I was recently the guest at an Ask the Expert session on project portfolios and project management offices. We discussed how to use projects to create more value. A simple way to assess how well your portfolio is going is to ask whether project leaders are mostly reporting information about projects or actively shaping the value that the portfolio delivers. In other words, have they shifted beyond gathering information and simply reporting on projects.
Reporting is valuable and necessary, but organizations that get the best from their projects don’t stop there. They move beyond project reporting to intentional decisions about what to start, stop, and change.
Here’s a diagnostic that shows the progression from reporting to shaping value. I hope it spurs some thinking for you.
