Puget Sound Energy

ProjectCorps doesn’t try to be everything to everybody. Unlike many consultants, they provide true leadership—never hesitant to stop a process, regroup and redirect, when they feel it’s necessary.” Jennifer Tada - Director, Planning Transmission and Distribution Puget Sound Energy

Exceeding the bounds of traditional consulting

The Situation:

Puget Sound Energy (PSE)—the oldest and largest energy utility in Washington state— serves over one–million electric customers and 735,000 gas customers. Its reputation as a leader in providing safe, reliable, and low-cost energy services spans over a century. The Operations Division Project Management Services department of the utility embarked on a plan to enhance their project management capability and project delivery results. They wanted to make sure the process recognized the collaborative nature and captured the collective input of their people. PSE turned to ProjectCorps to lead and facilitate an effort that would deliver best-fit solutions and high value.

Our Approach:

ProjectCorps addresses project portfolio management from a real world rather than a theoretical perspective. Today’s energy environment is one of high pressure, growing demands and constant change. PSE needed a consistent and straightforward way of managing a growing project workload, shifting work priorities and limited resources. The result had to support efficient project management and delivery and support key planning and budgeting processes.

Working closely with PSE’s Program Management Services leadership, staff, and internal customers we identified inconsistencies and gaps in the existing project management approach. ProjectCorps worked with a cross–organizational team of managers to build an effective standard project lifecycle.

Following this work, ProjectCorps worked independently with both Operations and Power Generation to support improved project portfolio management and build and refine their project management toolkits.

The Result:

ProjectCorps provided Project Portfolio Management (PPM), Project Management, and Strategic Consulting services that delivered:

  • An assessment that supported wide participation and collaboration across the utility.
  • A standard project lifecycle that drives consistent project performance.
  • Project lifecycle phase gates that support improved oversight and quality checkpoints.
  • A project management toolkit that is practical and right-sized for the utility environment.
  • Assistance in reorganizing for improved project delivery support and reporting.
  • Consultation on ongoing improvements to project portfolio management practices.

“We’re very pleased by how quickly things moved—they get it,” says Jennifer Tada, Director, Puget Sound Energy.