Define Global Planning and Monitoring Standards

Use

The purpose of this task is to define the standards by which the global program plans implementations and monitors progress. Within the global template project model, there may be several local implementations proceeding simultaneously within the global enterprise effort. Planning and monitoring the progress and major issues for each project is a critical component to the overall program’s success. Project Managers should meet with members of the Program Core Team on a regular basis to review their progress.

Procedure

Planning Standards

  1. Consider possible standards related to project planning that would support program management and benefit the global program.
    Examples:
  1. Identify and develop planning standards.
    Where possible include project personnel who will be working with such standards. This helps to ensure the standards selected are value-added, and facilitates implementation.
    The decision on what standards to develop and implement rests with the Program Manager and should be supported by other members of the Program Core Team.
  2. Implement standards across the program.
    Standards developed should be documented and available to personnel associated with project planning. Where necessary, an informational or training session may be necessary to assure new standards are understood and can be efficiently applied.

Monitoring Standards

  1. Consider standards to facilitate effective routine progress reviews of the program or projects.
    Examples:
    Common topics, approaches used to report on topics, agenda structure, level of detail, timeframe for routine status updates, and participation in reviews.
    Reviews should be carried out in a supportive environment with Project Managers viewing members of program management as coaches to help ensure the success of projects and therefore the program.
  2. Identify and develop standards to monitor the status of the program and status of projects.
    The participation of project managers in setting the standards would help ensure standards are appropriate and the effort to comply is acceptable to program management.
    The decision on what standards to develop and implement rests with the Program Manager and should be supported by other members of the Program Core Team.
    The concept of earned value analysis is an example of one such standard.
  3. Implement standards across the program.
    Standards developed should be documented and available to personnel associated with providing status updates with the Program Core Team. Where necessary, an informational or training session may be necessary to assure new standards are understood and can be efficiently applied.
  4. The Project Administration functionality in the SAP Solution Manager provides the capability to assign resources, plan and track status of efforts to define Business Blueprint, and perform configuration and testing. By assigning resources and dates/durations to Business Blueprint structure elements, to configuration and testing activities, and recording status in the SA tools, reports can be generated to provide roll up reporting of status for business blueprint, configuration and testing.

Result

Standards for planning and monitoring projects or the program (or both) are defined and implemented.

 

Also refer to the following documentation: