From an overloaded portfolio
to a manageable
project pipeline
For a European manufacturing company with more than 600 employees and over 200 complex industrial projects running in parallel across engineering, design, tooling, component production, quality and serial-production preparation, we streamlined project management, introduced a consistent portfolio-management model and automated schedule generation.
SCHEDULE – ACTIVE PROJECTS
SCHEDULE VIEW – PROJECT PHASES
The starting point: a portfolio
slipping out of
control
The organisation was managing a large number of manufacturing projects in parallel.
Data was scattered across several systems, schedules required frequent manual correction, and project statuses did not always reflect the current operational situation. With more than 200 active projects, it was becoming increasingly difficult to determine priorities, resource overloads and the projects requiring intervention.
More than 200 projects
running concurrently across the organisation.
Fragmented data
across multiple sources, with no consistent view of the portfolio.
Manual planning
and schedule updates consuming valuable team capacity.
Lack of prioritisation
and transparent rules for setting priorities and making decisions.
Low predictability
of project delivery dates.
Four steps
to a manageable portfolio
Data analysis and clean-up
We organised the project data sources and prepared them for automated processing.
Automated schedule generation
We built and implemented a tool that automatically creates schedules from customer orders and specifications.
Teams working to a clear cadence
We introduced clear roles and a working cadence for planning, updates, reviews and decisions.
Transparency and control
We created transparent reporting, scenario analysis and project progress monitoring.
IMPACTShorter project lead times,
fewer delays and better resource utilisation.
Three pillars,
one coherent system
The implementation was not about creating a single tool. We connected automation, data exchange, resource analysis and a new management rhythm.
Governance and cadence
A weekly PMO cadence, a Steering Committee, clear decision points, responsibilities and escalation rules.
Schedule automation
A generator based on process rules, input data, task durations and competencies.
Data and status control
Comparison of actual and expected states, data-quality checks, exception handling and manual reviews.
What the implemented
system consists of
The implementation was not about creating a single tool. We connected automation, data exchange, resource analysis and a new management rhythm.
Six stages, one continuous flow
The process covered the entire manufacturing-project lifecycle, from engineering through preparation for serial production.
From an order to a ready-to-use schedule, without manual effort
The tool analyses input data, project structure, process rules, scope decisions, task durations and required competencies, then automatically generates a complete schedule for use in the project-management environment.
Its operation is based on project selection, source data, duration and competency settings, and the generation of final project files.
order
specification
(pre-engineering)
generation
project system
Where the bottleneck lies and how to remove it
The solution enables teams to monitor the workload across critical competencies and assess how organisational changes affect the project completion date.
PMO sees exceptions before they become problems
The solution goes beyond schedule generation. It also compares the current status with the expected state derived from source data. It distinguishes records that need updating, can remain unchanged or require a manual review. This gives the PMO control over data quality and makes it possible to identify exceptions before changes are published.
ScopeApproved
ResourcesIn progress
RiskDecision requiredA weekly rhythm that keeps the portfolio moving
We designed a weekly portfolio-management cadence involving the PMO, Project Managers, operational departments and the Steering Committee. We defined responsibilities, data-update points, escalation rules and decision points.
Mondaydata review and preparation
Tuesdaypriorities, risks and decisions
Wednesdayresource synchronisation
Thursdayschedule publication
Fridayprogress and exception control
Feedback and continuous improvementThe working rhythm and processes documented in one place
The solution also included Handbook 2.0: a practical guide to the weekly management cadence, PMO roles, individual responsibilities and the flow of key processes.
PMO roles and responsibilities
Key-process flows
Decision points and escalations
Weekly cadence
Project launch
Schedule update (ETTC)
Project changes
Revision management
Department delivery commitments
Reporting and metrics
Lessons learned
Numbers that
speak for themselves
The implementation was not about creating a single tool. We connected automation, data exchange, resource analysis and a new management rhythm.
projects in the portfolio managed through a single operating model
reduction in schedule-preparation time
faster updates and reporting
Better predictability
and more reliable delivery dates
Less manual work
when preparing and updating schedules
Better data quality
and stronger status control
Faster identification
of exceptions and projects requiring a decision
Better resource utilisation
through load and scenario analysis
Ready to scale
and support further process automation
Do you have a similar process
that needs to be organised
or automated?
Let’s talk about your processShow us how it works today. We will identify which elements can be connected, simplified and automated.