Improving Project Portfolio Management in Higher Education: A University Success Story

This blog explores how one UK university transformed its IT project delivery through effective project portfolio management — and what lessons institutions can take from it today.

Overview

Project Portfolio Management in Higher Education presents unique challenges—especially when it comes to standardising processes, ensuring visibility, and improving project delivery outcomes.

A top UK university, recognised for academic excellence with nearly 2,500 staff and more than 15,700 students, embarked on a mission to address these issues within its IT Services department Facing challenges with inconsistent project reporting, limited portfolio visibility, and inefficiencies in project delivery, the University recognised the need for a structured and scalable approach.

Partnering with Bestoutcome, the University implemented PM3, a light-touch PPM tool, alongside a refined Project Delivery Framework.

This transformation enabled the University to standardise project governance,improve transparency, and enhance resource planning, ensuring better decision-making and successful project outcomes.

Challenges

Before implementing PM3, the University relied on a bespoke SharePoint-based system for project management. However, this approach led to several key challenges:

Disjointed Processes: The absence of a standardised methodology resulted in inconsistent project management practices, making it difficult to track progress effectively.

Limited Portfolio Visibility: Senior management lacked a clear, real-time overview of the University’s full project portfolio, hindering informed decision-making.

Inefficiencies in Reporting: Status reports varied across teams, leading to inaccuracies,duplication of effort, and delays in identifying project risks and resource needs.

Need for Process Optimisation: The University recognised that fixing processes before adopting a new tool was essential to achieving sustainable improvements.

The Approach

Understanding that a tool alone would not solve these challenges, the University took a strategic and phased approach to implementation.

Developing a Standardised Project Delivery Framework

• Bestoutcome worked with the University to design a consistent, scalable project framework,ensuring all projects followed a structured governance model.
• A set of quality gates and governance boards was introduced to enhance project accountability and approval processes.

Implementing Outcome-Driven Planning (ODP)

• The University adopted Outcome-Driven Planning (ODP), a methodology that focuses on
  starting with the end goal and working backwards to define clear, actionable steps.
• This collaborative planning approach improved stakeholder alignment, project clarity, and delivery success rates.

Deploying PM3 as the PPM Solution

• Once the new framework was in place, PM3 was configured to align with the University’s project structure, reporting needs, and governance requirements.
• Teams were provided with comprehensive training and mentoring, ensuring smooth
  adoption and long-term success.

Embedding a Reporting Drumbeat for Sustainability

• To ensure ongoing engagement, the University established a regular reporting cycle
  (“drumbeat”) using PM3, reinforcing consistent data updates, accountability, and
  transparency across all projects.
• The automated reporting and dashboard features in PM3 provided leadership with a real-time view of portfolio performance, improving decision-making at all levels.

The Impact

With PM3 fully embedded, the University achieved significant improvements in project
management, governance, and portfolio oversight.
✅ Consistent Project Management Practices: A unified approach to project delivery reduced variance in reporting and improved stakeholder confidence.
✅ Enhanced Visibility & Control: PM3 provided a single source of truth, offering real-time
insights into project status, risks, and resource needs.
✅ Stronger Governance & Accountability: The introduction of quality gates and governance boards ensured projects were aligned with strategic objectives.
✅ Increased Efficiency: Automated reporting eliminated manual effort, saving time while improving accuracy and responsiveness.
✅ Sustainable Adoption: The University successfully embedded PM3 into its project culture, ensuring long-term benefits without reliance on external interventions.

Final Thoughts on Project Portfolio Management in Higher Education

Reflecting on the transformation, the University highlighted the critical success factors in driving project and portfolio improvements:

“The successful delivery of major IT projects required our project organisation to grow and address frustrations with the project delivery methodology. Clarification of processes, roles,and responsibilities was much needed. Working with Bestoutcome, we have achieved this by introducing an outcome-driven approach and toolset, improving the consistency, visibility,and manageability of our project portfolio.” – Director of IT.

By optimising processes first, then implementing PM3, the University successfully transformed project management, enhanced visibility, and strengthened governance, ensuring its PPM framework supports long-term strategic success.