PRI Blog: Project Management

Whether evaluating a core provider, preparing for a contract renewal, assessing vendor performance, or considering new technology investments, leaders at community financial institutions are often asked to balance competing priorities while making decisions that will impact their organization for years to come.  In that environment, it’s understandable that banks feel pressure to move quickly. Existing frustrations, vendor proposals, […]

Project management in today’s banking environment is no longer an add-on, back-room function—it is a strategic discipline that directly impacts performance, profitability and long-term success. From core conversions and M&A integrations to product launches and process improvements, every initiative impacts the organization’s future. Yet despite the stakes, only 35% of projects are completed successfully on […]

Complex community bank projects rarely fail because of any one leader or any single mistake. Rather, they stall because of a series of predictable—and often avoidable—missteps. As community banking faces an era of rapid change—from digital transformation to regulatory shifts to enhanced staffing challenges—structured project management processes are becoming more vital than ever. PRI’s Director […]

As financial leaders scan the horizon to determine what is in the future for community banking, they are examining every organizational area that can be improved. They are asking, “Where do we need to get better in order to succeed?” and “What is the winning combination?” PRI consultant Brett Rawls says the answers lie in marrying process improvement with strong strategy and cultures of efficiency within the bank.

While a financial institution’s project portfolio is continuously reassessed as new projects come up, the beginning of the year is a good time to ensure that the current portfolio aligns with the overarching strategic plan and projects are prioritized accordingly. It’s also a good time to update procedures and governance documents and assess Project Management […]

As we mentioned in our last blog 3 Keys to Creating a Successful Acquisition Playbook, smaller community-oriented financial institutions often struggle with sustaining organic growth. The complex regulatory environment, challenges of talent acquisition, retention and succession planning in small communities pose steep challenges to that kind of growth. Acquiring or merging with another strong institution […]

Financial institutions, while uniquely positioned to serve their customers, share many issues and challenges in common. The ability to bring an objective outside banking consultant to the table offers valuable insight and benefits that the FI may not have considered before. These include best-practice experiences across the banking industry that can be leveraged by the […]

In our last blog post, Sue Schmiedeler, project manager at Profit Resources Inc., discussed best practices in project management that ensure the financial institution can minimize business disruption and maximize efficiencies and long-term benefits, including profitability.  In this blog, she shares 10 tips to facilitate better and more effective project management. Assess the risks. Every […]

When launching complex projects such as a core conversion or merger and acquisition activities, financial institutions are wise to dedicate substantial time and resources to planning and project management. A good project management process will minimize business disruption and maximize efficiencies and long-term benefits, including profitability.  Sue Schmiedeler, project manager at Profit Resources Inc., recently […]