Buckman Uses AtTask to Align Corporate Vision and Objectives with Project Selection and Execution Enterprise-Wide

Netcel, a forerunner in designing and developing Web sites, intranets, and content management systems, looks to AtTask to improve processes, teamwork, and ultimately, profitability.

OREM, Utah-July 13, 2009--AtTask, the definitive solution enabling organizations to collaborate and accomplish the work most essential to the enterprise, enables Buckman, an international specialty chemical company, to validate that potential and current projects align with strategic business goals. AtTask’s project and portfolio management (PPM) solution helps Buckman implement business strategy with every project initiative.

“Our primary goal is to determine which projects are aligned with corporate business goals and will deliver the greatest business value before they even begin,” says Paul McGriff, Manager of Governance and Administration for Buckman. “In fact, if someone presents a potential project that doesn’t tie into a strategic initiative, we ask, ‘why are you doing it?’ Even our project templates in AtTask go so far as to delineate what the overarching business goal is on every form. It’s that important to us.”

“The biggest challenge for business leaders in the world today, is making certain that initiatives undertaken at the project level are aligned with the strategic and financial goals of their organizations,” says Scott Johnson, CEO of AtTask. “Buckman chose AtTask because we provide a formalized request process, demand management, project prioritization and selection so they can validate every initiative. AtTask’s goal is to help organizations like Buckman definitively bridge the strategic and financial goals of their business units and the implementation and execution deliverables of project teams.”

A mature PPM process, determined by a strategic business perspective, defines Buckman’s approach. By treating every business unit within their global organization as a portfolio, AtTask ensures that every project undertaken by a Buckman business unit aligns with the strategic objectives of that unit. Each business unit manages a portfolio that includes an articulated business process allowing their program mangers, who own the business process, to determine the value of any initiative and whether or not it aligns with the business unit’s defined objectives.

AtTask provides Buckman a suite of portfolio management tools that help them focus on the objectives that make their organization more effective, innovative, and competitive:

Before purchasing AtTask, Netcel attended Boot Camp, a two-day training seminar to help teams implement the solution as easily and quickly as possible. “Boot Camp was the final step for us in choosing AtTask,” Parfitt said. “Meeting others who were using AtTask was extremely helpful. We were able to compare notes, and were reassured we had made the right choice.”

“We are certain AtTask will help us not only save money,” Parfitt said. “But reduce overruns, provide more accurate billing, resolve issues quickly, increase collaboration and teamwork, get things right the first time and improve our overall process.”

• Business Case Assessment--AtTask helps Buckman mitigate risks and reduce costs by ensuring optimal alignment of current and potential projects with strategic and financial goals.
• Demand Management--Buckman can make better investment decisions by performing first-pass evaluations of a potential project’s costs, risks, estimated value and alignment to business goals.
• Portfolio Optimization--Identifying the right mix of projects through comparative metrics-based ranking that considers the risk tolerance, and the importance of return, cost, and corporate alignment helps Buckman general managers stay focused on those initiatives that provide the greatest business value.
• Best-Fit Capacity Planning--AtTask helps Buckman optimize resource utilization by scheduling resources based on best-fit capacity planning across prioritized projects.
• Portfolio Scorecards--Buckman uses AtTask to create a more effective business case for evaluation of potential projects by allowing users to build their own alignment surveys through the use of a customizable scorecard.

“The implementation of AtTask within our global IT department has been very successful,” says McGriff. “The R&D department has also rolled out globally. We plan to phase in the entire organization by the first of next year.”

“Buckman represents a model implementation for us,” says Johnson. “Their mature PPM processes and focus on business value allows them to concentrate on those initiatives that will make them more effective, innovative, and competitive. Companies following this model are able to accomplish the work most essential to their organizations.”

Recent AtTask Highlights

• AtTask finishes another record-breaking quarter with 183 new customers and 140% year-over-year increase in Q1 2009 bookings
• AtTask February Update 2009 allows business leaders to align strategic vision and objectives with project selection and execution enterprise-wide
• AtTask named best on-demand project management solution by TopTenREVIEWS for the third consecutive year
• AtTask’s first ever User Conference an overwhelming success with customers, prospects, and partners attending from around the world
• AtTask wins second year in a row with 2009 SIIA CODiE Award for Best Project Management Software
• AtTask recognized by Utah Valley BusinessQ in their UV50 listing of fastest-growing companies as #4 with three-year growth of 387%
• AtTask continues to build a strong, experienced management team with the addition of Kevin Hayden, Chief Marketing Officer and Michael Olson, Chief Financial Officer

About AtTask, Inc.
AtTask (http://www.attask.com) is the project and portfolio management (PPM) solution that focuses all knowledge workers on those activities that make them and their company more effective, innovative, and competitive.  Its platform-independent and multilingual solution increases efficiency for small- to medium-sized businesses and Fortune 500 companies across the globe. AtTask's clients include American Airlines, Boeing, CBS, Chevron, Cisco Systems, GE Healthcare, Google, HBO, Johnson & Johnson, Newsweek, Samsung, Toyota, Walt Disney, and Whirlpool.

About Buckman
Buckman (buckman.com) is a privately held, global specialty chemical company with headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee, USA committed to safeguarding the environment, maintaining safety in the workplace, and promoting sustainable development. Buckman works proactively and collaboratively with our worldwide customers in water treatment, pulp and paper, and leather to deliver exceptional service and innovative specialty chemical solutions to help boost productivity, reduce risk, improve product quality, and provide a measurable return on investment.