Optimum’s Project Portfolio Management (PPM) solution revolutionizes processes for a multinational enterprise, enhancing process visibility, efficiency, and scalability across multiple departments.
About the Client
Founded in 1980, the client began with specialized magnetic liquid and sealing products and has since evolved into a global enterprise. With a robust product line and operations across North America, Europe, Asia, and other regions, the client is a leader in research, manufacturing, sales, design, and marketing.
Business Challenges
The client sought Optimum’s expertise to develop a standardized, automated project management system that could be flexibly applied across various project life cycles. Key objectives included detailed reporting capabilities, a scalable approval process, and improved security measures.
Before partnering with Optimum, the client’s project management was manual and inconsistent, relying heavily on Excel and email, which were static and non-collaborative. There was no way to keep track of the approval process, many tasks were on hold, and things often got lost in email, resulting in significant inefficiencies.
Optimum’s Involvement
As a key element of success, Optimum first collaborated with the client to map and document processes for consistent results. Optimum leveraged Smartsheet Control Center to create a scalable, standardized project plan and dashboard for the client. This solution streamlined project management across departments, automating approval processes tailored to project sizes. A centralized contact list allowed for efficient manager and director designation, ensuring seamless approval automation.
The intake sheet facilitated faster approvals for medium-sized projects and a comprehensive approval process involving directors, stakeholders, and the Steering Committee for larger projects. The project plan included customizable automations and baseline-setting options, empowering project managers to tailor workflows.
Dynamic reports enabled easy task updates from a central location, automatically reflecting changes across project, sub-department, department, and portfolio dashboards. Multiple dashboard tiers ensured data visibility from the project level up to the portfolio level, allowing leadership to monitor project health and progress.
Optimum provided additional template sets for scalable reporting and comprehensive training and documentation for the client’s admin team. Optimum’s end-user training and change management expertise were critical to the project’s success, making sure that the team could effectively adapt to the new system. This ensured long-term maintenance and support for the solution, accommodating future growth and changes.
Project Outcomes and Benefits
Optimum’s PPM solution delivered significant improvements for the client, including:
- 30%+ Reduction in Approval Time: The client now enjoys more than a 30% reduction in approval time, dramatically improving project initiation and management efficiency.
- 60% Time Saved in Reporting: A 60% reduction in time spent on reporting was realized, freeing up resources for other critical tasks.
- 70% Increase in Real-time Visibility: The client now sees a 70% increase in real-time updates, allowing the team to be more flexible and reactive to company initiatives, respond to issues faster, and see projected impacts more quickly.
- Cross-Departmental Standardization: A standardized project plan and dashboard used across departments, ensuring consistency and control over the project portfolio.
- Comprehensive Training: Training and documentation enabling the client to maintain and adapt the solution independently, ensuring long-term success.
This solution significantly increased transparency, efficiency, and control over the client’s project portfolio, positioning the company for continued growth and success. The team is particularly excited about the radically improved approval process, which has eliminated the inefficiencies and confusion associated with their legacy work model.
About Optimum: Your Platinum Smartsheet Partner
Optimum is an award-wining, Platinum Smartsheet Partner, serving clients in multiple industries in the US and Canada. Our certified consultants define, automate, and optimize processes and implement advanced Smartsheet solutions for IT PMOs, Marketing, Procurement and Legal, Product Development, Asset Management, Merger & Acquisition, and many other business functions and departments.
From development of customized templates, advanced dashboards, and automated workflows, to the full implementation and support of Smartsheet Control Center, Resource Management, Dynamic View, Data Shuttle, Bridge, Connectors, and custom API Development, our team helps clients maximize their ROI in Smartsheet and increase user adoption and productivity of their teams.
Reach out today for a complimentary discovery session, and let’s explore the best solution for your work automation and project management needs!
Contact us: info@optimumcs.com | 713.505.0300 | www.optimumcs.com
