10.5 Building Early Momentum

10.5.1 Why Early Momentum Matters

Quick wins are designed to be fast and impactful, but their true value lies in how effectively they generate organizational enthusiasm and buy-in for more structured Project Portfolio Management (PPM). If the right projects are chosen and celebrated properly, you can create a positive feedback loop—the more successes the organization sees, the more support PPM will receive.

Key reasons why momentum is crucial:

1. Visibility Breeds Confidence: High-profile successes make it clear that PPM delivers tangible value.
2. Executive Endorsement: When leaders witness early positive results, they’re more likely to champion PPM in future planning cycles.
3. Cultural Shift: Small wins can gradually shift mindsets, making teams more open to structured processes, data-driven decisions, and accountability.

10.5.2 Prioritizing High-Impact/Low-Complexity Initiatives

To build momentum quickly, focus on projects that can be completed in weeks rather than months and demonstrate clear benefits. Look for:

1. Common Pain Points
   • Manual Processes: Projects that automate repetitive tasks can yield immediate efficiency gains.
   • Resource Bottlenecks: Quick fixes for resource scheduling or cross-department collaboration.
   • Customer/Employee Friction: Initiatives that directly improve customer or employee experiences—like simplifying a key service portal.
2. Low Technical/Organizational Barriers
   • Minimal Integration: Avoid major system overhauls or heavy data migrations.
   • Well-Defined: Scope is clearly understood and involves fewer stakeholders, reducing coordination overhead.
3. High Visibility and Strategic Relevance
   • Align with one or more strategic goals (e.g., cost containment, operational excellence).
   • Ensure leadership is aware of the problem being solved—when they see it resolved, the impact becomes more evident.

By selecting high-impact, low-complexity efforts, you amplify the likelihood of success and make it easier to communicate tangible benefits once delivered.

10.5.3 Demonstrating Tangible Value Quickly

Even a small project can show meaningful progress if you focus on the right metrics and outcomes. Consider:

1. Rapid Prototyping or Pilots
   • Instead of waiting for a perfect solution, deploy a minimum viable product (MVP).
   • Collect real feedback from actual users and make iterative improvements.
2. “Visible Wins”
   • Showcase measurable achievements (e.g., “We reduced processing time by 30% in just 6 weeks”).
   • These factual data points—simple yet impactful—go a long way toward building support.
3. Storytelling with Data
   • Present before-and-after comparisons to highlight the difference made by your quick-win project.
   • Translate technical improvements into business language (e.g., “We saved $50,000 in operational costs in the first quarter”).

10.5.4 Celebrating Milestones and Successes

Recognition not only rewards teams but also generates interest across the organization. Here’s how to do it effectively:

1. Acknowledge Contributors
   • Publicly thank project team members, sponsors, and any cross-functional partners.
   • Emphasize collaboration, helping break down departmental silos.
2. Communicate Broadly
   • Use internal channels (email newsletters, Slack updates, intranet announcements) to share concise success stories.
   • Provide visuals (infographics, short videos, or simple charts) to quickly explain the project outcome.
3. Link to Larger Goals
   • Connect each success to the broader organizational context (e.g., “This improvement supports our digital transformation strategy by streamlining an outdated manual process.”).
   • Reinforce the message that structured PPM is an enabler of strategic progress rather than just an administrative layer.
4. Foster a Culture of Learning
   • Include lessons learned in celebratory notes, showing that quick wins also provide a foundation for continuous improvement.
   • Encourage open dialogue on what worked well and what could be done differently next time.

10.5.5 Overcoming Common Obstacles to Momentum

Building early traction isn’t without challenges. Here are a few potential stumbling blocks and how to address them:

1. Limited Organizational Awareness
   • Solution: Run quick, engaging presentations during department meetings or coffee breaks. Keep leadership involved with brief but impactful updates.
2. Change Fatigue
   • Solution: Emphasize how quick wins reduce workload or eliminate pain points rather than add more process. Show teams that PPM is helping, not hindering.
3. Resource Constraints
   • Solution: Start with small teams and minimal resources. Show that even modest investments can yield significant returns, thus justifying incremental resource requests for future projects.
4. Lack of Leadership Visibility
   • Solution: Bring results to monthly or quarterly executive reviews. Share a concise snapshot of benefits, tying them to top priorities. This approach ensures senior leaders champion continued PPM efforts.

10.5.6 Long-Term Value of Early Wins

While early momentum serves as a catalyst, it also plays a longer-term role in establishing credibility for PPM. Successful quick wins:

1. Set a Precedent: They demonstrate that structured processes and governance can indeed be agile and value-added.
2. Create Internal Advocates: Team members who experience the benefits of PPM first-hand often become champions for broader adoption.
3. Establish Best Practices: Each project adds lessons learned, progressively refining how the organization approaches project initiation, resource allocation, and risk management.
4. Build Organizational Resilience: Small improvements that reduce chaos or confusion lay the foundation for scaling PPM, preparing the organization to handle larger, more complex portfolios.

10.5.7 Key Takeaways for Building Momentum

• Focus on Visibility: Choose projects that everyone can see and appreciate.
• Deliver Quickly: Show value in weeks, not months, to sustain excitement and buy-in.
• Communicate Early and Often: Regularly update stakeholders and celebrate milestones.
• Leverage Success to Scale: Use each win to justify further enhancements and resource allocations for PPM.

Summary

Section 10.5 underscores the importance of leveraging quick wins to create a groundswell of enthusiasm for PPM. By carefully selecting high-impact, low-complexity projects, demonstrating fast, visible benefits, and publicly celebrating every success, you reinforce the message that PPM is a practical, strategic investment. This early momentum not only validates the approach for skeptics but also fuels the cultural and operational changes needed to scale PPM across the organization.