Application of Project Portfolio Management in a Consulting Engineering Company

Abstract

This article presents a qualitative study case based on data gathering and interviews, in order to propose a model of portfolio management for an engineering consulting company. This company has a high demand in creating and managing those projects. Three portfolio models were used to ground this proposal after studying and analyzing the models, and posterior data gathering of the company, with interviews and action analysis it was possible to suggest a new portfolio management model, shaped according to the company’s needs and reality, pointing out the phases of the project management and the company’s peculiarities. During the interviews and the data gathering, some situations that were not shown in the models were revealed, or showed up in a hidden fashion. So, the new proposed model could insert some actions in its activities, taking the company’s systematic to a new cultural level of portfolio management, aiming greater control of all actions and better planning of resources distributions into projects. It is expected that the proposed model help the company to manage its projects, in order to reach excellence in. However, it is necessary a coordinated effort of all teams, in the sense of always keeping the strategic planning of the company aligned with the new portfolio management model. This way, the process will be organized and there will be more reliability in the project portfolio control.