Do you choose your next car based on TV adverts alone? Probably not. Like most people, you read reviews, get a test drive and rely on your own direct experience to make the right decision. You should be just as discerning when it comes to Project Portfolio Management (PPM) tools.
Obviously, we'd like you to choose Planisware Orchestra. We also want you to make the right choice for your business. That's what this article is about: how to choose, not what to choose.
Start with project management outcomes
Before you get too involved in features, price comparisons and demos, it's important to ask why you want a digital project management tool in the first place — or why you want to change if you already have one. This will give you a framework for deciding what features are most important. Typical goals include:
- Improving visibility on all projects, including dependencies and critical paths
- Improving process maturity
- Reducing the risk of schedule or cost overruns
- Getting better insight into future resource requirements
- Accelerating time to market for new products
- Managing a portfolio of projects holistically, rather than in silos
- Implementing a specific project management methodology, whether it's agile, waterfall or something else.
Use these criteria to score different products during your evaluation.
