Capacity Management - is it Resource Management or PPM and what are the configuration considerations ?

Capacity planning is the process of determining the appropriate level of resources (such as personnel, equipment, and facilities) that a company needs in order to meet its current and future goals. This includes identifying any potential bottlenecks or constraints that may limit the company's ability to grow and succeed.

There are several factors to consider when evaluating the capacity requirements of projects on a Portfolio decision; they include:?

• The actual demand for various skills to complete the projects;
• The projects that are currently planned (the more people scheduled, the available capacity diminishes);
• The timing of the projects;
• The priority of the projects;
• The ability to increase capacity through staff secondment, or temporary/permanent hiring; and
• Possibly maximise capacity usage by moving the timelines of new opportunities either in or out on the schedule.

One way to manage resources effectively is through the use of Project Portfolio Management (PPM) software. PPM software is a tool that helps organizations prioritize, select, and manage projects based on their strategic importance and alignment with business goals. It allows companies to manage their resources in an efficient and organized manner, ensuring that they are being used effectively and efficiently to achieve desired outcomes.

There are several key benefits to using PPM software for resource management:

1. Better resource utilization: PPM software helps organizations optimize the allocation of resources across different projects, ensuring that they are being used in the most efficient manner possible. This can help reduce waste and inefficiency, and improve overall productivity.
2. Improved decision-making: PPM software provides organizations with a clear view of all ongoing projects, along with relevant data and metrics. This can help decision-makers better understand the impact of different resource allocation choices, and make more informed decisions about which projects to prioritize and how to allocate resources accordingly.
3. Enhanced visibility: PPM software provides a centralized platform for tracking and managing resources, which can help improve visibility and transparency into resource utilization and allocation. This can help organizations identify potential bottlenecks or constraints, and take corrective action to address them.
4. Greater agility: PPM software can help organizations adapt to changing circumstances or priorities more quickly and effectively. For example, if a company experiences a sudden surge in demand for a particular product or service, PPM software can help them quickly reallocate resources to meet that demand.

Overall, PPM software can be a valuable tool for organizations looking to improve resource management and optimize their use of resources to achieve strategic goals. By helping organizations prioritize projects, allocate resources more efficiently, and adapt to changing circumstances, PPM software can help organizations achieve better results and drive success.

Opperational configuration considerations for Capacity Management

It is firstly important to make the distinction between Capacity Management and Resource Management. Capacity is the availability of skills in an organisation, whereas Resource Management looks at named people and their availability. They are related, and do impact each other, but are different.

There are several factors to consider when evaluating the capacity requirements of projects on a Portfolio decision; they include:?

1. The actual demand for various skills to complete the projects;
2. The projects that are currently planned (the more people scheduled, the available capacity diminishes);
3. The timing of the projects;
4. The priority of the projects;
5. The ability to increase capacity through staff secondment, or temporary/permanent hiring; and
6. Possibly maximise capacity usage by moving the timelines of new opportunities either in or out on the schedule.

The Capacity Planning module and the Portfolio Planning module are integrated seamlessly within systems like Cora PPM. When a user is evaluating a portfolio scenario, they can also look at the capacity planning of that Portfolio scenario using the Capacity Planning module.

Adding Strategy to the concept of Capacity Management

Cora PPM’s Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM) toolset allows the user to use different prioritisation options to establish the best projects to take on in a Portfolio.?SPM includes highly configurable widgets that analyse a filtered group of projects.

Feature set includes:

1.???????A Project Matrix widget that plots the distribution of projects by Investment Category by the level of risk. This feature shows if the investment in any one category is a high risk to the organisation and should maybe be balanced better;

2.???????A second Project Matrix that shows Project Type by Status. This feature looks at the type of projects under consideration against the status of live projects in the portfolio. Giving the user a visual of whether the portfolio weighs towards particular types of project, and if they align to the organisation’s strategy;

3.???????A waterfall chart is configurable to show any set of financials relevant to Centrient, usually showing the total spend of the portfolio over maybe three or five years with an offset of revenue to come in. This feature dramatically assists the financial teams by providing a clear understanding of the cash flow requirements for any particular scenario;

4.???????A milestone widget is showing the collective set of deliverables for a scenario. By viewing it graphically, the user can assess the load on the organisation quickly to deliver key outputs and if that looks possible;

5.???????A range of additional widget options, including bar charts, column charts, risk analysis and financial analysis, are available. The dashboard is endlessly customisable by users to allow them to visualise scenarios in the way that is most useful to them.

The highly visual nature of the display of different scenarios in the dashboard makes it easy for users, and particularly Senior Managers who are typically short of time, to assess the various options available to them quickly. See example Executive Dashboard below. All of the graphical elements of the dashboards provide direct access to the data behind, meaning that a more in-depth interrogation of the data is only a click away.

WHAT IS CORA PPM ?

Cora PPM is a comprehensive software solution that enables organizations to plan, manage, and evaluate projects, programs, and portfolios in one central location. Designed to provide a bird's-eye view of all the ongoing projects within an organization, it aids in effective decision-making and resource allocation. From tracking project progress and analyzing performance metrics to assessing risks and ensuring alignment with strategic goals, Cora PPM plays a critical role across our global clients in ensuring project success and business value.

At it’s core, Cora PPM has the capability to facilitate strategic planning. It allows organizations to align projects and initiatives with business objectives, making sure that resources are invested in areas that generate the most value. Using advanced analytics and scenario modeling, decision-makers can evaluate potential projects based on a variety of factors, such as estimated costs, projected returns, resource availability, and strategic importance. This will help you prioritize projects and create an optimized project portfolio.

In addition to strategic planning, Cora PPM offers robust project management features. These include scheduling, task assignment, time tracking, document management, and progress monitoring. By providing a central platform where all project information is stored and updated in real time, Cora PPM promotes transparency and collaboration amongst your team members. Cora also offers integrations with other business systems (ERP, HR, CRM, PLM, BIM, ect.), enabling seamless data exchange and streamlined workflows.

Risk management is another essential feature of Cora PPM. With capabilities to identify, assess, and track project risks, Cora PPM enables proactive risk mitigation. Cora can also generate risk reports, automate risk alert notifications, and promote Risks to Issues and/or Change Requests seamlessly. By improving risk visibility, Cora PPM helps organizations minimize potential project setbacks and unexpected costs.

Moreover, Cora PPM provides a range of reporting and analytics capabilities. These include custom dashboards that display key performance indicators (KPIs), advanced analytics to uncover insights from project data, and automated reporting features to facilitate regular updates and reviews. Cora can also export data to other reporting tools (Tableu, PowerBI, ect.) for consolidated reporting across the enterprise. By providing a clear picture of project performance, Cora’s features support your continuous improvement and informed decision-making.

In summary, Cora PPM is a vital asset for any organization managing multiple projects or programs. With its ability to align projects with strategic goals, manage project execution, control risks, align resources, maximize capacity, and deliver insightful analytics, it ensures that project portfolios are managed effectively and efficiently, ultimately driving business success.