Introduction to Portfolio Manager

One repository... or more than one?

There are two choices when using EA for multiple teams, and different requirements mean different solutions:
A) Create more than 1 repository. Needed when
– Projects are un-related & there is little benefit in a Single Version of the Truth
– Organization restrictions mean that teams just want their own repository
– Technical constraints such as slow network connections
– Security requirements mean projects need to be hidden from each other
Or
B) Everyone works in a single repository. Use this when
– Projects are inter-dependent and each project needs to see what other projects are doing
– Some items have complex roadmaps, with multiple projects making sequential changes
– The organization needs views which span multiple or all projects – having a Single Version of the Truth is important

So how does it work?

Portfolio Manager gives everything in the baseline a status of implemented. When a project wants to use things from the baseline, it takes a branch and modifies that, and /or creates new elements. When the change is likely to happen, at a project milestone, the branch and new content is promoted to planned status, with an implementation date. Then when the project delivers, the changed elements are implemented, updating the baseline. Another project can branch from the baseline too, or branch from another project’s planned changes.

Where two projects both branch from the same baseline elements, they have a co-dependency. Does the scope of both projects overlap?
Where a project branches from a planned change, there is a direct dependency, and we can create a roadmap for these elements.
Portfolio Manager also helps to model deletion or retirement of model elements.

Because we have everything in one model, any project can see how it is impacted by all the other projects – and how it will impact them. With this real time impact analysis, there is better coordination and cooperation between projects.
And because all projects are in the same model, we can also use their implementation dates to deliver more insights – with a time machine view of future model states. Model Managers can also use heatmap views to spot which areas in the model have lots of activity (and which therefore need additional focus).

With Sparx EA and Portfolio Manager, managing multiple projects ensures:

• With all projects in one EA model repository, management is simple and they can all be viewed real-time in Prolaborate
• Projects have their own areas – baseline knowledge is protected but teams have freedom to experiment
• Approach supports waterfall and Agile project styles
• Say goodbye to duplicates
• Architects get a Big Picture with instant roadmaps of any element, heat maps to see where to concentrate, and their own Time Machine
• Project Managers get new insights into project dependencies – in real-time.

See Also: Structure, Locking and the Portfolio Manager State Model