How do project management maturity levels relate to the introduction of portfolio management? I am researching project and portfolio management. I want to use the P3M3 self-assessment in my work and wonder if there any limitations regarding project management maturity level on using portfolio management? For example, should a company not use portfolio management until it gets level 3 of project management maturity? Or can each company establish portfolio management independently of its project management maturity level?

## Effective Portfolio Management

There is no formal limitation regarding when you can (or should) begin implementing portfolio management within Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI). However, as a practical matter, you will rarely see portfolio management introduced before CMMI level 3, or operationally effective before CMMI level 4. This is because _effective_ portfolio management requires repeatable, defined processes that leverage metrics-based controls to select, manage, and terminate projects.

## See Also

* Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI)
* CMM Levels
* PPM Maturity Model