PM-Appers! Presents: 5 Things to Consider When Searching for a Project Portfolio Management Application

What is Project Portfolio Management Application (PPM)? According to Wikipedia, “Project Portfolio Management (PPM) is a term used to describe the centralized management of processes, methods, and technologies used by project managers and project management offices (PMOs) to analyze and collectively manage a group of current or proposed projects based on numerous key characteristics.”

1. Cost

Read the Fine Print Some PPM applications claim to be free, but if you read the fine print, you’ll find that they are only free for a limited amount of users and/or a limited amount of time. Before you purchase and begin using a PPM application, just make sure to check the licensing information.

2. Ease of Use How easy is it to learn? Is there a training component? Is the training component easy to find?

Ok, maybe not this easy…

3. Mobile Support

Is mobile support important? If so, does the application support iOS (Apple) and Android devices? Is the application Browser-Based? If so, does it support all of the major browsers? If not, why not? For example, does it require a software extension?

4. Interoperability

Does the PPM application need to work with tools you’re already using like Google Apps or Microsoft Project? Can it import projects? Can it export projects?

5. The Cloud

How and where will you store your content? Who has access to the projects? Who is in charge of setting up the projects in the cloud? What happens if the cloud disappears?

If you consider some of these items, you should be able to find an all in one solution that meets your needs. Happy PPM shopping! - Team PM-Appers!