Multilevel PPM
A multilevel model of managing portfolios of projects co-financed with EU funds.
Portfolio
The model has been developed and tested on 4 operative IPA (2007-2013) programs, classified based on their related priority axis and activities. We followed the realization in 2013 with planning and rebalancing (N+3 rule) until the end of the IPA program in 2016 with a total value of over 1,200,000,000 € on single projects, grant schemes, and technical assistance projects.
Introduction
For the purposes of managing projects financed with EU funds in the Republic of Croatia, with the supervision of the Ministry of regional development and European Union funds, a multilevel model of project and program management was developed. The strategic level of management refers to the projects in the preparatory phase with estimated budgets based on sources of funding. The tactical level refers to approved projects to which we apply detailed procurement procedures with monitoring of the non distributed part of the budget based on contract types. On the operational level, we follow the budget distributed to every single contract up to the level of the costs statement entry, at least monthly, optimally every week.
Logical schema of the P6 EPPM- PPI system
A unique data structure has been implemented in the Oracle Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management environment with a specific transactional database that is used for the synchronization and consolidation of data and reporting. This data structure allows for a top-down method of budgeting, as well as bottom-up reporting. From the operating level, managed by a project unit, the consolidated data is used as a basis for reporting on the tactical level to the responsible persons in the Ministries and state agencies, up to the strategic level to the authorized persons in the Ministries. By monitoring the performances of projects, programs, and portfolios, we have increased the capacity of management per project, which has allowed for long-term business planning and budgeting per the rules of utilization of EU funds, as well as adopting proposals for rebalancing based on sources of funding at the level of activities and operational programs.
Challenges
• Every level in the decision-making vertical needs reports on the status of projects which are less detailed but ampler as the level of decision-making grows
• Every decision-making level works with its data set independently and unconnected, and the data is manually transferred to a higher, less detailed level.
• No reliability, consistency, and timeliness of the necessary information.
• All levels “love” Excel for their analytics needs, but Excels are not generated from a unique database - “lottery” and obsolete numbers.
Achievements
• Consolidation of unconnected data sets in a
unique project base.
• Logical correlation by consistently applying
multilevel planning and project control.
• Detailed plans for the lower levels of decision-making contain consolidated data necessary for the upper levels.
• All levels update data in regular intervals about project execution and performances with the number of details they currently have, but that is the minimum required for the highest level of decision-making.
• Project units that use the P6 EPPM-PPI system work with maximally detailed plans, while those outside the P6-EPPM system work with standardized MS Excel templates which contain a set of data for the competent body.
Solutions
Oracle Primavera P6 EPPM
Multilevel managing of project portfolios
Primakon PI
Monthly updates of projects in the MS Excel environment on the operational level, every transaction is recorded in the Primakon PI base which is synchronized with the P6 EPPM base.
Chandoo MS Excel
Reporting modules in the environment of advanced MS Excel (interactive diagrams and tables) connected to the P6 EPPM base.
The unique structure of project plans meets the reporting needs and is inseparable from the phases of planning and control
• Vertical and horizontal integration of all project information.
• The model can be immediately applied at the basic level.
• Consolidation of collected data of different detail (level) is possible.
• It shows the project’s portfolio status in real-time, at least monthly.
• The data among different participants to the project who use the same model are compatible in structure as well as in data, which allows for simple consolidation of information - it allows reporting and reviewing project portfolios according to the needs in the responsibility and decision-making vertical.
• The model is a good platform for the further development of processes and procedures.
• The users of the P6 EPPM system can alone create reporting views (using filters, grouping, for example by programs, responsible institutions, regions, i.e. by every project attribute).
• It is possible to transfer data to MS Excel for the needs of arbitrary reporting, and it is possible to automatically generate reports in MS Excel and send them via email.
• B2B integration with users inside the P6 EPPM system - level 1-3 (big investment holders).
• It is possible to ensure a safe organizational and safety structure.
• This model represents a good base for quality analyses and making strategic decisions.