Product Comparison

Cascade vs McKinsey Wave (PPM)

Learn about the key differences between strategy software like Cascade and McKinsey Wave (PPM/PMO), including the pros and cons of each.
Thousands of global organizations depend on Cascade

McKinsey Wave

Is best for
  • Working with McKinsey consultants
  • Small groups of specialized PMO & project professionals
  • Heavy resource or budget tracking scenarios

Cascade

Is best for
  • Integrating strategic portfolio management with the wider business
  • Connecting projects to strategic & financial outcomes
  • Lighter, less technical project portfolios that you can manage internally without consulting support
We firmly believe in the 'the right tool for the right job'. Sometimes Cascade won't be the best solution for you - we'll be straight-forward and clear about that on our website, and when you talk with our team. Information on this page is from public data sources only.
Cascade
McKinsey Wave
Strategic Planning Features
Supports corporate, functional and team plans
Not a strategic planning platform
Business Objects
Supports plans, objectives, portfolios, projects, KPIs, tasks, risks & custom types
Supports portfolios, projects, tasks & KPIs
Strategy Frameworks
Supports all frameworks including OKRs, Balanced Scorecards & custom
Not directly supported as not designed for strategy
Metrics Library
Supports native metric integrations for all common data sources
Not supported
Reports
Build reports for strategy, projects, portfolios, KPIs and risks
Reporting for portfolios, programs, projects, tasks & risks
AI Powered Strategy Insights
Automated strategy reports and advice based on your company data
Not supported as not a strategy solution
Intended Users
All leaders in the organization involved with strategy
Trained PMO and PM professionals
Requires outside consulting support
Not required
Required at additional cost
Resource Tracking
Simple, as custom resource metrics or fields
Deep integrated support for resource management
Budget Management
Simple, as custom resource metrics or fields
Deep integrated support for budget tracking
Workflows
Simple workflows around statuses of objects
Full workflow management tools
Likely Cost
Medium
Very High
FAQs & More Resources
Can I use Cascade instead of PMO software?
Yes you can - Cascade is used by many organizations as a 'light-weight' PMO solution that integrates strategy and portfolio management.
What are the main features of traditional PMO that I might miss in Cascade?
Cascade's time tracking and budgeting features are not as extensive as a dedicated PMO. Other parts of the platform are comparable or in many cases significantly better.
What are the main benefits of Cascade vs PMO software?
PMO software tends to be complex, unintuitive and disconnected from the rest of the business. Cascade deeply integrates the concepts on PMO into the entire business.
What are the cost differences between Cascade and PMO software?
Cascade tends to be much more affordable than PMO software, and provide a lot more licenses for similar investment - due to the Cascade's focus on broad business alignment and adoption.

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