Project Corps - Strategic, Program, and Project Management Consulting

Enterprise Program Management provides capabilities for a highly integrated, quantitatively managed organization that operates with continuous improvement. It takes a long-term evolution of organizational maturity to achieve the full benefits of EPM. Discussing organizational maturity requires that we are working from a common reference point. The Software Engineering Institute's Capability Maturity Model Integration, version 1.1 provides a complete framework for evaluating organizational maturity and emphasizes many of the key capabilities of EPM.

Level 5 - Optimizing	Processes and performance continually improved through quantitative measures and analysis.
Level 4 - Quantitatively Managed	Product quality and process performance are quantitatively measured. A repository of measures exists to support fact-based decision-making.
Level 3 - Defined	Processes are defined, understood, and consistently applied from an organizational perspective. Processes are proactively managed and improved.
Level 2 - Managed	Repeatable processes are practiced on a project level. Process discipline is maintained through times of stress. Visibility to Status and delivery of work products at defined intervals.
Level 1- Initial	Processes are ad hoc. Results are unpredictable. Success is dependent on heroics of the project team.

Figure 4 - SEI - CMMI Organizational Maturity Levels

An effective EPM solution is designed for Level 3 capabilities. Level 4 and 5 capabilities are achieved by gaining a history of organizational data while operating at level 3. It is this history of organizational data that feeds the capabilities of Level 4 and 5. The implementation of EPM takes place between Level 2 and 3. EPM is implemented on a project-by-project basis. By definition, each project is being implemented at Level 2 maturity. Once all projects have been implemented using EPM processes and tools, and EPM is being used organization-wide, the organization is operating at Level 3 maturity. The length of time to move from Level 2 to Level 3 varies depending on the size of the organization. It can take only a few months for a small organization to move from Level 2 to Level 3, and it can take two to three years for a large organization. It is important to set this expectation in the early planning stages of your EPM implementation. Executives must fully understand and be able to communicate the magnitude of effort as the organization moves forward.

The shift to EPM is a project in itself. It is also the opportunity to demonstrate the concepts that will be developed and established organization-wide. The roles and responsibilities of implementing EPM are defined to provide a smooth transition from development to operational.

Every successful project must have a leader at the top who is the voice and champion of that project. The Executive Owner must set the vision and direction for the organization's EPM solution, and must be an ardent advocate of the EPM vision and direction among his or her peer group.

The Sponsor represents the bridge between the high-level vision and direction, and the day-to-day planning and execution to achieve EPM.

The project manager has the day-to-day responsibilities of leading and managing the EPM project. This includes detailed planning, definition, and execution, along with communication and reporting.

The Subject Matter Expert (SME) is the key to designing, implementing, and ultimate ownership of the EPM solution. SMEs are people who are experienced with the detailed functions of the organization.

There are stakeholders at all levels of the organization. The stakeholders are people who will be affected by the EPM solution. It is critical that stakeholder views are heard, evaluated, and addressed in the design and implementation of the EPM solution. SMEs, the Sponsor, and the Executive Owner will all have stakeholders that they must work with among their respective peer groups.