Page 173 - Global Project Management Handbook

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND PROJECT PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT 7-23

and, on the other hand, a list of measures for employing the synergies in the project net-
work. The following basic measures are possible:
● Redefinition of project objectives based on conflicts of objectives among projects
● Rearrangement of personnel based on resource conflicts among projects and potential
changes to project priorities
● Redesign of project environment relationships based on a more holistic point of view by
considering several projects
● Balancing-out of risks among projects by changing contractual relationships with cus-
tomers, partners, and suppliers
● Transfer of know-how among projects of the project network
● Establishment of communication structures for periodic coordination between two or
more projects
In an extreme case, the information generated in an analysis of the relationships in a
project network can result in the stopping or interruption of projects.

Network-of-Projects Graph

The relationships among the projects of a project network can be visualized in the form
of a network-of-projects graph. This diagram depicts, on the one hand, the networking
projects and, on the other hand, the relationships among those projects. Circles of varying
sizes and colors can be used to depict the projects. The symbols used should be described
in the form of a legend.
Several projects with common features can be grouped together by using various
frames. Lines between the projects can be used to depict the relationships. Objects to be
considered in networking are, above all, the relationships among the projects. For example,
the relationships among individual projects can be described in the form of qualitative
statements (Fig. 7.15).

MANAGEMENT OF PROJECT CHAINS

The projects within a chain of projects are closely linked by their affiliation with the
same investment. Therefore, the business case analysis of the investment is an important
integrative instrument in a chain of projects. Typical chains of projects are the chains of a
conception and a realization project, of an offer and a contracting project, and of a pilot
and a follow-up project.
The objective of the management of chains of projects is to ensure the continuity of
the management of two or several successive projects or of a project and a program. The
management of chains of projects does not present a business process on its own but
rather a special case of networking among (successive) projects. The management of
relationships among the projects of a chain of projects should be performed in the project
management processes of the individual projects.
For the management of chains of projects, personnel policy and organizational mea-
sures must be fulfilled. An essential measure with regard to personnel is the inclusion of
members of the project organization of the current project into the project organization of
a follow-up project, for example, overlap among the members of project owner teams and
project teams. The project portfolio group takes the decision regarding composition of the
project owner team as part of project portfolio coordination.