Beyond Project Management: The Key Role of SPM in Driving Strategic Success
At some point, every organization realizes that simply delivering projects on time and on budget is not enough. The real question remains: are we moving toward what truly matters for our business strategy?
That’s where Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM) comes in — not as a buzzword, but as a concrete response to a universal challenge: turning strategic ideas into measurable, sustainable outcomes.
When projects are not enough
History shows us that success is not about having many projects delivered, but about aligning them with a clear vision. Companies like Microsoft, under Satya Nadella’s leadership, reshaped their organization, cut inefficiencies, and reoriented investments toward cloud and AI, accelerating their transformation (Microsoft, 2014).
SPM as a guide for change
Project Management helps you “do things right”.
SPM helps you answer the bigger question: are we doing the right things?
According to Gartner, by 2025 70% of digital investments will fail to deliver their expected outcomes without a Strategic Portfolio Management approach.
A case from the public sector
The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) launched programs such as the Global Digital Exemplar, aimed at reducing duplication and accelerating digital adoption (NHS Digital). It’s not just about efficiency: it’s about freeing up resources to reinvest in what truly creates value for patients.
A new kind of leadership
An SPM leader is not just a process manager. They are a translator of vision, capable of connecting strategy with coordinated portfolios of initiatives and asking the tough questions: Why are we doing this project? What’s the expected value?
Advanced organizations no longer see SPM as a siloed function, but as a decision-making engine, integrated into critical strategic moments: budgeting, annual planning, and innovation roadmaps.
Conclusion
Implementing SPM means embracing a strategic mindset across the organization: moving from execution-driven to impact-driven.
This isn’t just for multinationals — SMEs undergoing digital or sustainability transformations can also benefit.
Today, more than ever, doing the right things matters more than just doing things right.
Ilaria is in charge of Uppwise brand reputation and to increase demand generation helping our customers to better understand the value of Uppwise Solutions based on their specific needs.
Based on her experience in the Software Industry, in Uppwise she provides her support to manage Sales and Marketing tasks. She loves new challenges and she really focus on guiding our clients on their journey to Uppwise.
Outside of work, she loves to have fun, relax in nature, cheers on her favourite soccer team and enjoy pole dancing.