PMI Takes Control of ProductSuite - Yeah!
I was invited to participate in the PMI sponsored Focus Group on Sep. 10, along with 9 other users in Philadelphia. PMI reiterated their support of the user community there. (They verbalized their committtment to users at the OPM3 Core Team earlier in the year at a face to face in Miami.)
All that remains is their published plan.
Despite the fact that there were almost as many PMI people as Focus Group attendees in the room, the exchange was open and honest. And we posed some tough questions. Brenda Comfort asked point blank - how many assessments are in the PMI database? Dan Copeland replied ‘about 100′. Yikes! And Claudia probably did most of those, so what does that leave for the other approximately 95 certified assessors/consultants?
Enough about that though, we and PMI need to look forward. It’s clear they are dedicated to supporting the user community going forward, with marketing strategies. Cara of PMI is rolling out a contact campaign, targeting potential users of OPM3, with some followup also planned.
Larry Bull was taking copious notes and said he had some incredible feedback from us that he will work into their plans.
Saadi Adra asked why the initial campaign was only being launched in north America. Good question!
I have left out a lot of details, and hope attendees will add their ‘Insight’ (there you go Greg) to this initial post.
Jim Sloane, OPM3-CC, PMP
Tags: maturity, maturity model, OPM3, PMI, PMI Focus Group, ProductSuite
September 15th, 2008 at 6:39 am
Thanks Jim, here are the notes I captured during the meeting. Feel free to correct as needed, since they’re flavored by my biases:
Notes from OMP3 Marketing discussion
a. Are there specific features or issues with the actual product that are a barrier to sales?
1. No strategic enablers
2. Adopt process for consulting
3. No brand name recognition
4. Map to other tools i.e. CMMI
5. Map Pain Points to Best Practices
6. Attributes in 2nd edition
7. Still too new for recognition
8. No certifications for companies i.e. ISO
9. Misconceptions
b. Are there specific PMI processes associated with the offering that are an impediment to sales?
1. It’s a journey on a path
2. Repeatability
3. Selection
4. Tie together
5. Organizational Project Excellence
6. Execute vision
c. What messages should PMI be using in its marketing about OPM3 ProductSuite?
1. Road show
2. Industry visibility
3. Service Providers Program development (RSP vis-à-vis REP 7 principles)
4. Capstone credential
d. What products or services do clients need that are not currently offered by PMI?
1. Map to Pain Points
2. Better scoping capability
3. Mapping to other models i.e. CMMI
e. What training, materials, or other support services would enhance the Service Provider’s ability to sell an engagement?
1. Use as a method to teach incoming consultants how to prepare for entrance exam
2. Better access to material i.e. PowerPoint, wiki, studies, whitepapers
3. PMI sponsor 1st assessment
4. Mentorship
5. Ongoing communication program (online/asynchronous)
f. What, if any, market and/or industry (and government) specific issues and/or differentiators influence interest and adoption of OPM3?
1. Government accountability
2. C-Suite marketing material – frame in business speak
3. Leverage PMI membership – channel management
4. Key influencers – analysts, media, academia, business, government
g. What is/are the value proposition(s) that most clearly align with OPM3?
SWOT Analysis
Strengths: Best Practice documents, Benchmark Database, Globally developed standard, PMI Brand gives credibility, recognition and alignment
Weaknesses: Complexity, high cost of entry, limitation on KPIs, reliability and availability (no offline access), data storage online only (some entities required onsite storage), accessibility of the key (limited value), not an ISO standard, lack of published collateral, poor definition of criteria and alignment
Opportunities: Simplify, case studies, ISO standard, overall alignment with all PMI standards and communication, tie certifications together (no need for individual Assessor AND Consultant), educate PMI membership as goodwill ambassadors, use business language to speak on value
Threats: Dilution with other competing PMM models, lack of easy to understand graphic representation, limitation of not being able to alter report layout to match client needs, lack of marketing strategy jeopardizes success of individual campaigns.
Other notes:
Need to sell benefits of outcome not value of a tool
Ensure that a consulting engagement is linked to selling an assessment
Continue to allow freedom to individual consultant to decide which improvement model is correct for their client i.e. CMMI, Six Sigma, Lean, ITIL, etc.
Determine where client is in relation to their awareness of PMI and value of OPM3 (Matrix from LL, LH, HL, HH) HH is already sold on both and LL understands neither.
Provide education to internal non-certified team mates will lead to easier adoption and understanding of value at a tactical level.
Pitch a Best Practice to a specific Pain Point i.e. I have a hard time with knowing who is doing what with Resource Management (need to understand how to map client terminology to OPM3). Pilot a small area and not the entire listing of Best Practices. Leverage the success to move larger.
There is less value to only doing an assessment when the real value lies in the consulting implementation. Pitch on how the improvement hits higher ROI, Revenue and Margins.
Need more case studies. Fear outside of government ranks of exposing perceived weakness Need to document that the ROI was met or exceeded
Competition from other PPM models (PM Solutions, Kerzner, et al). Need membership to stay on message and not misrepresenting how OPM3 falls into overall PMI framework.
Need to have the basics taught within other areas i.e. college classes. This would tie in with the identification and selection of the Spokesmodel who can publish the material both for the college audience, PM marketing and general business area..
6,000 registered online users of Self-Assessment tool (1,500 active)
Apx 80 remaining OPM3 certs (some attrition by Assessor only folks)
Need to pitch Self-Assessment users that they used the simply tool and when they want to accomplish more complex analysis, they’ll need to access ProductSuite
The key learning is that this is all about Strategy Execution not Project Management. Limited value in preaching to the choir, they’re already believers in PM. Need the heather C-Level to see the connection between having a strategy and getting it executed.
Need a spokesmodel in the same way the Quality movement had Deming, Crosby and Juran. No thought leader has materialized from Business, Government or Academia. Need to identify an upcoming leader who’ll be the next Kaplan or Porter (not the next Kerzner (see choir comment)).
Need corporate outeach program similar to other PMI sponsored ones. Offer Executive education seminars/briefings (4hr) aka “Take me to your leader” approach used within some chapters.
Carry conversation to Industry analysts that they need to cover this area (Gartner, Forrester, etc.). Also get message to Wall Street analysts to see value creation of firms that have adopted the model.
Need to see adoption by Big4 firms. CapGemini is only using in EU currently.
Need more coverage with all PMI magazines, components, SIGs and Corporate Council. OPM3 should be the over-arching umbrella that all the other parts fall under.
Create a “Improvement of the Year” award similar to the Project of the Year.