Project Management

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Setting A Direction For PMOs...

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Mark Mullaly President| Interthink Consulting Incorporated Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The PMO Mystique is a new discussion forum to explore the issues and challenges associated with selling, developing and managing Program and Project Management Offices.

I encourage you to share ideas, ask questions, suggest solutions and contribute experiences from your own background and work.

In my article The PMO Department - A New Face I laid out some of my thoughts and ideas for the direction of the PMO department on gantthead.com

What isses would you like to see explored in the coming months? What challenges are you facing with your PMO (as a staff member, a customer or a sponsor...)? What solutions or approaches have you found that work?

Your ideas are welcome!

I look forward to the continuing dialogue.

With best regards,

Mark
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Bruce Callaway Carindale, Australia
Hello Mark,

I am currently consulting to an IT business unit to setup a Project Office. The group provides IT support and new products to other business units in the company in the gaming industry.

I have identified the following functions but am interested in your views:

Executive Role
Why the Project Office exists
What the Project Office is
What the Project Office does

Client Interface
Single point of contact
Concept Identification
Project Stakeholders
Project Variations

Reporting
Senior Executive Team
IT Business Unit
Project level

Project Governance
Process Leadership
Project Office Direction
Resource Management
Cost Management

Project Management
Project Life Cycle
Project Leadership
Project Manager Selection
Authority and Delegation
Communication

Training & Leadership
Define training requirements
Inhouse requirements
Select External Training

I am interested in your observations and any advice or critic you may have that would assist me.

With thanks,
Bruce
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Mark Mullaly President| Interthink Consulting Incorporated Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Bruce:


By 'functions', I am assuming that you are referencing the roles of the PMO and its responsibilities and obligations within the context of the organization.


Assuming that this is the case, then the taxonomy of functions that you outline is in keeping with the typical roles and expectations of a PMO, to the extent that you can actually characterize them as typical.


The one question that I have is around the grouping headed 'project management'. To you reference this from the perspective of defining the processes and standards by which projects are managed, or the actual management of projects? While I have certainly seen PMOs be established that took on the mantle of 'home of the project managers', there is a fine balance that must be realized here in bridging the more support aspects of the PMO role (reporting) with the actual management and control of projects.


I would be interested in how you are approaching the project management aspects, and what you are contemplating as the PMO role.


Regards,

Mark

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Bruce Callaway Carindale, Australia
Hi Mark,

In relation to functions, yes these are the roles of the PMO as you described.

My expectation is that they are typical based on the research I have been conducting to date. The other angle is these functions were pretty much defined on what is required for this company so there is a strong correlation. I just wanted to get the advice of an expert such as yourself in case there was a glaring omission.

I see the PMO role as defining the standards and processes to use for project management. Structurally this is where the PMs will reside however the GM IT has a strong focus on providing higher level functions to the company such as CEO level reporting.

My view is that the PMO will set the direction and leadership for the functions as described and also provide high level input into identifying and resolving operational and structural issues.

This of course is hard to achieve in the short term however my aim is set this goal for the PMO upfront (it doesn't exist as yet) so it can move towards it.

Thanks for your help.

Cheers
Bruce
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adam townley London, United Kingdom
An offbeat question perhaps - why does the PMO report to IT and not to the COO or into a change management function within the company ?
I'd be interested in what you are looking to draw out in the project office direction and governance ?

regards
adam
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Bruce Callaway Carindale, Australia
Adam,
The short answer is that the company as a whole has not embraced Project Management therefore the options you mentioned don't exist (there is no COO). It is in the gaming industry and has a number of business divisions that are very separate in their decision making (Casinos hotels etc). Project Management does exist but it is up to individual business units to implement as they see fit.

The PMO that I have established is in the IT division under direction of the new GM for that division. This role may become a CIO in future. The governance role at the moment is for the development/rollout of IT only. Perhaps in time this may change if its value to the company is realised.

Cheers
Bruce
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Joan Spiller Wellington, New Zealand
I am currently writing a paper to get approval to investigate a PMO 'function' within the IT Group here.
The biggest hurdle I am encountering is gaining Snr Mgmt approval - that is: convincing Mgmt to spend money on something when the initiative is being driven by only a few people.

As with Bruce: "Project Management does exist but it is up to individual business units to implement as they see fit." sums it up well here too.

So how DO we get Management buy in?
How do we shift the culture of a Government department well known for its autonomous approach to projects?
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Bruce Callaway Carindale, Australia
Hello Joan,

The approach we are introducing is to educate the IT area (I have just joined) in customer engagement. This is where the re-education process starts. In our company, this hasn't really happened before. In simple terms, we must communicate what we are doing and educate the other business units into our Project Management process which re-defines the concept stage as a one they are now much more involved with and where they consult the IT area before they make a choice.

At the same time, we are now tracking all projects from each business unit and providing a single page program report. This is having an immediate positive impact.

I am about to start meeting with a range of GMs to disucss how we can operate much better if we work together. I am sure there will be the usual paranoia and political posturing. Fortunately the CEO is right behind this process.

It will be a long and involved process but the aim is to sell the value and generally in economic terms, ie, reduced cost due to a better process.

Good luck!!

Cheers
Bruce
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Mark Mullaly President| Interthink Consulting Incorporated Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Bruce's suggestion is a good one, and one I've also been able to employ successfully in other organizations... creating a 'pull' demand as opposed to simply 'pushing' the idea of project management or a formal PMO out on other groups.

Ideally, this takes a multi-pronged approach, and needs to focus on delivering value that people care about. For Bruce, it was about promoting improved customer involvement and having better information about all the projects within IT. For other organizations, it will be different (although often not that different).

The key is to know your audience and their wants and needs, and define for them how those needs can be addressed more effectively through project management.

Regards, Mark
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Frank Patrick Boonton, Nj, United States
Joan asked: So how DO we get Management buy in? How do we shift the culture of a Government department well known for its autonomous approach to projects?

1) Identify the key pains suffered by "management" or this "department."

2) Logically demonstrated how the unsynchronized (autonomous) management of projects as individual entities is at the root of these projects.

3) Logically paint a vision for them of what could happen with a coordinated approach that respects the capacity of the larger orgranization. (simulations help)

4) Be prepared to deal with their "yes buts," including the unspeakable ones. (some pre-selling of some of the leadership could help with this one)

5) Be prepared to roll out an implementation plan, but one that can be easily modified as a result of the "yes buts."

The reason this comes trippingly off my keyboard is that this is what I do for a living as I demonstrate the benefits of Critical Chain-based multi-project management. I know that this approach to #3 above can be dealt with by CC. If you're using traditional approaches, it might be a tougher picture to sell.

;-)

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Joan Spiller Wellington, New Zealand
Just wanted to acknowledge the comments made here, I am in the middle of "socialising" my ideas with Snr Mgmt - another Govt quirk - and its proving to be a somewhat lengthy and frustrating task but I am at least learning more about what the customers think they want!

Delivery of the final Proposal is scheduled for 14 days time so in the meantime everything is crossed!

Thanks to those who offered advice and suggestions. Much appreciated :)
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