“Project Aspen, you are on a collision course with project Monarch. Change your heading to two-seven-zero.”
You probably don’t talk about your projects like that, but an effective portfolio manager is like an air traffic controller, ensuring that all projects in the portfolio are monitored and managed together. Here are a few traffic controller responsibilities.
Radar: be the unbiased, unified source of truth about the portfolio’s status, risks, and issues. This is the radar screen in the control tower, tracking everything in flight. Deliver clear reporting about the portfolio to the right people using the right channels.
Director: manage the air traffic. Facilitate decisions, help people escalate and resolve issues, and guide mid-cycle changes.
Evaluator: track the performance of the entire portfolio. This includes the status of active projects and the benefits that are (or are not) realized after the projects have been completed. Wouldn’t you rather be able to say, “Project Aspen, perfect landing!” How do you keep your airspace safe and get projects to their destinations on time?