Within the Enterprise Project Management several key elements are important to the success of projects and their ability to
deliver their requirements within their prescribed constraints.
- Framework: To be truly "Enterprise", project management practices need to provide a framework to manage all
projects in a repeatable and consistent fashion. An effective project management framework (which can either be
purchased or developed internally) should be scalable from small projects to large projects. It should also be
flexible, capable of being applied to infrastructure projects, custom software development projects, system
integration projects etc. Staff require support and training in their use of the EPM framework through tools such as
templates and software. Finally, it is important to shape the organization structure to complement the framework with
well-defined roles and responsibilities
- Requirements Definition: Projects require clearly defined requirements and deliverables which support business
strategies and return on investment targets. These requirements should be documented in an unambiguous way that
allows for business validation and offers technical direction. Tasks within the project should always contribute to
deliverables - Deliverable Focus: Well managed projects have clearly defined and well communicated
deliverables for each phase and task. Focusing on deliverables ensures the project can be objectively monitored and
assessed throughout its lifecycle. Definining deliverables ensures that the right resources (people and things) are
available to produce the required deliverables. Deliverables should consistently demonstrate how they contribute to
the overall requirements and vision of the project
- Constraint Optimization: A good EPM practice provides effective guidelines for planning, resourcing,
executing and monitoring a project. In this way the constraints facing a project can be documented and an optimal
approach for delivering requirements can be determined. Constraints include budgets, resources (both people
and hardware), dependencies and time. In some cases developing a project plan requires a detailed GANTT
chart with resource levels and dependencies clearly identified, in other cases a project plan can be developed in
Microsoft Excel or Word.
- Risk Management: Managing issues and risks throughout the lifecycle of a project helps an organization ensure
requirements delivery within the scope of identified constraints. The sooner risks can be identified and mitigated the
greater the likelihood of project success. Change management is an important component of managing risk
- Communication: Communication regarding a project is important to managing expectations and monitoring
progress. An effective communication plan provides for timely, objective assessments across all organizational
layers impacted by the project.
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