Bala S DuvvuriProject Manager| ShellBangalore, Karnataka, India
Hi Fellow PMs,
Can you please elaborate on the different roles and responsibilities played by PMO in your organization.
For example in my organization they don't perform any duties mentioned in the PMBOK like sharing best practices,managing projects other than calculating the revenue generated by each project.
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Search about PMO maturity levels inside the PMI site and others. I think that is the answer you are searching for. Most of the times you will find more than one level inside the same PMO. For example some things that belongs to level 1 (project managers working in projects) and level 3 (deliver best practices and process). What matters is what your organization needs. And it is a matter of organizational strategy. Saving Changes...
Stephen DellConsultantBurlington, Nc, United States
Great topic! A couple thoughts...
1. There are as many different types of PMOs as there are organizations. I don't think there is one "right" way to perform the function. In my experience, they often grow rather organically, when someone in the organization defines a need - often vague - for command and control over the projects or portfolios that is not being met by having individual project managers alone.
2. A PMO can be focused on a variety of things and take on a variety of functions. They can be strategic, helping the organization in Project Intake & Assessment, Ranking and Prioritization, sequencing, overall capacity planning, cross-project dependencies, etc. They can be execution focused, with the specific charge to manage projects. They can be limited to training, mentoring and methods and standards as a governance or consultative function. They can have a financial focus. Or any combination of the above.
3. If you have access to it through your company, visit the project management section of the Corporate Executive Board - they have a great study and a wonderful set of slides which examine the different flavors of PMOs.
4. One thing I see missing in many instances is a charter for the PMO, which lays out the business value proposition (why should I spend money on a PMO?, describes how the organization is structured and staffed, defines the roles and responsibilities, and sets the metrics for how the PMO performance will be assessed. Without this kind of roadmap, I think it is difficult to build, grow and improve a PMO in an effective manner.
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2 replies by Bala S Duvvuri and Kiran Kumar
Jan 11, 2016 1:46 PM
Kiran Kumar
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Stephen, I do agree and have seen various failures where organization do not have a proper charter defined for the PMO. Most of the reason that I have come across is that the PMO is setup as an afterthought. Leadership hears about the PMO and the believe that just having a group called PMO, would resolve most of their issues and provide support for project management and as the PMO is established more stuff is thrown at it, which bloats the initial reason why it was setup.
1. There are as many different types of PMOs as there are organizations. I don't think there is one "right" way to perform the function. In my experience, they often grow rather organically, when someone in the organization defines a need - often vague - for command and control over the projects or portfolios that is not being met by having individual project managers alone.
2. A PMO can be focused on a variety of things and take on a variety of functions. They can be strategic, helping the organization in Project Intake & Assessment, Ranking and Prioritization, sequencing, overall capacity planning, cross-project dependencies, etc. They can be execution focused, with the specific charge to manage projects. They can be limited to training, mentoring and methods and standards as a governance or consultative function. They can have a financial focus. Or any combination of the above.
3. If you have access to it through your company, visit the project management section of the Corporate Executive Board - they have a great study and a wonderful set of slides which examine the different flavors of PMOs.
4. One thing I see missing in many instances is a charter for the PMO, which lays out the business value proposition (why should I spend money on a PMO?, describes how the organization is structured and staffed, defines the roles and responsibilities, and sets the metrics for how the PMO performance will be assessed. Without this kind of roadmap, I think it is difficult to build, grow and improve a PMO in an effective manner.
Stephen, I do agree and have seen various failures where organization do not have a proper charter defined for the PMO. Most of the reason that I have come across is that the PMO is setup as an afterthought. Leadership hears about the PMO and the believe that just having a group called PMO, would resolve most of their issues and provide support for project management and as the PMO is established more stuff is thrown at it, which bloats the initial reason why it was setup. Saving Changes...
Stephen DellConsultantBurlington, Nc, United States
Kiran - Agreed! It's really all about the organization defining the problems it wants to solve or opportunities they want to enable by establishing a PMO. Rare to have an cogent end state vision in this context, but it's really needed - "how will the organization be different, better, faster, smarter when the PMO is implemented?" Define WHAT you want it to do, then we can have a better handle on the HOW - structure, roles, tools, etc. Saving Changes...
Bala S DuvvuriProject Manager| ShellBangalore, Karnataka, India
Jan 11, 2016 12:56 PM
Replying to Stephen Dell
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Great topic! A couple thoughts...
1. There are as many different types of PMOs as there are organizations. I don't think there is one "right" way to perform the function. In my experience, they often grow rather organically, when someone in the organization defines a need - often vague - for command and control over the projects or portfolios that is not being met by having individual project managers alone.
2. A PMO can be focused on a variety of things and take on a variety of functions. They can be strategic, helping the organization in Project Intake & Assessment, Ranking and Prioritization, sequencing, overall capacity planning, cross-project dependencies, etc. They can be execution focused, with the specific charge to manage projects. They can be limited to training, mentoring and methods and standards as a governance or consultative function. They can have a financial focus. Or any combination of the above.
3. If you have access to it through your company, visit the project management section of the Corporate Executive Board - they have a great study and a wonderful set of slides which examine the different flavors of PMOs.
4. One thing I see missing in many instances is a charter for the PMO, which lays out the business value proposition (why should I spend money on a PMO?, describes how the organization is structured and staffed, defines the roles and responsibilities, and sets the metrics for how the PMO performance will be assessed. Without this kind of roadmap, I think it is difficult to build, grow and improve a PMO in an effective manner.
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