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Measuring and targering the maturity of PMOs Francisco Herrera Community Champion Program Manager, PPM&PMO Specialist.| Coppel, Mexico. Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico Hi colleagues, I've often encountered the challenge of measuring the maturity of  PMOs. One question that frequently arises is: How do you establish the target maturity level your PMO should achieve? In my experience, we typically look at market maturity levels and set our target slightly below that, based on commercial studies. However, I'm curious to learn about other approaches that have been successful for you. I am sure that your experiences can lead to valuable insights and improvements. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and strategies! Regards! Francisco Saving Changes... Posted: May 16, 2025 4:00 PM

Sort By: Newest First Chronological Votes < 1 2 > Kiron Bondale Retired | Mentor| Retired Welland, Ontario, Canada Francisco - I'm actually not a fan of maturity models as none is sufficiently context-driven to be truly useful and most look at what a PMO does rather than what it achieves. A better approach might be to combine objective metrics (e.g. ROI of the function) with benchmarking against similar context PMOs. Kiron ... 1 reply by Francisco Herrera May 17, 2025 2:26 PM Francisco Herrera ... That's an interesting point of view Kiron Bondale . I can see how maturity models might not fit every situation perfectly. I like the idea of using objective metrics and benchmarking. Where do you usually get your information for benchmarking against other PMOs? Regards! Francisco. Saving Changes... Posted: May 17, 2025 7:44 AM Thomas Walenta Global Project Economy Expert| self Hackenheim, Germany Francisco, Maturity models are means to an end, which might be to make the PMO (and the jobs it creates) survive, mitigate the fear of missing out (the latest hype), establish a reputational marketing argument, which might create a competitive advantage (we are a level 5 company), or give you a framework for strategizing your PMO's future. They also embed much field knowledge and experience, showing what worked elsewhere. As Kiron says, it may not work in your context. The most used answer in our field is anyhow that it depends. ... 1 reply by Francisco Herrera May 19, 2025 12:47 PM Francisco Herrera ... Thomas I like your point about focusing on the end goal we're trying to achieve with the PMO. Starting with a clear objective makes a lot of sense. Thanks for sharing that perspective. Thanks! Francisco. Saving Changes... Posted: May 17, 2025 8:41 AM Francisco Herrera Community Champion Program Manager, PPM&PMO Specialist.| Coppel, Mexico. Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico May 17, 2025 7:44 AM Replying to Kiron Bondale ... Francisco - I'm actually not a fan of maturity models as none is sufficiently context-driven to be truly useful and most look at what a PMO does rather than what it achieves. A better approach might be to combine objective metrics (e.g. ROI of the function) with benchmarking against similar context PMOs. Kiron That's an interesting point of view Kiron Bondale . I can see how maturity models might not fit every situation perfectly. I like the idea of using objective metrics and benchmarking. Where do you usually get your information for benchmarking against other PMOs? Regards! Francisco. ... 1 reply by Kiron Bondale May 18, 2025 7:17 AM Kiron Bondale ... Francisco - If there is an association for professionals in your industry, they might have a PM special interest group through which you could connect with our PMO leaders - HIMSS for healthcare and ILTA for legal come to mind. You could also look for recent PMO case studies from similar sized organizations in your industry. Finally, you could check through your local PMI chapter to identify peers in similar companies. Kiron Saving Changes... Posted: May 17, 2025 2:26 PM Kiron Bondale Retired | Mentor| Retired Welland, Ontario, Canada May 17, 2025 2:26 PM Replying to Francisco Herrera ... That's an interesting point of view Kiron Bondale . I can see how maturity models might not fit every situation perfectly. I like the idea of using objective metrics and benchmarking. Where do you usually get your information for benchmarking against other PMOs? Regards! Francisco. Francisco - If there is an association for professionals in your industry, they might have a PM special interest group through which you could connect with our PMO leaders - HIMSS for healthcare and ILTA for legal come to mind. You could also look for recent PMO case studies from similar sized organizations in your industry. Finally, you could check through your local PMI chapter to identify peers in similar companies. Kiron ... 1 reply by Francisco Herrera May 20, 2025 12:41 PM Francisco Herrera ... Great a lot of options thanks a lot Kiron Bondale ! Saving Changes... Posted: May 18, 2025 7:17 AM Francisco Herrera Community Champion Program Manager, PPM&PMO Specialist.| Coppel, Mexico. Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico May 17, 2025 8:41 AM Replying to Thomas Walenta ... Francisco, Maturity models are means to an end, which might be to make the PMO (and the jobs it creates) survive, mitigate the fear of missing out (the latest hype), establish a reputational marketing argument, which might create a competitive advantage (we are a level 5 company), or give you a framework for strategizing your PMO's future. They also embed much field knowledge and experience, showing what worked elsewhere. As Kiron says, it may not work in your context. The most used answer in our field is anyhow that it depends. Thomas I like your point about focusing on the end goal we're trying to achieve with the PMO. Starting with a clear objective makes a lot of sense. Thanks for sharing that perspective. Thanks! Francisco. Saving Changes... Posted: May 19, 2025 12:47 PM Francisco Herrera Community Champion Program Manager, PPM&PMO Specialist.| Coppel, Mexico. Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico May 18, 2025 7:17 AM Replying to Kiron Bondale ... Francisco - If there is an association for professionals in your industry, they might have a PM special interest group through which you could connect with our PMO leaders - HIMSS for healthcare and ILTA for legal come to mind. You could also look for recent PMO case studies from similar sized organizations in your industry. Finally, you could check through your local PMI chapter to identify peers in similar companies. Kiron Great a lot of options thanks a lot Kiron Bondale ! Saving Changes... Posted: May 20, 2025 12:41 PM Mr. Sachlani Project Management & PMO Consultant| Independent Jakarta, Indonesia I may suggest to use maturity level to guide us in making continuous improvement. You are not necessarily benchmark to the market level of maturity unless you aleready reach level 3 (which is your PMO processes have been standardized and practiced consitently). Please be aware that maturity level measures your PMO capabilities NOT outcomes/benefits of your PMO Services. You have to use another measure (such as ROI and other organization's strategic objectives) to show your PMO values to your stakeholders. So, your target is not to reach highest maturity level rather satisfying your stakeholders needs. ... 1 reply by Francisco Herrera May 28, 2025 12:34 PM Francisco Herrera ... That's an excellent suggestion Mr. Sachiani! Using maturity levels to guide continuous improvement within our PMO is a very valuable approach. I agree completely that the focus shouldn't necessarily be on benchmarking against market maturity until we've achieved at least Level 3, where our processes are standardized and consistently practiced. It's also crucial to remember that maturity levels measure our PMO capabilities, not the outcomes or benefits of our services. For demonstrating the PMO's value to stakeholders, we definitely need to use other metrics like ROI and alignment with the organization's strategic objectives. Ultimately, our target isn't the highest maturity level, but rather effectively satisfying our stakeholders' needs. Regards! Francisco Saving Changes... Posted: May 23, 2025 9:41 PM James Steele Director, Portfolio & Project Management Office| eWorld Enterprise Solutions Honolulu, Hi, United States PMI's new 2025 Project Management Offices: A Practice Guide |PMI seems very relevant to the discussion here. What do you all think about its usefulness in establishing your PMO direction and reporting value? ... 1 reply by Francisco Herrera May 29, 2025 1:36 PM Francisco Herrera ... James I haven't read that new PMI Practice Guide for PMOs yet. But with this discussion, I will definitely need to check it out. I'll be looking specifically for how it helps with PMO direction and reporting value. Thanks for mentioning it! Francisco. Saving Changes... Posted: May 27, 2025 2:43 PM Luis Branco CEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, Ldª Carcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal What an excellent and multi-dimensional discussion — thank you all for your insights. Reading through the thread, I see a healthy tension between those who challenge the utility of maturity models, those who use them as structured tools for evolution, and those who navigate them pragmatically, with stakeholder value as the compass. Here’s how I see it: - Maturity models are useful — but never sufficient. They offer shared language, structure, and reflection — especially when combined with adaptive tools like the PMO Value Ring™ and the recent PMI 2025 Project Management Offices: A Practice Guide. However, their value comes not from ticking levels, but from informing strategic dialogue. - What truly matters is impact, not level. As several have rightly noted, maturity assesses capabilities — not outcomes. ROI, stakeholder trust, strategic enablement, and agility are better indicators of a PMO’s relevance. We should never confuse compliance with contribution. - Context is king. The same maturity model applied blindly across organizations with different strategies, cultures, or constraints can do more harm than good. The real art lies in interpreting the model — not following it. - And finally, evolution over certification: The goal is not to reach Level 5 — it’s to become more intentional, responsive, and valuable over time. I see maturity not as a destination, but as an invitation to grow — with purpose, clarity, and accountability. Thank you all for elevating this conversation. ... 1 reply by Francisco Herrera May 30, 2025 1:52 PM Francisco Herrera ... Luis I really agree with your last point, the idea of 'evolution over certification' and seeing maturity as an 'invitation to grow' – not a final destination. That's a great way to look at it. It means we are always looking to get better, with clear goals and responsibility. I think this approach is very important for all PMOs. Regards! Francisco. Saving Changes... Posted: May 27, 2025 3:37 PM (Updated by author: May 27, 2025 3:38 PM) Phil Akinwale Project Management & Leadership Speaker, Coach, Trainer & Author| PRAIZION Mesa, Az, United States I learnt a lot about this during my OPM3 certification training with PMI. Reach out to me on LinkedIn and I'll share some ideas which I have used with various firms. PMO vs. VDO vs. COP is another thought. PMOs are not always the answer for every firm! Saving Changes... Posted: May 27, 2025 4:11 PM < 1 2 >

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