Not every organization needs a PMO, of course, but certain signs could indicate it’s time to consider one.
If an organization decides to establish a PMO, the Project Management Institute (PMI) currently identifies five different types of PMOs:
• Departmental: Supports a specific business unit or division
• Project-specific: Oversees the success of a particular project.
• Strategic: Oversees a major organizational change.
• Project-support: Handles administrative tasks to speed project completion.
• Center of Excellence: Provides project managers with ongoing training and tools.
Also, from the organizational standpoint a PMO can be one of types below:
• Enterprise PMO
• Organizational (departmental) PMO
• Special–purpose PMO
So what’s the best type of project management office? Saving Changes...
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Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
While it is a reference point it has no sence from the point of view of deciding if a PMO has to be started inside an organization. Organizations must define its strategy which is the way they will interact with the environment to survive, growth and delvelopt. To do that organizations define functions that will react to environmental stimulus. If some of the needed functions belongs to project management then organizationa must decide if those functions will be located inside a business unit or not. That´s all. Saving Changes...
"So what’s the best type of project management office?"
I don't know that there is a best type of PMO, but there is likely a right one for your organization... and you have to decide what the right type is, based on your organizational objectives Saving Changes...
I would add to Samuel's comment that even "the best type of PMO" within a company is seasonal. It will depend on the size and diversity of its portfolio. My experience is that during the recent project boom, we had a central PMO and other ones for each business unit. Now, in the downturn these structures shrunk and maybe the tendency is to have only a central one with a broader range of roles. Saving Changes...
