In the evolving landscape of project and portfolio management, understanding where your organization stands is not just helpful—it's essential. As organizations look to drive more value from their Planview investment, a capabilities assessment provides the foundation for lasting success. Let me share why taking a step back to evaluate your organizational readiness could be the most strategic move you make this year.
Beyond Technology: The Holistic View of Capability
A common misconception is that implementing new software automatically solves organizational challenges. In reality, a capability is the combination of technology, people, process, and governance working together to drive business value. Without alignment across all four elements, even the most powerful platform will fall short of expectations.
When organizations struggle with adoption or fail to see expected returns, the root cause rarely lies with the technology alone. Instead, it's often found in organizational gaps that weren't identified before implementation.
The Three Pillars of Organizational Readiness
A thorough capabilities assessment examines three critical dimensions:
- Process: Do well-defined processes exist for each capability you want to implement? Are these processes consistent across business units?
- People: Is your staff following established processes? Are all required roles clear on their responsibilities and executing them consistently?
- Governance: Who monitors adherence to processes? Is someone accountable for verifying that people follow procedures and using the resulting data for business decisions?
When any of these pillars is weak or missing, technology adoption suffers—regardless of how well the platform is configured.
Why Now is the Time for Assessment
Whether you're just beginning your Planview journey or looking to expand your implementation, understanding your organizational readiness offers several immediate benefits:
For New Implementations:
- Identify potential roadblocks before they become problems
- Prioritize capabilities where you already have strong organizational foundations
- Create a realistic implementation roadmap that accounts for both technical and organizational needs
- Set appropriate expectations with stakeholders about what's required for success
For Established Users:
- Discover why certain features haven't gained traction
- Identify "quick wins" where minor organizational adjustments could unlock significant value
- Create a targeted plan to address specific gaps rather than generic adoption challenges
- Build a data-driven case for necessary organizational changes
From Assessment to Action
The true value of a capabilities assessment comes not from the diagnosis but from the prescription. When gaps are identified, you can develop a tailored success plan that addresses the specific organizational challenges standing between your current state and your desired outcomes.
This might include:
- Executive alignment workshops to strengthen governance
- Process definition or refinement where needed
- Role clarity and training programs targeted at specific capability gaps
- Strategic demonstrations to show what "good looks like" in practice
Taking the Next Step
As you embark on a new year or new phase of your Planview journey, consider this: the most successful organizations aren't those with the most advanced technology, but those that have created the organizational environment where technology can thrive.
By understanding your organizational readiness, you create the foundation for sustainable adoption, meaningful outcomes, and ultimately, greater business value from your investment.
Are you ready to discover where your organization stands and how to take it to the next level? A capabilities assessment is your starting point for an actionable success plan that drives real results. Reach out now to chat with a Planview Expert at Evolve@planview.com.
Heading to Planview Connect? Check out my workshop on Wednesday afternoon to help you get started designing your Success Plan! I can’t wait to see you there!
Cheers,
Stephanie ~ Your OCM Enthusiast