Katrina McGuireMembership and Communications Manager| Municipal Waste AssociationToronto, Ontario, Canada
Hi! Currently, I'm the only project manager at my workplace and I don't have any experience initiating a PMO but I’ve been tasked to look into it. A fellow PMI member in Montreal shared a great experience where a member from her local chapter visited her workplace and consulted on building a PMO at her company. I am wishing to connect with someone who would be open to talking to me about starting a PMO. Thanks! Saving Changes...
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Katrina
The Chairman of PMO Global Alliance (Americo Pinto) will be able to help you with this. I will pass on your message to him but make sure to connect with him on LinkedIn and voice your concern.
He might also introduce you to the PMO Value Ring which is a valuable methodology and tool that will help you set a PMO from scratch.
RK Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Is like open any other type of business unit inside an organization. The organization has to define the functions/process they need to implement based on the strategy (in this case, project/program/portfolio functions/process) and then to decide if it deserves to be located into a new business unit (call it PMO) or not. It is a matter of strategy because the strategy helps to define the enterprise architecture. Saving Changes...
Setting up a PMO is a strategic project - start with a charter which will help to get alignment from your key senior stakeholders and will define the mandate for the "to be" entity.
Also, make sure that a PMO is the "right" answer to solve the problem that your senior management team believes they have, otherwise, the PMO might end up just being a scapegoat to blame for an organization dysfunction which could have been better solved otherwise.
Kiron Saving Changes...
Peter RapinSubject Matter Expect; Project Delivery| Independent ConsultantOntario, Canada
From reading you question I can't determine if you are looking to set up a 'Program" Management Office or a "Project" MO. The former would normally refer to a corporate 'division' for the management of all projects or a multi-project initiative whereas the latter is project specific.
I am looking at it as a project specific PMO.
As Kiron indicated setting up a PMO is a sub-project. Start with problem definition and establish the deliverable (what it is you are trying to achieve). A PMO can be internal or, in more complex projects, can include the significant stakeholders. In my opinion a true PMO includes the significant stakeholders. Once upon a time a PMO was set up in a specific location where the 'O' stood for a physical "Office". The theory being that integration was better achieved by having all participants in one location. With the latest communication technology and data retrieval abilities this need not be the case anymore. Not all projects warrant a PMO and in many cases operating a PMO is not efficient or cost effective.
Maybe we can be more specific in our response if you can share your problem and why your company feels it needs to consider a PMO. Saving Changes...
I recently started a new job where I'm the only PM at a company that hasn't had a PM before. I won't be forming a PMO, but I will be establishing a COE "lite" and helping some of the departments refine their PM skills, in addition to some transformation work.
I just met, yesterday, with the IT Director and COO to review the outcomes they want from my work so that I can establish a few OKRs they will use to measure my performance, based on the PMO Value Ring.
I'd be glad to connect, if you don't mind sharing experiences as we both journey into somewhat new territory. Saving Changes...
Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
Katrina,
welcome to the club, I have been asked a similar thing first in 1995. Some thoughts, and yes, there are several templates on the market how to start and run a PMO.
Make sure you understand the purpose of the PMO in the view of your sponsor. Often there is a specific problem to be solved for the sponsor. Like increase visibility of our projects, establish a PM standard for our organization, educate staff to understand the basic of PM etc.
Once you solved this initial problem, the sponsor might loose interest in the PMO, so try to identify further problems (and solutions which create benefits for the sponsor) and maybe you have to switch sponsors along the line. The average lifespan for a PMO is 2 years (so you and your sponsor might be ok if your PMO is cancelled after solving the initial problem).
As a PMO is new, make sure you network a lot with people wondering what you do and how you affect them, like project managers, resource owners, product owners, operations, HR .. Try to find out benefits for them too.
Once you established a solution (e.g. a projects dashboard), you probably need to run and maintain it (get the data from projects on a monthly base for the dashboard, present it), so your PMO's capacity probably needs to increase.
Good luck. Thomas Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
I've got to ask the question: if you are the only project manager, was is the purpose of the PMO? (I see Aaron is in the same boat.)
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1 reply by Rami Kaibni
Jan 07, 2022 1:22 PM
Rami Kaibni
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I would think she is trying to create a PMO start-up for future expansion.
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