Chapter 4: Processes

Overview

Common processes provide the foundation upon which the PO operates. A multiproject environment requires the establishment of common processes for a variety of reasons: First and foremost, they provide the common language indispensable to communication across projects and disciplines and they facilitate the training and integration of new personnel. Second, processes capture the collective knowledge developed through the experience and insight of the PO staff. Third, commonality is essential for the effective use of forecasting models, tools, and databases.

Processes and tools are intertwined. Processes to a large extent determine the choice of tools, but in order to take advantage of a powerful tool, processes that do not provide a definitive benefit must be changed. Both processes and tools are embodiments of the collective knowledge of the organization, and as such their value as a competitive advantage must not be underestimated. As the organization learns, processes, practices, and tools must be changed to reflect new understandings and insights.

In the previous chapter we introduced the main PO processes and interfaces, and the roles necessary to execute them. This chapter will discuss the goals that these processes must achieve and how they can be described.^[1] The next chapter will deal with the tools required.

^[1]This chapter will discuss the control arrow labeled "process definition" in the Chapter 3 diagrams. Chapter 5 will address the mechanism arrow labeled "information system services".