Portfolio management as a solution to the challenges faced by cities and municipalities

The City of Imatra has faced the same challenges as many other cities and municipalities. Portfolio management has brought structure to prioritisation and a sense of control to everyday work. Aerial view of Imatra Falls at the centre of the power plant. The City of Imatra strengthens portfolio management to improve project management, resource allocation and prioritisation.

Conditional decisions fly back and forth, and projectising internal development initiatives has proven difficult. The overall project picture remains fragmented, resource planning and risk identification are challenging, and from a management perspective it’s hard to see how ongoing work contributes to the execution of strategy.

Sound familiar? Petri Kejonen, Head of Information and Digital Services at the City of Imatra, knows these challenges well.

“In cities and municipalities, people are busy and resources are tight. Without a PMO, neighbouring silos have no idea what the others are doing. Municipal organizations are complex. Municipalities have over 700 statutory responsibilities – plus strategic goals and ecosystem-related initiatives. Still, that doesn’t make me discouraged,” says Petri.

Project management challenges, however, can be solved. In Imatra, the city has turned to Hypergene and portfolio management for help.

“You can sense the expertise behind Thinking Portfolio, and their references are impressive. I know we can always count on their support.”

A “Development Portfolio for Getting Things Done”

Imatra’s operations include a range of initiatives that can be defined as projects – externally funded programs, city-run projects, goal-oriented working groups, and continuous improvement efforts such as information security.

“All of these can be included in a portfolio. That’s why the Project Portfolio could just as well be called the Development Portfolio for Getting Things Done.”

According to Petri, the biggest challenge for smaller cities and municipalities lies in the “grey zone” between strategy and daily work — strategy should lead to tangible, measurable action. Portfolio management provides the missing link: strategy sets goals and metrics, and the portfolio translates them into concrete execution.

“Portfolio management is data-driven management, if anything,” Petri adds.

A Portfolio – a List-Lover’s Paradise

At the City of Imatra, portfolio management is being introduced step by step, starting with ICT and digital development. Expansion is already underway:

“We’re currently compiling the City Board’s portfolio, and training for responsible leaders is about to begin.”

Management support is crucial, but Petri also has practical ways to engage people in using the tool. He coaches project managers with a hands-on, facilitative approach and demonstrates through examples how the portfolio clarifies the bigger picture. Every second week, the ICT team reviews the portfolio together. Imatra also has a network of project leaders for sharing reminders and ideas.

Hypergene also provides supporting features. For example, the system allows sending automatic reminders if information is missing. This is really a cultural change journey.”

When asked about long-term goals, Petri doesn’t hesitate:

“My goal is for the City of Imatra to become a truly data-driven organization — managed through facts and data, with the ability to do scenario thinking. The road is long, but that’s the dream.”

Even though the journey is ongoing, the benefits are already clear.

“A portfolio is a list-lover’s paradise,” Petri laughs. “It reminds us what has been agreed and what’s most important. It brings structure and clarity — and that, in turn, creates energy and drives us toward shared goals.”

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