At its core, the DII EPMO methodology is a hybrid combination of Industry Standard framework and tools utilized together with practical experience to manage project requests from concept to completion. Applied to a wide variety of IT projects ranging in size and complexity, these best practice approaches seek to ensure repeatable results with steps that can be anticipated by Customers and Team members alike, allowing for continuous process improvement from the experience gained each time. Working within guidelines established through Vermont state statutes, we also work directly with other departments and agencies in review, approval, procurement, and management of various IT contracts.
 
The foundation of our methodology is based on the Project Management Institute’s (PMI) nine widely accepted PM “Knowledge Areas” (integration, scope, time, cost, quality, human resources, communications, risk, and procurement) being managed throughout our modified version of its five Process Groups (Explore, Initiate, Plan, Execute, and Close). Blending both agile and traditional approaches, work progresses in cyclical iterations adapting to changes in scope and resource availability, ultimately producing incremental successes at the end of each cycle until the project is complete.

To manage the portfolio of requests received, each one is initially evaluated to asses it’s alignment with strategic direction and anticipated value before being added to a prioritized queue of enterprise projects. Not all requests are approved, and some may require a proof of concept pilot-project or further financial review utilizing the principles we adopt as outlined in the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK). Once a project is undertaken, our approach utilizes a combination of both modified Ten Step© and internally developed templates along with a variety of facilitated exercises as the tools to successfully document, communicate, and coordinate the necessary activities to complete each project.   By categorizing each request using a set of predefined criteria, we identify a minimum subset of deliverables to produce, and maintain these and other related project artifacts in a collaborative repository utilizing DII’s SharePoint environment. These archived assets including the lessons learned are a knowledge base of input available for the next similar endeavor undertaken.