obtained on previous projects. The system must be tested on real projects of the company. An important stage of its implementation is testing on pilot projects. The successful implementation of the system in the company as a whole depends on how successfully the pilot projects are selected and the trial operation of the system is organized.

Using the above critical success factors for a CPMS project, it is possible to assess the company's readiness to implement the system, taking into account the existing risks. Based on the results obtained, various implementation strategies can be selected.

The high degree of readiness of the company allows to implement the most holistic and consistent balanced implementation strategy. This strategy assumes:

Initial deep study and agreement of goals;

A high degree of elaboration of implementation plans from the beginning to the end of the project;

Focus on individual factors that received low ratings at the initial stages;

Project planning in the form of a sequence of phases, at each of which a complete, workable solution is implemented.

This approach makes it possible to increase the certainty of the expected and obtained results, the reasonableness, complexity and completeness of each stage, to abandon the emergency methods of work that require significant involvement of top management.

If the results of the assessment show insufficient readiness of the company to implement CPMS (no necessary conditions for the development and launch of a full-scale project), then for such a situation, you can try to use the "quick utility" strategy, characterized by the following parameters:

The range of tasks to be solved during the first stage is very narrow, specific, applied;

Work on the most significant projects, with a demonstration of real results and usefulness for all participants;

Widespread use of coaching as a technology for solving specific problems in the workplace with a specific manager;

Regular demonstration of results to senior management to build his conviction in the usefulness of the undertaking and increase the level of involvement;

Significant attention to basic training of the company's personnel in the field of PM.

A full-scale implementation strategy is developed based on the results of the first stage.

Regardless of the situation in which the project starts, the manager must understand that the implementation of CPMS involves the implementation of a set of intra-corporate changes. The change management cycle includes three successive stages: “defrosting” the situation; implementation of the change; committing the change (Figure 11.3).

In order to increase the likelihood of success of ongoing changes, it is desirable to achieve from the very beginning:

Comprehensive consideration of the organizational project;

A clear understanding of the goals of the project by all its participants: let the initial volume of implementation be small, but understandable and accepted by all;

A balanced approach (development of a standard, application of information technology, staff training). Ignoring individual components can significantly reduce the effectiveness of the results;

Rice. 11.3. Basic cycle of change management in the implementation of CPMS

The appointment of a project manager as a manager, and above the middle level, and not technical specialist in one subject area, for example, an IT specialist;

Creation of a joint team of the customer and consultants. You can influence the project as much as possible at the initial stage. The sooner a joint team is formed, the better. The more actively the representatives of the customer and users of the system are involved in this process, the higher the probability of success;

Inclusion of senior management representatives in the project team;

Organizing an internal PR campaign for the project, sending out a regular newsletter;

Development of an effective multi-level system of operational and integrated control for the levels of the project manager and customer.

Any Russian company regardless of the degree of its steepness and "multinational" ambitions from the point of view of the owners (or one owner) - the project. Raw materials, production, strategic, etc., ultimately - investment. If everything turned out well, then things went well, this project itself generates new business areas, service products, new enterprises, i.e. other projects. So far, there are 3-5 such projects - everything is within the visual control of the owners: people, money, results, risks. If there is more, then the question inevitably arises: what to do next, how to manage it? After all, the first limitation faced by the owner or top manager who is interested through shares, options or bonuses in the development of the company's business is his personal time resource. A resource that is not enough for everything and everyone. In addition, there is still a family, hunting, fishing, sauna, skiing, friends and other things that inevitably take their rightful place in the scale of values of every leader and compete with business for the same resource of personal time.

Regardless of the trajectory of movement in business, the mentioned leaders, if they are interested in the development of the company, inevitably come to an understanding of the need to develop and implement a corporate project management system (CPMS). Maybe on the scale of the company as a whole, or maybe on the scale of individual business units. Well-known examples include Yukos, RAO UES of Russia, Norilsk Nickel, Lukoil Overseas, etc.

Based on personal experience and information received at different times from various sources, I can say that, unfortunately, there are very few real success stories in this area. I checked it, because in 2004 one of the customers asked me to find and show him a project management system that really works at the level of a holding company. At the same time, the customer was interested in the project management system with all its advantages and disadvantages, and not in a software product that can be presented in a demo or "advertising" version with any set of diagrams, network models, plans and reports. It turned out that there is something to see for a separate project, but there is nothing special to show for a company-level project management system.

On the one hand, of course, such information was the know-how of companies that, with the involvement of consultants, implemented such systems. On the other hand, it is above the level of individual divisions (most often IT-oriented), or individual categories of projects (for example, capital construction) or, at best, individual subsidiaries of holdings whose activities are of a pronounced project nature (for example, research and development ) almost none of the consulting companies operating in this market has risen.

And the point here is not the professionalism or unprofessionalism of consultants. Other factors are more significant. For example, such as:

The role of the top management of the company in the implementation of the project management system. The CEO of a large laser engraver manufacturing company, upon learning that a full-scale implementation of a project management system could take 2-3 years, rejected the very possibility of discussing this topic and demanded from subordinates that something quick and simple be done - to increase efficiency project management in the field of capital construction. A year later, the owners returned to the question of the effectiveness of capital investments in this company. It took half a year to collect information and analyze the situation on funded projects. At the same time, project financing itself was reduced to a minimum. Projects under development have been suspended. As a result, it turned out that no one evaluated the actual effectiveness of already implemented projects. recent years 5 (and it differed significantly from the planned one). Among those being implemented, incl. - 70-80% completed projects, a smaller part worked to implement the strategy. Many of the projects being developed turned out to be beyond the “threshold” set by the owners of economic indicators, and, moreover, did not take into account the risks associated with the external environment. Thus, for several years, scarce resources (money of owners) were spent on inappropriate strategies or ineffective projects that inexorably "ate" the company's market value and deprived it of advantages over foreign competitors);

The business model used by the company. Projects are always changes. As long as you develop and implement a management system for individual projects, you are safe for existing model business and its developers. And you will most likely be allowed to do so. As soon as you reach the level of the company or its main business units, i.e. to the level of program and project portfolio management, then you immediately intrude into the spheres of interest of managers top level. Because the implementation of a project management system at the level of programs or portfolio of projects is a new or significantly updated business model. And it involves the "redrawing" of spheres of influence between top managers, significant changes in the existing organizational structure and management technologies. This issue can be resolved positively only at the level of owners. At the level of senior managers, among whom supporters of the existing business model most often prevail, you most likely will not receive support and, accordingly, will not receive funding. Unless except for those cases when the first person of the company is an active supporter of the implementation of CPMS.

Consistency of the vision of CPMS within the company. The management of a successful Russian branch of an international company at a certain stage decided to implement a project management system. All divisions of the company, with the exception of the commercial department, turned out to be ready for the transition to the design principles of work. His manager considered that project management in the traditional form with planning of results and work for each project, taking into account time limits and resources, would lead to ... a drop in sales. In his opinion, sales managers (namely, they were supposed to be appointed project managers) should maintain and develop relationships with customers for as long as possible. And the focus on project results could lead them astray. As the company intended to move from selling certain types equipment and software for the sale of complex solutions, it was decided to appoint sales managers in the event of complex contracts as project managers. The company's sales did not decrease, but the share of integrated design solutions did not increase either. As a result, the management of the company, after a few months, was forced to return to the topic of project management and, together with the heads of all departments, develop a coordinated approach to managing complex projects. Based on the results of the work carried out, the implementation processes were determined and technologies for the implementation of complex projects were created. In addition, IT specialists and business consultants were involved in the project teams. Complex projects are being promoted and managed more effectively.

Project management methodology at the company level. Standards for company-wide project management - for program/portfolio management - are under development at PMI. Even leading international companies are still gaining experience and developing their corporate project management methodologies at the portfolio/program level. In Russian practice, quite successful experience has been accumulated in the formation and implementation of methodologies for the management of individual projects, less often - individual programs (capital construction, automation). But unlike foreign companies, Russian companies most often do not manage project management knowledge bases, because As a rule, one's own/other's experience is not formalized, or access to information about completed projects is closed for one reason or another for employees. It should be noted that, perhaps, the average Russian holding companies operating in competitive markets have come closer to portfolio management at the corporate level than others.

Below I will elaborate on the methodology. Because the answers to questions related to methodology will largely determine the solution of problems related to the other factors mentioned.

Most often, managers are interested in such questions as:

What is an enterprise project management methodology?
Who and how should develop this methodology in the company?
What documents should be developed in this case, what should they include?

Project management standards developed by the most famous professional associations - PMI and IPMA, do not contain direct answers to these questions.

What is an enterprise project management methodology?

I will give only the most characteristic points of view of Russian experts on this issue:

The corporate project management methodology is a set of procedures and internal regulatory documents that define them, as well as a set of project management tools and methods that ensure the implementation of all company projects according to uniform rules and standards. The corporate methodology defines both management procedures (decision-making on projects) at different phases of the life cycle, and requirements for projects in different functional areas: finance, personnel, deadlines, resources, risks, quality, contracts and deliveries, etc.
The corporate project management methodology is a set of regulatory and methodological documents, templates of working documents that are included in the Corporate Standard of a project management company or ensure its application.
A project management methodology is a set of project management methods and procedures that form the basis of a specific project management software package.

The first point of view is characteristic of companies and specialists that provide consulting or expert services in the field of project management, the latter - for companies supplying software products for project management.

Who and how should develop a project management methodology in a company?

The corporate project management methodology is usually developed as part of a project to implement a corporate project management system. I don't know of any successful project where the company has done it on its own. Almost always, external consultants or project management experts are involved in the project project team.

I will add to the above that I fully share the point of view of those specialists who believe that “the corporate culture of project management (as well as the corporate project management methodology) is “cultivated” inside the Customer’s company, and not “turnkey implemented” from the outside. One of the noteworthy solutions to the problem of developing and implementing a corporate methodology for PM is the creation of a center of competence for PM or a group within the corporate project office that would be responsible for the development and development of this methodology within the company.

What steps are mandatory when developing a methodology?

Based on the analysis of various practices for the implementation of CPMS, the following steps can be attributed to the mandatory steps:

Inventory of all developed, implemented and implemented projects of the company
Building a registry or portfolio(s) of projects
Project classification
Definition of life cycle models for different categories of projects
Definition and description of project management processes and technologies
Revision of the existing distribution of functions and powers between company leaders to ensure effective project management
Revision of the organizational structure and making changes to it necessary for effective project management
Determination of the structure of the regulatory framework of the project management company
Development of regulatory, methodological documents and templates of working documents, classifiers and reference books necessary for project management

What documents should be developed when forming a corporate project management methodology?

The structure of the regulatory framework of the company depends on the levels at which project management in the company will be organized. For example:

Corporate portfolio of projects - the level of the managing or parent company of the holding
Project Portfolio by Business/Product Group – Division or Subsidiary Level
Program - branch or individual division level
Project - the level of individual divisions of the company, as well as its subsidiaries and affiliates

As one of options the structure of the regulatory framework for project management for a holding type company, it is possible to propose the following:

The normative base of the first level of the PM system is the management of project portfolios and programs. This is the level of the Company as a whole. It says nothing about the management of a separate project, there are no managers and project executors. The composition of the regulatory framework for project management for this level can be as follows:
- Regulation "On the corporate project management system" - the main document of the CPMS
- Regulations on the Investment Committee, on the Corporate PMU, on groups of project portfolios and program/project offices
- Job descriptions for PMU employees, portfolio groups and program/project offices
- Procedures for managing portfolios and programs that are not included in the Regulation "On the corporate project management system"
- PM Working Paper Templates Required for Portfolio and Program Management
- Other regulatory documents.
The normative base of the second level of the PM system is the main processes for managing projects of all types, identified within the framework of the classification adopted by the Company. The structure and composition of the regulatory framework for a given level of the PM system will be determined by decisions made at the level of portfolios and programs. For each type of projects and programs, its own regulatory framework can be developed. The approximate composition of the regulatory framework for a certain type of projects or programs can be as follows (on the example of capital construction projects):
- Regulations on the management of capital construction projects
- Procedures for managing capital construction projects
- Regulations on the project office / capital construction project management center
- Job descriptions for participants in capital construction projects
- Templates for working papers for managing capital construction projects (Project Charter, Project Plan, application for opening a project, etc.)
- Other documents

A.Yu.Sooliatte, partner of FE "Finexpert.ru"

In conditions of instability, economic and political crisis, which our country is currently experiencing, business practices are becoming more and more rigid. Any modern company, in order to be competitive or even just to survive in the market, must be ready for constant growth, development and adaptation to the existing market realities. Adaptability and adaptability are the key to the survival of companies these days.

Project management is no longer a fashionable innovation, but a truly effective approach to doing business. The use of project management methods allows managers to exercise effective control, achieve better results, save resources and reduce costs, and this, you see, is important for successful work companies in the current environment.

If we turn to history, it is worth noting that in the mid-2000s, project management was in demand mainly by large corporations that entered international capital markets or attracted foreign investors, while by the end of the first decade of the new century, this management approach began to generate interest. in medium and small companies. Managers have realized that the application of project management methodology can significantly improve the performance of an organization, regardless of the industry in which it operates.

Meanwhile, the tasks of a modern company are no longer limited to the management of individual projects. Projects can be short-term and long-term, innovative and standard, involve the use of both internal resources and interaction with external performers. With the growth in the number of projects and their complexity, it becomes increasingly difficult to accept an informed decision about the need to carry out a particular project, monitor the implementation of projects, track the labor costs of personnel, monitor changes in the results of projects, etc.

The solution to this problem is the organization of project management processes in the company through the introduction of a corporate project management system, or CPMS.

Corporate Project Management System (CPMS) - a set of organizational, methodological and information tools that support project management processes in an organization. This system allows:

To increase the manageability of the company's projects by introducing a set of organizational, methodological and information tools that formalize and support project management processes;

Strengthen control over the quality of execution, deadlines and budget of projects.

Use up-to-date, constantly updated information on the status of projects to monitor project activities and to make decisions on the need for changes based on data for all projects;

Apply a unified approach and project management tools with a clear separation of powers and responsibilities of roles in project management;

Create and store an archive of projects - to use the available information in the implementation of future projects;

To increase the efficiency of using the company's resources, including simplifying the procedure for “getting on board” with a new project manager.

When implemented correctly, an enterprise project management system significantly saves managers time to control ongoing projects due to its transparency. It should be noted that the natural desire of any CEO- to make sure that the instructions are carried out and urgent tasks are implemented with his minimum participation. The desire of the owner is to make sure that investments give the maximum return with minimal involvement. In this regard, such a system should be a well-established organizational mechanism that will be completely transparent for both the manager and owners, will work clearly and according to certain rules, do not depend on the human factor and promptly inform about emerging problems. In this case, the corporate project management system, among other things, can become effective tool to improve return on investment.

Building a corporate project management system is not an easy task. Each such system is unique and should be developed taking into account the specifics of a particular organization.

KSUP consists of a specific set of components that can be implemented in various ways:

Project management methodology. It is a standard for all project participants, regulates the roles in the project, project management processes, project management document templates.

The project office is a unit that collects data on the progress of projects and coordinates the activities of project managers to meet the requirements formed by the company's management.

Project Management Information System (PMIS) is a tool designed to automate project activities. Provides effective planning and control of the execution of project work, consolidates data on the implementation of projects at all levels.

Trained personnel, including all participants in project activities (project managers, administrators, project office employees, project team).

The implementation of large corporate project management systems is often carried out by consultants. But what if you have a small company or a department of a large company and you need to implement such a system on your own? What is the best way to approach this task?

Before you start developing CPMS, you need to determine what will be a project in your company. Which types of work will be subject to design approaches and which will not. Oddly enough, many companies experience difficulties at this stage, because they interpret the concept of the project too broadly or, on the contrary, narrowly, which further causes difficulties in using CPMS.

Let's look at how you can define what a project is for your organization. To date, there are a considerable number of definitions of this concept. For example, the Project Management Institute (PMI), USA, defines a project as a temporary endeavor designed to create unique products, services, or results. According to the International Project Management Association (IPMA), a project is a purposeful temporary activity designed to create a unique product or service. The English Association of Project Managers, Great Britain gives the following interpretation: a project is a separate enterprise with specific goals, often including requirements for time, cost and quality of the results achieved.

In addition to defining a project as work that creates a unique product (or a generic product that is created in a unique way) and has time, budget, and resource constraints, it should be understood that a project is a complex business process. Its complexity may be due to a number of factors, such as, for example, employees of different departments are involved in the performance of work, the same resources are used by different departments, employees are subordinate to several managers, etc. Let's take the following example: an employee did not have time to complete a project task in deadline by Friday. And since Monday, he has already scheduled work in a new project, the head of which works in another department. Naturally, this leader will not want to give up the resource, because then his project will suffer. It is more profitable for the company that the employee first completes what he started, and then moves on to the next task. Thus, the more project participants, the larger the volume of projects, the greater the need for delegation of authority to the level of project managers and the need for a project method of project management.

In addition, it should be noted that in different companies, project management is understood as completely different activities. This is absolutely natural and is dictated by the specifics of the business, projects and the existing management system in the organization. The project approach should be based on clear rules that are described in the corporate project management methodology. These rules can range from simple to complex, depending on the complexity of the projects and the training of the staff. It is important to consider that project management is a cost to the project manager and project team members, so efficiency must be considered in determining what each person working on a project will do and be responsible for in your company. In this regard, companies often develop two versions of project management procedures: for complex projects, a more complex (and more expensive) procedure is used, and for simple ones, a simplified one, with a smaller package of documents, minimal reporting, etc. In some cases, companies do not develop criteria for defining a project, but simply form a closed list of activities that will be managed on a project basis.

So, by defining what your organization will understand as a project, you have laid the foundation for a project management system. Now it is necessary to designate what will be meant by "corporate project management system".

On the one hand, the task of KSUP is to increase the efficiency of the enterprise, its profitability. But on the other hand, the introduction of new management procedures increases the cost of management. Given this, the question arises: “How to make sure that management costs pay off, and do not become an additional expense item?” First, it is necessary to realize that not every job should be managed according to project principles. Therefore, it is necessary to form a fairly rigid system of criteria that will determine which activities can be recognized as project activities. This system should be regularly reviewed and updated in accordance with the current state of affairs in the organization and external factors. Second, one of the major inhibitors to successful project management can be a mismatch between the types of projects a company needs to manage and its organizational structure. The organizational structure of the enterprise, as a rule, is stable, inert and may not change. long time. The traditional functional organizational structure is created to serve the operational side of the business and, therefore, does not allow for effective project management.

The introduction of CPMS involves a revision of the existing system of relations between employees in the company and the adaptation of the organizational structure in order to increase efficiency in project management. At the same time, the degree of adaptation depends on the complexity of projects, their volume, staff qualifications and a number of other factors. Consequently, there is a need to develop a unified project management methodology - the "rules of the game", a set of regulatory and regulatory documentation that would describe all aspects of project activities in your company.

The basis of the project management methodology is the regulation (or standard) of project management. The regulation describes the roles of participants in project activities, their powers and areas of responsibility in the process of project implementation, the rules for their interaction, in particular, regulates the interaction of the project manager and functional managers. In addition, the regulations should describe the signs by which the activity is considered a project, and the principles for classifying projects. Based on the regulations, additional documents are developed - role instructions and document templates. Role instructions contain specific recommendations on the implementation of the provisions of the regulations by a representative of each of the roles, taking into account the tools used in the organization. However, taking into account the foregoing, it must be remembered that reasonable regulation has a significant effect, while excessive regulation bureaucratizes the process and makes it difficult to obtain results.

In order to determine what provisions should be included in the project management regulations, you will need to assess which of the activities necessary for the implementation of the project are performed in your company and their level of maturity. Subsequently, based on this analysis, you will be able to determine what actions should be included in the project management regulations. The following is short description the main phases that any project includes.

Project initiation - the actions required to make a decision to start project planning.

Project planning - the activities necessary to clarify the goals of the project and draw up a plan to achieve them, and then approve it with the project customer.

Execution of project work - how the execution of work according to the approved project plan is managed. The project management regulations describe the rules for setting tasks and reporting on them common to all projects.

Monitoring and tracking the project - how is the control over the implementation of the plan, the identification of deviations in the project and their subsequent adjustment.

Closing a project - how is the procedure for recognizing a project closed.

For the first stage of implementing a project management system, it is enough to develop extremely simple “rules of the game” and create the most understandable and effective methodology that will “work” for the benefit of your company. As you master the project method, you will be able to adjust and develop the existing CPMS system.

Thus, as a result of the introduction unified system project management in the company must create the following basic elements:

unified classification and structure of project descriptions;
unified procedures for initiating, planning, organizing, monitoring the execution and completion of projects;
typical organizational structure of project management, integrated into the organizational structure of the company;
unified documentation, reporting forms and standard procedures regulating the actions of project participants in accordance with their roles and phases of the project;
a unified information system that provides support for project management procedures, included in the enterprise information system;
qualified personnel who understand their role and responsibility, motivated and effectively interacting in the project management system.

Today, project management is not just following Western trends and learning from foreign companies, but an effective tool for integration activities aimed at achieving specific results and goals in the organization. Everyone is successful completed project in any field of activity of the enterprise from the construction of buildings and structures to the implementation of a new ERP system, this is mainly a contribution to the growth and development of the company.

Of course, the process of implementing CPMS is quite difficult and costly, however, with the successful implementation of the system, the results will not be long in coming. In a company with a developed CPMS, the mechanisms of interaction between employees are improved, the terms of project implementation are reduced, resources are optimized and costs are reduced. Ultimately, all departments of the organization work as an integral harmonious organism, allowing the company not to lose its competitiveness and successfully operate in the market.

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A corporate project management system (abbreviated as CPMS) is a set of methodological, administrative and information tools that allow organizing and maintaining project management processes in a company. CPMS is an integrated approach that aims to standardize, automate and support the company's project activities. This approach is being implemented in order to improve the quality of planning and, as a result, more efficient execution of projects and programs under the current restrictions on resources, finances, etc.

It makes sense to implement a corporate project management system for companies and organizations (project-oriented and project-dependent), in which project management activities make up a significant part of the overall activity; who strive to develop and increase the number of successfully implemented internal and external projects; who want to increase their competence (maturity) and more effective approach to their project activities.

The main components of the corporate project management system (CPMS)

There are many approaches and best world practices for project management, the main ones are PMBoK, PRINCE2, P2M, etc. Regardless of the methodology that is chosen as the basis for implementation, three components of the corporate project management system are usually defined:

Project Management Methodology- unified corporate rules for project management (project management regulations; project portfolio management regulations; guidelines for planning and managing risks, resources, finances, quality, etc.; document templates, etc.) The methodology describes the processes project management, life cycle project and portfolio, main roles and delimitation of rights, i.e. the methodology includes a set of procedures and templates of regulatory documents for project management.
Project office (structural subdivision) and Project committee (collegial body)- intra-corporate structures responsible for project management processes within the organization and making key decisions in the course of project implementation. Typically, the project office reports directly to top management, as shown in Figure 2.

The main functions of the project office:

Implementation and development of CPMS;
Analytical and methodological assistance to project managers;
Organization of training of personnel and managers;
Maintaining project archives, accumulating company experience;
Administration and support of ISUP;
Preparing project reports for management;
Resource management in projects.

The collegial body (project committee) consists of representatives of the top management.

The main functions of the project committee:

Consideration and resolution of issues that are beyond the authority of project managers;
Initiation, closing of the project, consideration and approval of requests for changes in projects;
Resolving resource conflicts between projects, setting priorities;
Control over the execution of projects; Linking projects with the company's strategy.

Figure 2. Location of the project office in organizational structure.

Project Management Information System (PMIS)- a single information space necessary for automating project management processes, consolidating data and forming a knowledge base for project management. The main products on this moment are MS Project Server, HP PPM, Oracle Primavera. ISUP allows for efficient and high-quality planning and control of the project work, consolidation of project data. The choice and implementation of PMIS should be preceded by the creation of a project management methodology and a Project Office. The PMIS should correspond to: The needs of the organization; The level of qualification of the participants and the project manager; Project management processes described in the implemented methodology. Figure 3 shows the Gartner square, in which all project management information systems are distributed by niche groups. Requirements for the functionality of the information system are formed on the basis of the processes described in the project management methodology, and take into account the best approach for the company.

Figure 3. Distribution of project management systems in the Gartner square.

Why implement an enterprise project management system?

For most companies and state structures projects and programs play an important role. Thanks to timely and quality performance these projects and programs, many organizations can increase their profits, release to the market New Product or improve the characteristics of an existing one, attract investment in the company, conduct high-tech research and tests. Projects and programs exist in all areas of human activity, and their proper management helps companies to realize their development strategy, with time, resources, finances and with proper execution quality. Many projects are vital to the continued success of an organization, and the size of the organization does not matter, it can be private business or a large corporation. Projects are moving forward, and competent project management allows you not to stumble, achieving your goals.

All projects must be carefully planned and well managed. This is necessary to achieve the intended results and goals. Practice has shown that the following mistakes are common in project selection, project risk analysis, and conceptual project planning:

Limited resources are spent on obviously useless tasks
Organizational risks (technological, financial and competitive) increase to an unacceptable level

When planning and executing projects, mistakes lead to the following consequences:

The expected profit from the contracts eventually turns into various kinds of losses due to the excess of the planned cost, non-compliance with the terms of the contracts and the payment of penalties and fines stipulated by the contract
Launching new products to the market with a long delay, which adversely affects the achievement of goals and the ability to promote the product on the market
Projects that aim to bring a new product to market are completed late to allow for the intended benefits of producing those products
Delayed commissioning of fixed assets, resulting in non-fulfillment of business objectives for the production of products for which these funds were intended
In the area of information technology, projects are running behind budget and on schedule, which negatively affects management, overall costs and efficiency. According to statistics, only one out of six projects for the development of an information system is being implemented in accordance with the planned time frame, budget and quality, and half of the projects are stopped before completion.

Errors and problems in one significant project for the company can nullify the profit from other related projects or the whole program. Very often, project monitoring and evaluation of high-risk projects are ineffective, and errors become apparent at a time when it is too late to take any action to correct the negative consequences.

As a consequence of all this, each company that is responsible for certain projects possessed sufficient skill and competence for effective and high-quality project management.

Implementation of project management

All human labor in the world can be divided into two types of activity - design and operational. The purpose of operations is the continuous production of a product or service. While project activities always have time, resource, budget and quality limitations, the result of which is a unique product, service or document. Project activity is the development of a company or organization. For example, through projects we: improve product characteristics; we bring the company to IPO or implement quality management within the company; we build various municipal or industrial structures; we launch rockets into orbit and create new aircraft; explore environment discovering and testing new technologies. The introduction of a common approach to project management in the company provides great benefits. But how much does such an implementation cost and what needs to be done for this?

From the point of view of the world's best project management practices, the implementation of CPMS begins with the organization of the Project Management Office (PMO), whose tasks include:

implementation, maintenance and development of project management regulations based on one of the globally recognized project management methodologies (PM BoK, PRINCE2, P2M, etc.). At the same time, the listed methodologies are general and do not exclude integration with more thematic and specialized methodologies, such as the Six Sigma methodology.
implementation, maintenance and functional configuration of the project management information system, which automates the processes described in the previously implemented regulations. At the moment, there are quite a few solutions, the most popular are Enterprise Project Management (Microsoft Project - EPM), Oracle Primavera or HP Project and Prtfolio Management Center (HP PPMC).
Analytical and methodological support for project managers and all participants in the company's projects. Support is provided on the basis of the implemented regulations and the project management information system (PMIS).
Training employees and improving the overall literacy of the company in terms of project management. Including the full-scale development of the company's project management.

When it comes to implementing an enterprise project management system, all of the above tasks must be taken into account. But today, many consulting companies produce "template implementation" of project management. It lies in the fact that an organization that does not have any experience in the field of project management, except for its own, often far from successful, turns to a consulting company that introduces a minimally sharpened project management regulation and a project management information system. The fact is that for such companies, even a template implementation will bring great results:

General approach to project management
Consolidation of project information

For example, we can say that today (2012) the cost of implementation for a company (150-200 users) without project management experience and practice, with its own servers and without taking into account project management information system licenses, will cost approximately 2 million rubles. But at the same time, it should be borne in mind that at least several licenses will have to be bought for the implemented software and training will be provided. There is no maximum limit, there are implementations worth 100 million or more, it all depends on the specific company or organization. The sources of costs are discussed in more detail below.

Project management cost

The sources of costs associated with the application, continuous development and improvement of project management are listed in the table below. As we can see, most of the costs associated with project management are usually included in the budget for the direct costs of various projects. The costs associated with project portfolio management and the project office are generally classified as overhead and/or general and administrative expenses of the company.

The final, total cost of project management varies greatly, as it depends on the type, size, number of projects, and the level of project management maturity in the organization. On average, about 80% of companies spend slightly less than 10% of the total project cost on project management. Cost indicators range from 0.3% to 15% of the total cost of the project, with salaries and other expenses for the maintenance of project management personnel accounting for a large proportion of these costs. Licensing of project management information systems, contracts with consulting companies and training of project management employees in the organization, in most cases, give high percent from total costs.

Further, the organizational and financial advantages of implementing the processes, tools and methods of project management are formulated. The return of investment (ROI - return of investment) in project management is considered and a tool for assessing profits is proposed, which, in turn, can be obtained by increasing the maturity of the organization's project management.

Measuring the ROI of project management

Exists convenient way measuring ROI (Return of Investment) of project management, which suggests using four measuring bases:

Understanding and acceptance. What is the level of acceptance and understanding of project management in the organization?
Application. How often and how accurately is project management applied in the organization (technical and sociological components are considered)?
Impact on business. What has been achieved in business through the use of project management.
Return on investment (ROI). What is the calculated ROI for a company's direct investment in project management?

If it is necessary to measure the degree of success of project management, and not the success of a specific project, it is necessary to pay attention to the methodology (regulations) of project management, automated management support, organizational structure, creation and communication of information, etc. Joan Knutson - Measurement of Project Management ROI: Making Sense to Making Cents describes in great detail how to evaluate and measure implementation results against each of the four measurement bases.

The value of project management beyond ROI

One calculation of the ROI of project management cannot be considered sufficient. The true value of implementing and maintaining project management lies in the realm of the intangible. This value can be identified using a balanced grading approach. Numerous surveys of project managers conducted by the PM Solutions research department showed that 94% of those surveyed noted an increase in the value of their organization due to the implementation of project management; 50% - improved execution of projects/programs and processes; 36% - increase in customer satisfaction; 54% - improved financial performance; 30% - an overall increase in the satisfaction of full-time employees. As a result, we can conclude that complex and coordinated measures are needed to improve project management processes.

Efficiency from the introduction of a corporate project management system (CPMS)

Employees of the company have different levels of competencies and qualifications, including in terms of project management. The introduction of a corporate project management system makes it possible to develop a common standardized approach, introduce a single conceptual and information space, which significantly increases interaction and mutual understanding in projects. For those employees who did not have such experience - KSUP is an opportunity to take advantage and apply the best world practices and accumulated experience in their work. The following effects are achieved through the implementation of CPMS:

"Big picture" of all projects. Very often in a company there is no overall picture of the progress of projects at the corporate level. Project managers and departments have separate pieces of such a picture, but top management does not have a general idea of the execution and interaction of all company projects, which leads to loss of control, inefficient interaction between various projects, and missed deadlines. A unified corporate methodology, a project office and a project management information system allow you to quickly get a "big picture" of all the organization's projects.
Efficient distribution and management of labor resources and budget. The corporate project management system allows you to plan, control and dynamically allocate the resources and budget of the company involved in projects. This is of great help to ISUP, which allows you to create portfolios of projects of the organization and provides consolidated reporting on all projects of the company. Such resource and budget management in projects allows you to answer the question of where the company's labor resources and money are spent and how to effectively distribute them among critical projects.
Accumulation of company experience. In many companies, the experience gained by project managers remains their personal experience. When such a leader leaves, this experience is irretrievably lost for the company, and new project you have to start from scratch. A properly built project management system, with the active participation of the project office, leads to the preservation and enhancement of experience and knowledge in the company.

Direct effects from the introduction of CPMS:

Creation of a balanced portfolio of projects and programs that will be focused on the strategic goals of the company
Analysis of the progress of the portfolio of projects and programs and adjustment possible deviations from intended goals
Obtaining a single picture of the implementation of all projects and programs
Monitoring the achievement of the strategic goals of the organization
Control and coordination of the use of organization resources
Monitoring the timing of projects and programs
Control of project and program budgets
Monitoring the progress of the project or the entire program at key points (milestones)
Audit of project activities and projects of the organization, timely provision of corrective actions
Orientation of project management towards the implementation of the company's strategic goals
Increasing the efficiency of interaction between departments and employees of companies within the framework of projects and programs
Increasing the accuracy of project planning and the efficient use of available resources
Making important management decisions based on analytics and facts
Reprioritization of projects in accordance with clear criteria and taking into account the mutual influence of projects
Operational control of the status of the project portfolio
Forecasting and development of the allocated budget, control of compliance with financial discipline

The effectiveness of the project management system can be achieved through the competent formalization of procedures and methods for the preparation, adoption and execution of management decisions, as well as through the implementation of methods and approaches for the interaction of project participants, reporting and control.

Critical success factors for implementing an enterprise project management system

Top management support and involvement
Massive and timely training
Timely establishment of the Project Office and Project Committee
Cautiously overcoming resistance to the introduction of CPMS
Use of consultants

Practical tips for implementing an enterprise project management system

From simple to complex. The regulation (methodology) should develop in small steps - it is impossible to implement a project management system in a short time. You should start with the simplest, really necessary forms and reports and gradually, step by step, introduce new elements. The average duration of the implementation of CPMS is 1.5-2 years.
Each organization has its own regulations (methodology). You should not directly implement someone else's regulations (methodology) - each organization has its own experience, corporate culture and structure. Here you can only "spy" and learn from someone else's experience.
Golden mean. In the regulation (methodology), each line of the template or requirement must be justified. It must be remembered that each new report is the cost of resources and time of the manager and project participants.
The regulation (methodology) must be agreed and approved. Bring the methodology to the discussion of project managers and heads of interested departments - you can check it from all points of view and get approval.
Continuous improvement. Periodically, it is necessary to revise the regulations (methodology) to reflect the current state of project management and issue new editions. Get rid of the unnecessary, add what will work, optimize processes!
Consulting. Invite a consultant on the principles of educational (guiding) consulting: select a specialist who will further develop PM in your organization, and he, under the guidance of a consultant, creates a project management system.

The main mistake in the implementation of a corporate project management system is that the implementation begins with the integration of the project management information system into the company's IT architecture, which is not correct. Initially, it is necessary to create a project office, implement a project management methodology, and only then select and implement PMIS as a means of automating the methodology processes. ISUP is not the main and not the primary component, but an integral one. PMIS helps the project office, project manager and steering committee to implement projects and project management methodology.