Project Portfolio Management (PPM) is the crucial mechanism for gaining control over the chaos endemic to the IT world. This control is fundamental for effective ITSM Management. On one side, you have persistent incidents; on the other, backlogged change requests; and in the middle, delayed projects. Senior management constantly asks, “What is our status?” but often, a complete, clear picture is missing.
Why?
Because IT teams are struggling not just with operational workload, but with dozens of simultaneous projects. Crucially, the following factors for these projects are often discussed only in vague estimations:
Interdependencies between projects
Strain on team capacity and resources
Budget consumption
Strategic value
Risk level
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Why is PPM the Missing Link in ITSM Management?
ITSM management governs the flow of: Incident Problem Change
However, at the end of this chain, a situation sometimes emerges that is so significant it becomes not just a change, but a project.
For example, when:
A problem continuously recurs,
A change impacts dozens of systems,
Infrastructure needs a major overhaul/renewal,
A new software acquisition, integration, or process transformation is required.
This is no longer merely “a task”; it is a project.
ITSM manages operations.
PPM manages strategy.
ITSM + PPM = Operations + Strategy working together.
Without Project Portfolio Management, the IT team is simply fighting fires. When PPM is added, the team focuses on projects that solve the root causes that started the fire in the first place.
In ITSM, Don’t Just Manage Projects, Create Value!
👉 Check out our guide blog: “Project Management in ITSM: The Path to Service-Oriented Success”
Why Are Companies Wasting Millions on Failed Project Costs Annually?
The real reason is very simple: Nobody sees the “big picture.” The following problems are commonly experienced in organizations:
1. The priorities of senior management do not align with the priorities of IT.
Senior management says, “Let’s achieve digital transformation quickly,” while IT says, “Let’s stabilize the operation first.”
The result: Chaos.
2. Resource planning is not done based on actual capacity.
A single engineer might simultaneously be assigned to:
an integration project,
three changes, and
two incidents.
Since full capacity calculation is not performed, everything gets delayed.
3. The business value of projects is not measured.
It is considered important just because someone said, “This is very important.” But in reality, it might have no contribution to the business units.
4. Timelines are based on estimations.
- Estimated durations are optimistic
- Actual durations hurt
- Budget slips (or runs away)
- Team burns out (or is exhausted)
5. The project portfolio is not visible as a whole.
- When will each project be completed?
- Which one is dependent on another?
- Which one is risky? Which one is unnecessary?
The information is always scattered: Excel, Word, email, meeting notes… The Result: Money, time, and human effort are wasted.
The Top IT Project Crises Caused by a Lack of PPM
Now, let’s look at real-life situations experienced by IT teams.
1. The Constantly Changing Roadmap Syndrome
The roadmap was set a week ago. Three new priorities were added this week. Next week, the roadmap will be scrapped.
The reason for this is not planning:
2. Uncontrolled Increase in Team Workload
For example, the infrastructure team has 5 people. But the total project effort requires 14 people. With this math, no project will finish on time.
3. ITSM Management Projects Obstructing One Another
If a team is simultaneously working on:
A firewall renewal project,
CRM integration, and
Network upgrade tasks…
Every project will delay the others.
4. Loss of Financial Control
Budgets proceed like this:
“We said this project would take 3 months, but it has extended to 6 months.” “Additional costs have emerged.” “We had to procure external resources.”
Why?
Because the actual effort, capacity, and dependencies—all critical components of effective ITSM Management—were unknown at the outset.
5. The Backlog of Started Projects That Never Finish
In corporate project archives, you will find things like:
40% completed
Suspended because senior management changed
Waiting because resources were not allocated
Stalled because the scope was unclear
In organizations without Project Portfolio Management, this is considered normal.
Why ITSM Management and PPM Must Be Connected
Let’s now explain this chain more clearly: Incident Problem Change Project – What does this mean?
If a system error recurs constantly, it is a Problem. If the solution to the problem requires a modification, it is a Change. If the scope of the Change is large (infrastructure investment, system renewal, integration, automation, architectural change), it is now a Project.
Meaning: Every major project essentially originates from a problem.
PPM steps in here and ensures the following:
Change and project processes work in connection with each other.
A clear scope is defined for every project.
Capacity and prioritization are done correctly.
Projects become traceable within ITSM tools.
This is a “Visibility Revolution”.
The Most Critical Benefits PPM Provides to an Organization
1. Data-Driven Decision Making
The phrase, “we think it’s important,” is gone. It is replaced by scores such as:
ROI (Return on Investment)
Risk score
Business unit impact score
Cost/benefit analysis
Complexity degree
Duration estimate
Resource requirement
Thanks to this, decisions are made scientifically, not emotionally.
2. Roadmap Visibility
All projects on a single screen:
Start / end dates,
Progress percentages,
Pending risks,
Dependencies,
Team workload
and senior management can see the status without even having to ask, “What is our status?”
3. Resource Optimization
For example:
A security team of 5 people is not burdened with 14 projects.
Unnecessary urgent demands do not choke team capacity.
Excessive workload is detected early.
This both increases efficiency and protects the team from burnout.
4. Correct Prioritization
The loudest unit no longer wins. The project that is truly the most critical wins. Priorities are determined not just by urgency or visibility, but based on the strategic impact of the work.
Consequently, teams can focus their energy on the work that creates the most value, resources are used efficiently, deliverables happen on time, and projects that contribute to the company’s strategic goals become prioritized.
Must-Have Features of Project Portfolio Management Tools
1. Resource Planning
Every employee’s:
Capacity
Skillset/Competency
Current workload
Effort estimation
should be visible on a single dashboard.
2. Portfolio Scoring
Every project must be scored with objective criteria.
3. Financial Tracking
Budget shortfall, expected costs, extra/additional costs… All of them should be visible through graphs/charts.
4. Risk & Dependency Management
Delay is inevitable if the critical dependencies (the “this can’t start until that is finished” chain) between projects are not visible.
5. Dashboard & KPI’s
Governance dashboards that display project performance at a glance.
Guidelines for Organizations When Procuring Project Management Solutions
When project management is strengthened, Project Portfolio Management (PPM) brings strategic visibility and control to your organization. At this point, the primary expectation of organizations is not just a tool, but a solution that is integrated with ITSM processes and delivers visibility and control—a fundamental component of effective ITSM Management. However, paying attention to the following criteria is critical:
The tool must be integrated with ITSM processes.
The roadmap, resource capacity, and costs must be visible on a single dashboard.
It should not be complex to use.
Reports must be meaningful and real-time for managers.
Change and project management should work in connection with each other.
The project and operational workload must be visible on the same screen.
SPIDYA Project Management answers precisely these needs. It makes your organization’s project portfolio visible, measurable, and manageable, enabling IT teams to organize their work strategically.
Advantages You Will Gain with SPIDYA Project Management:
Full Visibility: All projects, tasks, and resources are tracked on a single dashboard; the roadmap and priorities are updated instantly.
Control and Optimization: Overloading is prevented through effort and resource management; risks and deviations are tracked proactively.
Sustainable Efficiency: Processes are accelerated and manual interventions are reduced thanks to automated workflows and dynamic calendar management.
Performance Measurement: Projects are analyzed during the closure phase, and the insights gained are transferred to future projects.
Effective Communication and Information Sharing: All team members throughout the project lifecycle meet on a single communication channel via a centralized platform.
