When ready, the data is integrated into Primavera Unifier and OPPM to build business processes for individual project life cycles. The tool has custom workflow functionality, where each step can be mapped out and digitized to automatically notify team members of required actions and track necessary resources, budgets and staffing — from concept to completion.

OPPM was built out in tandem and integrated with the Primavera Unifier implementation. While Primavera Unifier assists project managers at FirstEnergy during the execution of a project, the purpose of OPPM is to arm decision-makers and stakeholders with the big picture viewpoint to help prioritize projects and build capital investment plans. The integration plan for OPPM includes standardizing estimates — time frames, risks, resource requirements — used for specific projects across the utility. This will result in a scoring model to attach unbiased value to each project, informing project prioritization.

During the implementation process for its transmission business, FirstEnergy recognized the immense value this technology transformation could provide elsewhere. Therefore, in 2019, our team began this entire process — from data cleanup to integration and implementation — for the utility’s distribution sector.

Leveraging the same approach used for transmission, we also set out to standardize differences that exist between how these two businesses within FirstEnergy function, creating consistent metrics and reporting across the entire organization. This will allow stakeholders enterprisewide to make succinct decisions with cohesive and complete data that will continue to drive the utility’s business and project pipeline forward.

The team is also focused on continuing the integration of OPPM and Primavera Unifier with the utility’s seven existing web applications through a seamless, single sign-on connection. The connection will automatically sync current information in the enterprise systems, tracking asset health, employee status, budgets and more that can also be associated with individual projects.

During this implementation, we are also working with FirstEnergy to create and disseminate educational guides and administer interactive training sessions across the organization. By incorporating avenues for end users to both understand the value of the technology change and submit requests for enhancements, we have been able to help FirstEnergy navigate this cultural shift in a positive way.

In its first week of operation on the transmission side, OPPM received 3,233 actions generated by users as well as 11 new project requests. When complete, the integrated enterprise technology suite will allow anyone in the company, from the CEO to a project manager, to locate and follow active and future transmission and distribution projects with a consistent flow of actionable information from user-friendly dashboards. This real-time data — accessible anytime and anywhere — will significantly reduce the manual work required by the legacy system while creating a solid foundation for FirstEnergy to continue serving its customers reliably.