A buyer's guide to PPM tools, features, benefits and vendors

Project portfolio management platforms combine multiple facets of a project -- budget, tasks, workload and timeframe -- in one central location, enabling project managers to prioritize, organize and optimize projects for maximum ROI. PPM tools help organizations choose which projects to execute and then determine how to fund them by examining each potential project to assess if it supports the business' goals and objectives. Projects that fail this criteria don't even make it through the first step of the selection process, saving companies both time and money from useless pursuits.

When purchasing a PPM tool, one of the first decisions your organization needs to make is whether to select a cloud-based PPM platform or an on-premises PPM product. Companies that have an on-site IT team may prefer an on-premises tool as it can help simplify overall management and security. However, for organizations that don't have an in-house IT staff, a cloud-based PPM tool can offer more vendor support and a faster implementation.

Here we explore PPM platforms, focusing on different capabilities and analysis features. This buyer's guide also examines key features and the benefits of implementing PPM software, including integrations with other management tools to streamline productivity. Finally, the product roundup examines offerings from some of the top PPM providers currently on the market to help IT buyers determine which project portfolio management platform will best address the organization's needs.

By

• Rachel Meltzer