PMO Maturity: Ten suggestions that any organization can adopt

We all know what project management maturity is and we all have our favorite PMM models and approaches to project management and capabilities maturity. But sometimes lost in the PMMM minutiae are practical suggestions that can get an organization started and keep it going down its own special path of improvement and maturity. Below are ten suggestions for project management maturity taken from a variety of leading models and thoughts on the subject that just about any organization can adopt.

1. Process. Think process not methodology. That is, adopt a project management methodology, institutionalize its use within your organization, assign owners for every process such as SDLC or Agile, and use it and improve upon it continuously.
2. Continuous Improvement. Establish a culture of continuous improvement that drives the organization toward project management process oriented thinking and that rewards adherence to and improvement upon the process.
3. Hero Worship. Do not engage in hero worship. Every organization has stars, but hero worship should be recognized for what it usually is, a process defect.
4. Recognition. Publicly share recognition for project success with the project team and appropriate line management. Reward individual efforts, such as project rescue, privately.
5. People Power. Extend upon project management tool usage skills with communications and interpersonal skills. Software is just a tool, whereas the people in the organization are what drives high levels of teamwork, performance, and project management maturity.
6. End Result Driven. Encourage project manager certification, but manage, appraise, and promote based upon project manager end results achieved.
7. Executive Involvement. Strengthen involvement and support by executives and the leadership team by giving them what they need in order to be engaged, make effective decisions, and appreciate and support the project management maturity needs of the organization.
8. Project Planning. Don’t rush project planning. Commit to developing effective plans at the beginning of the project. Take the time that is required in the planning process and review the initial project plans in great detail.
9. Project Execution. Don’t delay project execution. Rapidly execute the project plan. Where possible, over-achieve project objectives and wisely use gains in time and cost.
10. Reporting. What is not reported is not measured. Measure and report progress periodically. Use scorecards and dashboards to keep everyone informed and involved.

As always, if you have a tip or suggestion of your own, please share it here.