Episode 537: Why Your PMO Isn’t Delivering
Episode SummaryThe most dangerous issue facing a Project Management Office (PMO) is not sudden collapse but a gradual decline in relevance and impact. In this conversation, Mel Bost, author of Understanding Project Practices and Processes, shares his insights from Chapter Four of the book, which focuses on PMOs and project performance. He explains why PMOs often fail to deliver consistent value, even when they are not technically “broken.” He highlights overlooked factors, from alignment with organizational strategy to a lack of meaningful performance measures, that contribute to slow underperformance. The discussion underscores that without proactive adjustments, a PMO can continue to operate while its value to the business quietly diminishes.Mel provides practical perspectives on how PMOs can regain their role as enablers of project success. He emphasizes the importance of clear objectives, measurable outcomes, and integration with business strategy. Along the way, he addresses common misconceptions about PMO responsibilities and why focusing solely on templates and governance often misses the bigger picture. The exchange offers listeners actionable insights that can help strengthen PMO effectiveness and ensure that it does not drift into irrelevance. The conversation is not about blaming the PMO or leadership but about recognizing the early signs of decline. As Mel notes, PMOs need to constantly demonstrate the value they bring to project delivery and organizational performance. Project managers, executives, and PMO leaders will all find guidance in this discussion on how to identify problems early and act before they become entrenched. If your PMO feels like it is “there but not quite delivering,” this episode provides the context and tools to course-correct. This interview was originally published on The PM Podcast. |
Episode 424: Lean-Agile PMO
Categories:
PMO
Categories: PMO
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Slow PMO? In today’s “right now” business environment, “hurry up and wait” annual planning cycles won’t do! To be fit for purpose, PMO processes deliver value faster than the competition—continuously, and certainly not just annually. Lean agility delivers this winning velocity! Here's a diet to help lean out an overweight PMO. Transforming the heritage PMO takes insight, empiricism, and experience. This interview with Andy Burns (LinkedIn Profile) was recorded at the encouraging Project Management Institute (PMI)® Global Conference 2018 in Los Angeles, California. The experience shared in this interview should inform those needing to deliver fast—before the competition! We compare and contrast the practices of the heritage PMO and the lean-agile PMO and illustrate a technique to tailor the PMO process. (This interview was originally published on The Project Management Podcast.) |
Episode 419: Setting up a PMO in 100 Days
Categories:
PMO
Categories: PMO
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Is your company thinking about setting up a PMO and nobody, not even you, have the experience to do it? That is not a problem. Our guest today is Hussain Bandukwala (LinkedIn Profile). He is the organizer of the PMO Virtual Summit and PMOs are his passion. He writes and speaks about them. And in one of his articles, he says that even if you’ve never done it before you can still set up a PMO in 100 days. We discuss how realistic this is, what skills a PMO leader needs, the mindset needed to do this in 100 days, and then we’ll take you phase by phase through the process of setting up your very own PMO in 100 days. (This interview was originally published on The Project Management Podcast.) |
