Automate Your PMO
Using The EPM Roadmap™
One Hundred Percent (100%) of Cognitive's PMO automations, EPM deployments and projects either meet or exceed customer expectations. At the same time, the majority of user initiated EPM projects struggle. So what's the difference?
The difference is The EPM Roadmap™. Over 20 years of experience and best practices for setting up and automating PMO's are contained in The EPM Roadmap™.
But, before we talk "tech" we need to talk "people and process..."
Cognitive's core philosophy is: people and process precede technology. If you don't have the people or the processes in place to govern your PMO and execute your projects then you're not ready to take full advantage of the EPM Roadmap™. A tool by itself does not ensure success. But don't worry; about half of our clients ask for our assistance in setting up their PMO and maturing their project management capability in advance of their EPM implementation.
To find out how you can achieve a successful EPM Implementation and avoid the roadblocks to success. Read on...
To find information on maturing your overall project and program management capabilities Click Here.
EPM Roadmap: A Phased Approach
Cognitive's EPM Roadmap™ breaks the process of fully implementing Microsoft's EPM solution into five phases (zero thru four). The illustration below provides details:
Start Small to Get Big Results
To achieve a big result, start small. Set up a low cost EPM "Virtual Proof of Concept" (VPOC) followed by a "Virtual Production Pilot" (VPP) using Cognitive's online environment. Pick a project, assign a project manager and we'll assign a subject matter expert to configure EPM and assist in the implementation of your VPOC. By utilizing our licenses, hardware and software your first use of an automated PMO tool is virtually FREE; No up front investment in hardware or software and minimal service fees. Therefore, you save time and money on hardware, software and licenses while evaluating EPM for fit and performance as you are expertly guided through its use and the best practices associated with project management. The output of the VPOC and VPP is the business proof you need to make the case for your EPM investment while delivering a project successfully.
Please Contact Us for further information on this low cost, low risk opportunity to try an Automated PMO Solution.
EPM On-Premise Deployments
The VPOC and VPP are great ways to strategically evaluate EPM or manage single projects and programs, but most clients desire to deploy EPM on-premise. And for good reason: the typical client plans to integrate EPM with their financial systems and global resources to enable automated tracking of financial's, resource utilization across the enterprise, dashboard reporting of multiple projects, possibly utilizing earned value metrics as a predictor of the projects’ future success. Securing the data behind the financial's and the personnel information is essential in today’s headline world of security breaches. Security is important and your data needs to be protected! An on-premise deployment assures that you have control of your data. Phase Zero on the EMP Roadmap™ starts right at your front door by deploying the base EPM behind your firewall and with security measures to ensure that your road to EPM is not only successful but secure.
To learn more about EPM Phase Zero please Click Here.Ascending Phases and Incremental Value
At the completion of Phase Zero, Cognitive has expertly delivered to you a secure EPM environment--a challenge for the uninitiated and a common point of failure for user initiated deployments. Over 80% of first time installations of Microsoft’s EPM Solution fail. While phase zero is a necessary foundational phase that ensures a secure environment and contains the foundational tools for future success, just owning an operational deployment of EPM has minimal impact on the successful delivery of projects and programs. As we progress together along the levels of sophistication on the EPM Roadmap™, each subsequent phase delivers greater and greater value and impact across the enterprise.
We've designed the EPM Roadmap™ so that there is a proportionate increase in the value of EPM to your organization as your sophistication level increases, through the adoption of the Roadmap's processes and procedures by your organizations culture. As you increase your level of sophistication, the impact to the overall enterprise is increased positively. For instance, at the end of Phase One, your project managers will be able to effectively manage schedules, resources, project artifacts and risks across the enterprise in an active (automated) versus passive manner.
At the end of Phase Two, your individual team members will be able to view tasks, enter actual(s) and manage artifacts specific to their area of responsibilities. In Phase Two your team members will understand their areas of current responsibility and what is coming up next.
On completion of Phase Three, executive dashboards, training materials and templated team sites become available. By Phase 4, your organization will have fully optimized its people as well as automated processes and systems to deliver and continuously improve upon both program and project management.
The exciting thing about the EPM Roadmap™ is that you can start and end at any Phase and see a return on your investment while controlling the overall cost of its deployment and adoption.
Please Click Here if you would like one of our experts to contact you to discuss further about a project maturity roadmap that will exactly meet your needs or to provide you with a cost effective ‘PMO in a box’ implementation of EPM.
Cognitive People and the Process
Automating a PMO can be challenging without a proven process such as the The EPM Roadmap™. But, even a great process without the right leadership will struggle. So, our clients look to Cognitive to provide the impartial subject matter experts with industry experience and the credentials needed to lead their EPM implementation.
An EPM implementation brings together diverse groups to forge a consensus on project management and governance. This requires expert facilitation, negotiation, and judgment. Cognitive's people fit this profile with an average 15 years of experience, advanced degrees and industry certifications. We are the leaders you need.
What sets our people a part is not only understanding PM101 but the practical application of the project management principals and an understanding of change management. We deliver and provide practical and pragmatic advisory services and leadership. Why would you initiate a project if you are not trying to affect a positive change in an organization? Why would you initiate a project if you do not know if you are going to be successful? Let Cognitive assist you in making your mission critical projects a success.
Cognitive's Third Party Validation
A. Dun and Bradstreet recently surveyed Cognitive's past performance with recent clients in these critical areas. On a scale of 1 to 100 we ranked very high in all categories:
B. Microsoft manages only a handful of certified partners in each of their markets. In the federal district, Cognitive is a Microsoft Managed EPM Partner.
C. Cognitive was the first Microsoft Partner to deploy EPM 2007 into a production environment for a federal agency, the Department of Treasury.
D. Microsoft's federal team recently nominated Cognitive to be its "Rookie of the Year." This is an acknowledgement of the tremendous contribution Cognitive has made in the program and project management field.
Let's Talk About You and the EPM Roadmap™
There is no fee or obligation for engaging in a discussion regarding Microsoft EPM and The EPM Roadmap™. Whether you're struggling to complete an EPM deployment or hoping to effectively evaluate the tool using a Virtual Production Pilot, Cognitive wants to hear from you.
To initiate an EPM Roadmap™ discussion simply fill out this form:
- Or call: (202) 756-4555
- Or email: EPMroadmap@cogtechinc.com