Many organizations view technical support as a cost that must be borne and little else. It receives very low budget priority and is a perpetual source of customer complaints. But a well managed reorganization of the technical support department can turn it into a valuable customer retention tool. Here’s how one company did just that.
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Operational managers are often asked to absorb the work associated with managing and controlling projects while continuing to perform their regular duties. Not surprisingly, disaster often ensues. But the scenario is repeated again and again. Here are lessons learned on how to make the case for appointing a dedicated project manager on mission-critical initiatives.[more]
Chargeback systems have been credited with helping companies better prioritize their IT initiatives, instill greater discipline in the planning and budgeting process, and enhance the credibility of their IT departments. Critics cite political and administrative headaches. Here, a proponent simplifies the case for chargeback.[more]
Hundreds of government IT managers are learning the basics of project management and becoming PMI-certified thanks to a five-week training program that began in September 2001 at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The results: Better proposals and planning, clearer communication, and a deeper pool of project management talent available to run costly and complex IT investments.[more]
A few years ago, IT projects at the City of Chandler were beset by delays and inefficiencies. But a newly established PMO helped drive implementation of several common-sense practices, and now the city’s IT steering committee takes a proactive leadership role in prioritizing, terminating and improving projects.[more]
Every company has a personality. Does your company’s help or hinder project results? See if you recognize your organization in one of these before-and-after examples of well-known companies.[more]
In preparing for a high-stakes project -- the redesign of a best-selling car -- VW Brazil revved up an ambitious training program to open up lines of communication, shape up project management methods and build up a team culture supported by a new PMO.[more]
When it comes to calculating and reporting the true business benefits realized from projects, most organizations still don’t go much beyond budget and schedule metrics. Here is how one company has created the infrastructure and a culture of accountability -- from stakeholders to teams -- to assess tangible benefits, and to increase the value and predictability of return on investment.[more]
Much like dynamic inventory and supply chain systems, the process of "virtualizing" resources to deliver them on demand can create significant efficiencies, cost-savings and improved utilization on projects. Here's how one portfolio management office does it.[more]
At a major AAA affiliate, the PMO plays a critical role in enterprise portfolio management efforts, providing the means to assess and rank potential initiatives while continuously engaging executives, business unit managers and project teams to share information in order to better align corporate strategy with investments.[more]
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Reinventing Tech Support
