California gets a handle on IT with on-demand PPM software
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California’s Office of the State CIO is using Métier’s WorkLenz PPM to reduce technology costs while producing more projects with fewer resources.
California officials are turning to on-demand project portfolio management (PPM) software to identify inefficiencies in their information technology initiatives and, ultimately, assist in deploying new, more effective IT systems.
California’s Office of the State Chief Information Officer is using Métier’s WorkLenz PPM to reduce technology costs while producing more projects with fewer resources, Métier officials said.
California has the sixth-largest economy in the world and spends heavily on services for its residents, said Douglas Clark, Métier's chief executive officer. State officials recognized the need to consolidate projects and spend IT money more judiciously, he added.
WorkLenz structures and analyzes project data to predict problems before they occur. It identifies money-saving process improvements as IT employees work, not after projects are behind schedule or over budget, according to Métier officials.
WorkLenz software is a part of Métier’s PMO Central, an integrated offering that combines PPM software with virtualized project management services, such as expert advice to users. The offering is delivered via the Internet, live chat, e-mail and phone.
On-demand software reduces the time and money organizations would spend implementing a PPM solution themselves, Clark said. California selected WorkLenz in May, and within six business days, the solution was up and running.
Not only will California officials manage IT projects better, the software could also help track economic stimulus funds and make spending initiatives more transparent to the public, Clark said.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 requires federal and state agencies to monitor and report how they are spending stimulus funds.
WorkLenz gives users the ability to track and manage ARRA investments through projects’ life cycles, Clark said. It automates the reporting process, enabling users to deliver accurate reports to the Office of Management and Budget, he added. ARRA reporting can be delivered in multiple formats, including Microsoft Excel and industry-standard Extensible Markup Language outputs.
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