When organizations struggle to meet strategic targets, the issue often lies not in the strategy itself—but in how well projects support it. Strategic project alignment is not a one-time planning exercise. It is a continuous discipline embedded in the earliest stages of project intake. Without it, even high-performing projects can become irrelevant.
According to PMI’s 2024 Pulse of the Profession report, only 58% of projects are fully aligned with business strategy at the time of initiation. Yet organizations that prioritize strategic alignment report 42% more successful project outcomes and a 27% improvement in benefits realization (PMI, 2024). This reinforces a key point: alignment isn’t a nice-to-have—it’s a business imperative.
The Project Intake Gap
Too often, project intake processes are reactive—based on available resources or executive sponsorship—rather than guided by a clear strategic framework. This leads to resource dilution, low-value project execution, and missed opportunities.
Gartner underscores this issue: “Enterprises that fail to tightly align project intake with strategic objectives will waste up to 20% of their annual project budgets by 2026” (Gartner, Strategic Portfolio Management Primer, 2023).
PPMOs must address this by serving as strategic gatekeepers—not just portfolio administrators. Every proposed initiative should undergo strategic vetting, not simply operational feasibility checks. Does it move the needle on enterprise goals? Can its value be measured in strategic KPIs, not just deliverables?
Operationalizing Strategic Filters
To embed strategic project alignment into intake, organizations need more than checklists—they need dynamic evaluation frameworks. High-performing PPMOs are now implementing “strategic filters” that evaluate projects using criteria tied directly to organizational OKRs or strategic pillars.
For example:
- Value Contribution – How does the project directly support defined strategic outcomes?
- Risk vs. Strategic Opportunity – Does the risk profile align with the strategic appetite?
- Time-to-Impact – Will the project deliver timely value in a competitive context?
These filters become decision-making levers—not just selection tools—ensuring that prioritization reflects strategic intent, not operational convenience.
Enabling Governance without Bottlenecks
C-level leaders often fear that increasing strategic oversight will slow innovation. But when designed effectively, alignment-focused intake streamlines decisions. A McKinsey study found that organizations with structured portfolio governance make funding decisions 2.5x faster than those without it (McKinsey & Company, Reinventing Project Portfolio Management, 2023).
Speed and alignment are not mutually exclusive. With a well-defined intake framework and strategic KPIs, PPMOs can create fast-track pathways for high-priority projects—while still filtering out noise.
Strategic Communication is Alignment in Action
Project intake is also the frontline of strategic storytelling. When leaders and teams understand why a project matters to the business, engagement improves and so does execution. According to Harvard Business Review, companies that connect project goals to corporate vision see a 31% increase in employee engagement (HBR, The Business Case for Purpose, 2022).
PPMOs can enable this by embedding strategic rationale into intake documentation and dashboards. Don’t just collect project charters—require business cases that articulate the strategic “why” in language aligned with executive priorities.
Conclusion
Strategic project alignment starts long before project kickoff. It begins at intake, where business ideas are either filtered into focus or diluted into distraction. When PPMOs act as strategic integrators—not just project processors—they elevate the value of the entire portfolio. Embedding strategic criteria into intake processes ensures that resources go where they matter most—and that execution is always in service of strategy.
References
- Pulse of the Profession 2024 | Project Management Institute | 2024
- Strategic Portfolio Management Primer | Gartner | 2023
- Reinventing Project Portfolio Management | McKinsey & Company | 2023
- The Business Case for Purpose | Harvard Business Review | Thomas Malnight, Ivy Buche & Charles Dhanaraj | 2022
