Project Management Maturity Model
SAP
and Petrotrin Success
Success
achieved by both SAP solutions and
Petrotrin is largely attributable to Project Management Maturity Model (PMMM).
Today, SAP is a leading business
software provider thanks to the quick global adoption of PMMM. SAP is working hand-in-hand with PM solutions and
other technology firms to enhance responsiveness to the customer needs. Indeed,
SAP has become a global leader in
the improvement of tools and practices to aid firms' consultancy position (SAP , 2013). On the other hand, use of PMM by
Petrotrin has resulted in efficiency hence stamping the firm's position as one
of the leaders in oil and gas industry. While many experts consider PMMM to be
repetitious and tedious to follow, the success stories by firms using it
invalidates such claims.
There
is a positive impact between PMMM’s and its ability to meet the stakeholders
demands. It is not surprising that Petrotrin and SAP
managers have declared it a theme for the future. Modern projects, like those
implemented at Petrotrin, are more than just simple solutions to loosely
technical problems. In addition, a success in these projects serves as a means
of change and business prosperity.
Petrotrin's
integration of PMMM in its day-to-day operations has not only ensured timely
accomplishment of planned tasks but also, the firm has saved on cost. In fact,
the firm is now able to set quality targets because there is a sense of confidence
that they will be achieved in time (Moya e al., 2010). PMMM tools improve
skills of SAP and Petrotrin.
Furthermore, the model ensures proper management of activities in accordance to
the organization’s objectives. Subsequent improvements and upgrades conducted
on PMMM inched it closer to a result-oriented style of management applicable
all sorts of projects executed at any economic sector.
Project
management maturity refers to a measurement of a firm's level of excellence in
a given area. Often, market forces and business nature wield an effect on the
organization's maturity level in project activity. In the case of Petrotrin, it
is arguable that use of PMMM has mostly been successful because its sector is
adaptable. Furthermore, the firm is state-owned and nearly monopolistic making
it easier for PMMM to be adopted. Petrotrin’s success is evident in its
expansion program: there is an upgrade of a second refinery that will ensure an
improvement of refined products’ quality so as to attain the international
standards.
PMMM
is critical in the information technology project development process. It is
because of this reason that SAP
saw the need for its adoption (Snabe et al., 2008). PMMM has an innate ability
to ensure the distinction between immature firms with ad-hoc procedures and the
well-established mature ones. The traits for the distinction made it possible
for SAP to gauge its operation and
to subsequently grade its performance. Using the outcome as a baseline, SAP ’s management endorsed a performance
acceleration plan in line with PMMM’s recommendations to ensure its current
success.
Improvement
in PMMM levels
There
are five maturity levels of PMMM. Firstly, there is an initial process where a
firm exhibits no standards or business practices. At this stage, project
documentation and metrics are collected informally. This is the level which
both SAP and Petrotrin started from
during their early years of PMMM's adoption. At the second level, the firms
advance to structured standards and processes. Though limited, there is a
presence of project documentation and basic metrics at this stage. However,
there are no standards set to be followed in organization’s internal
environment. Notably, Petrotrin recently graduated from this level to the third
level. The third PMMM stage involves a utilization of institutionalized processes
and organizational standards (Vergopia, 2008). SAP
and Pretrotrin just formalized the standards for their institutionalized
projects to compete with other multinationals. Thus, they are at the third
maturity level.
The
fourth maturity level involves absolute automation of management processes.
Most tasks currently performed by skilled workforce are taken over by metrics.
The efficiency of metric operations ensures its integration and replication to
other systems of corporate management to ensure maximum performance. A few
firms, if any, have met the necessary qualifications to upgrade smoothly into
the fourth maturity level. However, the swift technological advancement and
improvements in business innovation implies project automation is within reach.
The last maturity stage entails an optimization process. Firms at this maturity
level utilize learned lessons in previous levels to improve the processes.
Project
Management Focus
It
is undeniable that SAP and
Petrotrin have joined a league of successful firms because of their shift in
focus towards project management. A comparison of the firms’ initial
performance (prior to PMMM adoption) with the current data reveals a sharp
contrast. Besides, Petrotrin and SAP
managers admit that positive results and efficiency in project implementation
are fruits of an investment in PMMM. Today, SAP
boasts of operations in more than 190 states as a result of efficiency in its
expansion projects for the past 5 years (Doz & Kosonen, 2010). While SAP has restructured numerous times, it is
interesting to note that its focus on cloud service provision is part of a
wider plan to ensure a successful transition to the subsequent PMMM levels (Armburust
et al., 2010).
References
Armbrust, M., Fox, A., Griffith ,
R., Joseph , A. D. Katz , R., Konwinski, A., ... & Zaharia, M. (2010). A view
of cloud computing. Communications
of the ACM,53(4), 50-58.
Moya, R., Mohammed ,
A. M. Trinidad and Tobago
Snabe, J. H., Rosenberg ,
A., Mller, C., & Scavillo, M. (2008). Business
process management: The sap roadmap. Berlin SAP PRESS.
Vergopia, C. (2008). Project review maturity and project
performance: an empirical case study. Michigan
No comments:
Post a Comment