PMs and PMO Leaders, Lose the Spreadsheets Like You (Happily).

Are you stuck in the,Ao80s The reality of spreadsheets today for project managers
There are many things to love about the 80s. Blondie and U2 are two examples. Spreadsheets were also a product from the 80s. Spreadsheets are a product of the 80s, and we’d all be better off without them in 2018, just like Atari, parachute pants, and hair metal.
It’s not a taste issue. There are many signs that your spreadsheets are causing more problems, delays, and challenges than they are worth. You have probably experienced one or more of these problems when using spreadsheets to manage projects. Worse, it could be your entire project management office (PMO).
They are more difficult to update than to read.
Sort your information by the last modified date to find it.
Version control is the addition of more serious versions of,Aofinal” at the end (“final2”, “finalfinal”, “FINAL”, “masterfinal”)
To update formulas, you need to apply the theory o relativity.
It is not worth trying to make real-time resource decision or figure out where you stand against your budget. You can’t use spreadsheets reports to make decisions if they aren’t up-to-date by at least one week. The result is the exact same if you have multiple complex projects in your PMO (professional services organization) (PSO). You can’t see the whole organization’s projects so you can’t make confident decisions or take action when there are urgent or innovative projects.
Disco is dead
There was a lot of judgement in the rock world during the 80s about disco and dance music. Both had their place, but those who preferred one over the other were vocal in their hatred for the other’s music. We don’t judge if you still rely on spreadsheets for managing your day-today projects. It’s easy and affordable to upgrade to a better solution. You can start right where you are.
Start with a list of requirements when you are starting a new PMO solution. In the first meeting, you should make sure to clearly define what you need and what you don’t. It will be easy for vendors to distract from the important things once they are in the room. Work with salespeople who can help you get to the bottom of your requirements and let you set the parameters for Phase 1. After the functionality meets the bottom-line requirements, you can expand the scope.
Betamax or VHS?
VHS won the day over Sony’s Betamax in the 80s. Now, with Blu-ray making strong showings and then dying out streaming video services are the clear winner. What is the lesson? Don’t make a PMO automation project disappear two weeks later than you had it. Also, don’t make it too easy. Companies often go in the wrong direction when planning, and then correct themselves to get it right.
It can be difficult to plan for all the things you might need depending on how complex your projects may be and how they change over time. It is better to find a solution that isn’t too complicated but that you can expand upon.
The Future is Bright
A mature, change-friendly PMO will make all the difference in how quickly and easily you can move beyond spreadsheets to gain momentum. Is it possible to implement value-based prioritization What about the complexity of resource allocation? Or advanced dashboards and reporting? You will need to track time and expenses against projects. These questions are important when you manage expectations and come up with a list.
Because scenario modeling is so critical to their PMO health, some companies require Phase One capability for scenario modelling. Others need iron-clad budget vs. actuals data to forecast while others require portfolio-level dashboards to monitor where they are in the deliverables/timeline/resource conundru