公司在 CMMI 導入之前，純軟體工具如 JIRA, SVN 等等就已經導入了，那下一步呢?許多次的顧問 review 總是提出很多建議，但多半是針對單一活動的支援，而且工具性的軟體能解決的問題還是有限；而對於軟體專案，再導入 function point 計算的系統，再導入需求管理軟體? (如 Rational , Borland 的產品) ，拼拼湊湊好像不能一次到位。 而純粹就管理控制面來看，(如 PMC這個PA)，MS Project 只能算是入門工具，也許應該有更好的軟體來協助 PMC的運作。因此，PPM軟體的評估，也就順理成章了。
也許這句話說得好: The PPM Market Has Become The ERP Of IT，從 PPM產品市場裡面來尋求解答，也許才是IT產業管理的正規途徑。 而當初試著把 tools/process 結合的動機，也恰好與 PPM 市場的著眼點不謀而合 -- Processes And Tools: The Nuts And Bolts Of Project Portfolio Management 。
這份報告，The Forrester Wave™: Project Portfolio Management, Q1 2006 提供了很好的評估起點。其中 primevera 跟 plan view 應該可以當成標竿產品來研讀。而IBM Rational 顧名思義可能比較能滿足軟體產業的需求(待確認)。
當然附一張 Forrester 標準的市場競爭分布圖示一定要的啦。
另外，這份貴死人的報告(幸好有機會google得到)裡面提到的 criteria 摘要如下，請注意裡面的紅色框框。
以下是其中的廠商列表
- Artemis International Solutions,
- Business Engine,
- CA,
- Compuware,
- IBM (Rational)
IBM's acquisition of Systemcorp's portfolio management office enabled it to introduce planning and tracking functionality to complement its set of development tools. IBM's Rational Portfolio Manager continues to evolve and shows promise. Tactical functionality remains developer-oriented. However, with the latest enhancements to portfolio management, Rational Portfolio Manager shows signs of expanding beyond its focus on the development team into a product that can bring value to IT management.
Microsoft Is Too Narrowly Focused In The PPM Market, But UMT Acquisition Changes Things; The Microsoft Office Enterprise Project Management (EPM) Solution markets to companies of every size, but it is an especially solid choice for midsize, project-based organizations that only care about project management. Its ability to manage multiple projects or programs is competent, but it falls down at the portfolio level, which is a critical aspect for IT organizations that require a top-down approach to better manage constraints and meet objectives. The recent announcement of the UMT acquisition couldn't be more timely. For Microsoft to succeed in the project portfolio management (PPM) space, it must have a stronger top-down focus, and UMT will eventually deliver that focus. Companies considering Microsoft Project should opt for the UMT module to be integrated into the product.
The new functionality on its own isn't mature or flexible enough for the typical IT organizations, but companies that select Oracle will find sufficient feature strength to handle a wide range of projects
- Pacific Edge Software,
- PlanView
PlanView has long been one of strongest project portfolio management (PPM) tools vendors on the market, and PlanView Enterprise is another winner. Enterprise is a robust application that shows breadth in the range of IT work that it can manage and depth in the level of analytics available for decision-making. PRISMS, PlanView's best practices methodology, is another key differentiator that provides a robust set of practices that associates processes with every step of the IT life cycle. PlanView Enterprise is a comprehensive application and is not for ad hoc organizations that don't have the culture to sustain process-driven management, but for more mature organizations that want to manage strategically, it is an excellent choice.
Primavera Is The Market Leader In The PPM Market; Primavera Systems is the leader in the project portfolio management (PPM) market, offering across-the-board robust functionality, as well as specific solutions for a wide range of industries, including high-tech, telecom, construction, and professional services organizations. Primavera's industry-specific solutions, such as consulting or financial services, target internal IT organizations and services organizations, while still providing industry-specific support. While technically best suited for large organizations that have a defined level of maturity, Primavera is flexible enough to scale down to smaller or less mature organizations. Primavera's strength in all areas of PPM enables organizations to manage IT work effectively, while being responsive to larger, business-driven projects.
