I'm wondering how each of you in your respectives PMO'S balance the need for standardization with the flexibility required for different types of projects? Saving Changes...
Great question. I struggle with this all the time and it has become a recurring theme in my career from one job to another.
The best compromise I have fund is to try and try to focus the standardization on the reporting process but fight for flexibility at the execution level. If your PMO has a variety of very different projects with very different execution approaches, then it's important not to let the reporting tools to overly impact the work itself.
I would much rather manage the project in a way that fits the project and translate my plan into a reporting tool, than to try and make the delivery model fit a one-way tool.
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1 reply by Mayte Mata Sivera
Jul 08, 2024 7:23 PM
Mayte Mata Sivera
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Thank you for your answer, Keith... yeah! we need to do what is best for the team.
It comes down to the purpose of standards. If those are aimed at achieving control and delivery objectives, then the role of the PMO should be to ensure that teams understand what those objectives are and to provide guidance to the teams in satisfying those.
That way, the focus remains on the "what" and the "how" is left to the teams to own.
As an example, when I worked with one of our large banks, I helped to shift the focus of our EPMO (which directed how the line of business PMOs work) by changing from being artifact specific (e.g. thou shalt have a requirements document) to meeting a short set of well defined control & delivery objectives (e.g. thou shall ensure that requirements are captured, reviewed and are traceable).
It was a big change, not just for the teams, but for the control partners who had to shift from the easy (does document X exist?) to the more challenging (is control objective X met?).
It has never been an issue for me due to the nature of projects that I had in our organization. However, I think at some point, you may need to draw a line and categorize the type of the project and develop the documents/templates accordingly.
I think the frequency of tasks and cost are important factors. Saving Changes...
PMO Leader | Speaker & Mentor | Content Leader – PMOGA Latin America
Hub| Catholic University of UruguayMontevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
font _msthash="489" _mstmutation="1" _msttexthash="2240927"Balance between standardization and flexibility in the PMO./font font _msthash="490" _mstmutation="1" _msttexthash="308009"Standardization:/font
font _msthash="491" _mstmutation="1" _msttexthash="5097495"Define clear but flexible standards: Provide general guidance without stifling innovation./font font _msthash="492" _mstmutation="1" _msttexthash="3915093"Use customizable templates and tools: Adapt to the specific needs of each project./font font _msthash="493" _mstmutation="1" _msttexthash="197639"Flexibility:/font
font _msthash="494" _mstmutation="1" _msttexthash="5300022"Encourage communication and collaboration: Facilitate dialogue and request for flexibility./font font _msthash="495" _mstmutation="1" _msttexthash="3708757"Review and update standards regularly: Maintain relevance and effectiveness./font font _msthash="496" _mstmutation="1" _msttexthash="6063863"Adopte un enfoque basado en el riesgo: Determine el nivel de estandarización en función del proyecto./font font _msthash="497" _mstmutation="1" _msttexthash="5646069"Empoderar a los equipos de proyecto: Permíteles tomar decisiones informadas sobre la ejecución./font font _msthash="498" _mstmutation="1" _msttexthash="10925681"Encontrar el equilibrio requiere un enfoque matizado y adaptativo. Las PMO que fomentan la eficiencia y la innovación tendrán más éxito./font
PMO Leader | Speaker & Mentor | Content Leader – PMOGA Latin America
Hub| Catholic University of UruguayMontevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
Balance between standardization and flexibility in the PMO.
Standardization:
Define clear but flexible standards: Provide general guidance without stifling innovation.
Use customizable templates and tools: Adapt to the specific needs of each project.
Flexibility:
Encourage communication and collaboration: Facilitate dialogue and request for flexibility.
Review and update standards regularly: Maintain relevance and effectiveness.
Adopt a risk-based approach: Determine the level of standardization based on the project.
Empower project teams: Enable them to make informed decisions about execution.
Finding the balance requires a nuanced and adaptive approach. PMOs that foster efficiency and innovation will be more successful. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
with all my due respect, and sorry if I did not understand your post, standarization helps to flexibility and agility. Standarization helps to "not reinvent the wheel" and do not put focus on thinking each time things that, between other things, could attemps between security and compliance. Saving Changes...
I mostly agree with Fabian's statement - "Define clear but flexible standards." When helping stand up a new PMO at a previous employer, I set things up so that there would be a decision point, early in the project, to determine the best approach for the project. I say I "mostly" agree with Fabian, because you don't have to create new standards. There are standards for iterative, predictive, incremental, and hybrid approaches - you just need the ability to choose the right approach for the work and then establish standardized feedback loops so that the PMO can provide consistent reporting to its audience. Saving Changes...
Great question. I struggle with this all the time and it has become a recurring theme in my career from one job to another.
The best compromise I have fund is to try and try to focus the standardization on the reporting process but fight for flexibility at the execution level. If your PMO has a variety of very different projects with very different execution approaches, then it's important not to let the reporting tools to overly impact the work itself.
I would much rather manage the project in a way that fits the project and translate my plan into a reporting tool, than to try and make the delivery model fit a one-way tool.
Thank you for your answer, Keith... yeah! we need to do what is best for the team. Saving Changes...
It comes down to the purpose of standards. If those are aimed at achieving control and delivery objectives, then the role of the PMO should be to ensure that teams understand what those objectives are and to provide guidance to the teams in satisfying those.
That way, the focus remains on the "what" and the "how" is left to the teams to own.
As an example, when I worked with one of our large banks, I helped to shift the focus of our EPMO (which directed how the line of business PMOs work) by changing from being artifact specific (e.g. thou shalt have a requirements document) to meeting a short set of well defined control & delivery objectives (e.g. thou shall ensure that requirements are captured, reviewed and are traceable).
It was a big change, not just for the teams, but for the control partners who had to shift from the easy (does document X exist?) to the more challenging (is control objective X met?).
Kiron
Thank you Kiron for sharing this! Saving Changes...
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