Troubleshooting PMO Process Issues

Joe Wynne is a versatile Project Manager experienced in delivering medium-scope projects in large organizations that improve workforce performance and business processes. He has a proven track record of delivering effective, technology-savvy solutions in a variety of industries and a unique combination of strengths in both process management and workforce management.

  PMO  

After many months of careful development, you roll out a new, more efficient process for the project teams to follow. Now it’s time to sit back and enjoy the accolades.

But wait! You get reports that show project teams are unexpectedly failing, often at a particular process event. After all that work, you and your PMO team are feeling a little defensive. It can’t be your fault, you think, so you better find how the project teams are to blame.

Of course, this description is a little melodramatic, but it does suggest what should happen: that improvements developed by the PMO can have unexpected problems, and these must be dealt with in a careful manner where all involved are respected. You don’t want to appear defensive or unknowingly create an environment that keeps people from wanting to help you.

First, don't assume your PMO improvements have been rejected or that project teams are to be blamed. Look at details, the evidence, of what is going wrong. When there is a problem at a specific event, for example, you can look for the root cause.

To troubleshoot event-specific problems with compliance to your new process, contact project managers, release managers, tech or business representatives, stakeholders/approvers…whatever roles are involved in the process for the event to determine the root of the problem before you make any assumptions…

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