With dozens of PPM (Project Management Software) tools on the market - each promising visibility, efficiency and better decision‑making - it’s tempting to believe that the “perfect” platform exists. But the reality is more nuanced. Organisations often find that tools fall short not because the technology is flawed, but because they select, configure or adopt them in ways that don’t fit how they truly work.

This session cuts through the noise and focuses on what really matters when choosing and implementing a PPM tool. Using insights drawn from Riverside’s own lessons learned - including system instability, functional gaps, vendor support, manual workarounds and reliance on spreadsheets recorded in the current state analysis - we will explore what differentiates a tool that accelerates transformation from one that quietly becomes another administrative burden.

Participants will gain pragmatic, experience‑based clarity on:

• What to look for in a PPM tool: Real‑time visibility, integrated resource and financial management, scalable cloud‑based infrastructure, strong reporting, and seamless integration with other core systems (e.g. DevOps, SharePoint, finance systems).
• Red flags and common pitfalls to avoid: Limited customisation, poor vendor responsiveness, stability issues, data inconsistencies, slow performance, and tools that force the organisation to reshape its processes to fit system constraints.
• Why “single source of truth” is non‑negotiable - and how to achieve it through data migration, integration, and adoption planning rather than relying on spreadsheets as shadow systems.
• What success looks like: A tool that improves visibility, supports governance, strengthens decision‑making, aligns with organisational maturity, and creates transparency across the entire change portfolio.
• Choosing the right tool for your context: How to balance capability, cost, culture, and operating model maturity - and what trade‑offs to make early to avoid downstream frustration.

Who should attend:

Whether your organisation is exploring a new PPM platform, reconsidering your current one, or trying to get more value from what you already have, this session will equip you with the essential questions, criteria and warning signs that matter most.

About our speaker:

Steve Allcock

Steve Allcock is the Group Business Transformation Director for The Riverside Group, one of the largest Housing Associations in the UK, with over 75,000 properties. Steve started his career in Customer Services within the Utilities sector, before venturing into the land of change and transformation nearly 20 years ago. Since then, Steve has worked in Telecoms, Health Insurance, and the Finance sector, developing user-centric products and services, before joining Social Housing five years ago. Steve brings a wealth of experience in designing, building and optimising design and change teams and played a vital role in Johnnie Johnson Housing’s Customer First programme, which won the association ‘The Most Innovative Housing Landlord’ Housing_Digital award in 2022. Steve also sits on the Board at Magenta Living Housing Association in the Wirral.

Who should attend:

This session is ideal for transformation leaders, change practitioners, people leaders, PMs, HR/OD partners and anyone focused on delivering meaningful, human‑centred change that sticks.

Cost
Included as part of your DIN membership.