Using a hierarchical structure

Computerized systems allow us to easily incorporate a hierarchical structure in our projects as well as information within these projects. PCM allows for multiple hierarchies that can be easily switched. Hierarchical structures allow us to organize our projects at different levels. They also allow us to provide roll-up reporting at the various levels. Look at the following hierarchical structure:

You can see that security would be important at the various levels of the structure. You would not want users who have access to the Private Sector Projects to have the same access to the Federal defense projects. Security is assigned at the project level, but the hierarchical structure can give us a visual look at the different levels. When PCM is used in conjunction with Oracle's Primavera Project Management tool (P6), it is good practice to match the hierarchical structure within PCM to that of P6 and the Enterprise Project Structure (EPS).

You can also see that roll-up reporting is very helpful. Every hierarchical node in the structure can provide a roll-up report of all projects at and below that node where the user has permissions. So you can run a report of all projects at NASA as well as a report of all federal projects.

PCM allows for up to ten different hierarchical structures so you can slice and dice your projects and organize them in many different ways. An idea of a structure would be as follows:

Each of these types can be broken down into unlimited subgroups within the hierarchy. Changing views is as simple as selecting the view from the drop-down list at the top of the tree. All your projects will be rearranged and organized by a different structure. A project is assigned to a node (or nodes) on the tree. A project can be assigned to multiple nodes so roll-up reporting at each node can have the proper information. Determining where the project fits in your hierarchical structure is key to a good implementation. Some information has project-level ramifications while others have database or group-level ramifications. This helps determine where your project fits. "What defines a project for my organization?" The answer to this question is determined by several factors. The following are a few factors to consider::

Understanding the hierarchy of your organization and where the project fits in that hierarchy allows for better understanding of document flow and roll up of information. More on this in Chapter 6, The Big Picture.