Processes are how
things get done.

Projects are what
gets done.

Portfolios are why
projects get done.

3Ps Concept

Today’s lexicon is full of business management terms and methods, such as Re-engineering, Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Earned Value, Work Flow, Analytical Hierarchy Process, to name a few. You have probably used a number of these methods with varying results.

Bay and Baker has created the term “3Ps” to help organize, focus, and describe the complex relationships of product development in a modern business enterprise, without all the confusing terminology.

Think of a product development activity as follows.

Product development is a set of interdependent processes. Processes are simply steps that are repeated over and over again and the idea is that with repetition we learn. Process is our first “P” and we think of it as the “How.” Processes are how things get done.

Work goes on in processes – what we refer to as process transactions. Think of two types of transactions – operational and project. Operational transactions are homogeneous, repetitive, and usually occur in moderate to high volumes. Projects are almost opposite to operational transactions. They are non-homogeneous, one of a kind, and very low volume. For product development processes, Projects is our second “P” and we think of it as the “What.” Projects are what gets done.

Money gets spent on projects, projects are almost always the focus of management. In fact schedules are almost always the focus of projects. Think of groups of projects, what we call portfolios. Portfolios can be defined many ways but for now, however defined, they provide the link back to the enterprise. Portfolios is our third “P” and we think of it as the “Why.” Portfolios are why projects get done.

So, at Bay and Baker, we model based on Process, Project, and Portfolio – the 3Ps. How, what, and why things get done.

Interested in more details? Leave us a call back message now....

The goal of a process improvement program must be to create and maintain a rate of improvement greater than that of the competition.

Marvin Patterson, Accelerating Innovation

© 2007 Bay and Baker LLC