Project Portfolio Management: Strategic Prioritization for Maximum Impact
Aligning Projects with Business Objectives to Maximize Value and Drive Organizational Success
Course Schedule
| Date | Venue | Fees |
|---|---|---|
| 24 – 28 Feb 2025 | Dubai, UAE | USD 3495 per delegate |
Course Introduction
Organizations often manage multiple projects simultaneously—each competing for limited resources, executive attention, and funding. Without a strategic approach to portfolio management, even high-quality projects can fail to deliver maximum business impact. Project Portfolio Management (PPM) ensures that all initiatives are aligned with strategic goals, properly prioritized, and governed with discipline and clarity.
This 5-day intensive course equips senior professionals with the tools and frameworks needed to select, balance, and oversee a high-performing project portfolio. Through strategy alignment, value analysis, risk balancing, and performance tracking, participants will gain the skills to drive informed decisions and optimize the return on project investments.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
• Understand the principles and functions of project portfolio management
• Prioritize and select projects based on business strategy, risk, and value
• Establish governance frameworks for portfolio-level decision-making
• Balance resources across competing initiatives
• Monitor and evaluate portfolio performance using metrics and dashboards
Key Benefits of Attending
• Learn how to maximize organizational impact through smarter project selection
• Improve decision-making with structured prioritization tools
• Increase transparency and accountability across all projects
• Strengthen governance and reporting frameworks
• Reduce portfolio risks and enhance return on investment
Intended Audience
This program is designed for:
• PMO leaders and project portfolio managers
• Program managers and project directors
• Senior executives and strategy officers
• Finance and investment planning teams
• Anyone responsible for prioritizing or overseeing project investments
Individual Benefits
Key competencies that will be developed include:
• Strategic thinking and decision-making in portfolio planning
• Ability to assess project proposals through multi-criteria analysis
• Skills in stakeholder alignment and governance design
• Use of tools and dashboards for transparent portfolio oversight
• Confidence in managing risk and value at a portfolio level
Organization Benefits
Upon completing the training course, participants will demonstrate:
• Greater alignment of projects with strategic priorities
• Improved allocation of resources and budgets across initiatives
• Increased project success rates and value realization
• Enhanced executive oversight and stakeholder confidence
• A structured, repeatable approach to project selection and performance tracking
Instructional Methdology
The course follows a blended learning approach combining theory with practice:
• Strategy Briefings – Core principles and models of PPM and governance
• Case Studies – Real-world success and failure stories from portfolio management
• Workshops – Prioritization matrix design, portfolio balancing, and resource modeling
• Peer Exchange – Group dialogues on challenges and solutions in multi-project environments
• Tools – Templates for scoring models, PPM dashboards, and governance charters
Course Outline
DETAILED 5-DAY COURSE OUTLINE
Training Hours: 07:30 AM – 03:30 PM
Daily Format: 3–4 Learning Modules | Coffee breaks: 09:30 & 11:15 | Lunch Buffet: 01:00 – 02:00
Day 1: Foundations of Project Portfolio Management
Module 1: Introduction to PPM (07:30 – 09:30)
• Definition, benefits, and scope of portfolio management
• Differences between project, program, and portfolio management
• Portfolio life cycle and process overview
Module 2: Strategic Alignment and Organizational Goals (09:45 – 11:15)
• Identifying strategic drivers and value objectives
• Translating strategy into project criteria
• Portfolio role in delivering strategic outcomes
Module 3: Portfolio Governance Models (11:30 – 01:00)
• Designing governance structures and decision forums
• Roles of executive sponsors, PMOs, and portfolio boards
• Approval gates, escalation, and oversight
Module 4: Workshop – Strategy Mapping Exercise (02:00 – 03:30)
• Linking organizational goals to potential projects
• Group presentations and feedback
Day 2: Project Evaluation and Prioritization
Module 1: Screening and Selection Criteria (07:30 – 09:30)
• Financial vs. non-financial evaluation
• Benefit-cost ratio, NPV, IRR, payback period basics
• Qualitative measures: strategic fit, urgency, innovation
Module 2: Prioritization Tools and Techniques (09:45 – 11:15)
• Weighted scoring models
• Bubble charts, heat maps, and other visual prioritization tools
• Multi-criteria decision analysis
Module 3: Balancing the Portfolio (11:30 – 01:00)
• Balancing short-term vs. long-term, risk vs. return
• Portfolio segmentation and risk diversification
• Optimizing constraints (cost, time, resources)
Module 4: Workshop – Building a Prioritization Matrix (02:00 – 03:30)
• Designing and applying a real prioritization tool
• Scenario testing with sample projects
Day 3: Resource Planning and Portfolio Execution
Module 1: Resource Allocation Across the Portfolio (07:30 – 09:30)
• Capacity planning for human, financial, and technical resources
• Bottleneck identification and resource leveling
• Techniques for multi-project scheduling
Module 2: Budgeting and Funding Portfolios (09:45 – 11:15)
• Portfolio budgeting principles
• Staged funding and investment phasing
• ROI and value realization models
Module 3: Integrated Risk Management (11:30 – 01:00)
• Portfolio-level risk identification and tracking
• Risk appetite, thresholds, and response strategies
• Risk-adjusted decision-making
Module 4: Workshop – Portfolio Resource Allocation Model (02:00 – 03:30)
• Building a basic resource plan
• Assessing trade-offs between initiatives
Day 4: Monitoring, Reporting, and Portfolio Optimization
Module 1: Portfolio Metrics and KPIs (07:30 – 09:30)
• Identifying KPIs at project, program, and portfolio levels
• Metrics for cost, time, scope, and benefit realization
• Using leading and lagging indicators
Module 2: Dashboard and Reporting Tools (09:45 – 11:15)
• Real-time monitoring dashboards
• Traffic light systems, cumulative flow charts, milestone maps
• Reporting to executives and stakeholders
Module 3: Performance Reviews and Continuous Alignment (11:30 – 01:00)
• Mid-cycle reviews and rebalancing the portfolio
• Managing underperformance and change requests
• Lessons learned and post-implementation reviews
Module 4: Workshop – Portfolio Dashboard Design (02:00 – 03:30)
• Teams design and present a performance dashboard
• Peer feedback and trainer commentary
Day 5: Change, Leadership, and Strategic Integration
Module 1: Leading Organizational Change Through PPM (07:30 – 09:30)
• The role of leadership in strategic project selection
• Change management principles in portfolio adaptation
• Engaging teams and fostering PPM culture
Module 2: Evolving the PMO into a Portfolio Management Office (09:45 – 11:15)
• Differences in structure, function, and value contribution
• Transition planning and capability building
• Strategic role of the PMO in enterprise transformation
Module 3: Final Workshop – Portfolio Strategy Roadmap (11:30 – 01:00)
• Participants develop a tailored roadmap for implementing PPM
• Team presentations and alignment discussion
Module 4: Course Wrap-Up and Certification (02:00 – 03:30)
• Summary of key learnings
• Personal action planning
• Certification and closing remarks
Certification
Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion in Project Portfolio Management, validating their ability to evaluate, prioritize, and manage multiple projects in alignment with strategic business goals for maximum organizational impact.