I recently returned home from a quick trip to Europe. I spent two days speaking at events in Copenhagen and two days in Helsinki, speaking at one event and two client sites. In each case, the topic was Project and Portfolio Management.

It was my first experience evangelizing IT Governance in Europe. I have delivered presentations in 6 countries and I am always excited and intrigued when I visit someplace new. Will their business and technology challenges be different or unique? What is their perception of IT Governance and how mature are their processes?

I found, once again, there is little new under the sun. The folks I met in these two Nordic countries could have been from the United States, or Canada, or South America, or Australia. The accents were different, but the problems and issues were the same. IT Governance maturity is low and Project and Portfolio Management is a difficult and elusive business process.

The global recession is providing the same catalyst and urgency for advancing these processes in Europe as I have seen in the States. Few organizations can continue to tolerate existing rates of project and program failure and waste, and many are thankfully turning to Project and Portfolio Management to ensure they are making the best decisions when it comes to enterprise and technology investments.

In each of the cities I visited, I was asked the same questions over and over, "Are we the only ones having these problems?" "Are companies in the U.S. struggling with these issues?" I assured them they are not alone in their pursuits and their problems and issues were those I have seen elsewhere. I let them know of the ongoing research that continues to show the benefits and strategic advantages of good governance and sound investment decision-making. I then reassure them by telling them more and more, enterprises are succeeding in their efforts to establish these critical business processes and realizing the benefits.

My PPM presentations were very well received in each of the forums and venues. Once again the overarching challenge was the same - getting everyone on the same page and establishing the appropriate governance and business processes. My visits generated a lot of enthusiasm and set most of the folks on a path to address their challenges and pursue solutions. Many expressed an interest in having me return in a few months to assist them in their advocacy of Project and Portfolio Management and their fostering of business processes that result in sound investment decision-making.

I will be happy to do so, continuing to speak the universal language of good governance.

Steve Romero, IT Governance Evangelist