Sean WhitakerProject Management Consultant| Crystal ConsultingChristchurch, New Zealand
Its a strange title but an appropriate one. As a consultant I regularly meet people who insist they know exactly what a PMO is based on their experience. I can then meet someone else who tells me something completely different. This reminds me of the fable where blindfolded people try to describe an elephant and someone touches the ear and says it is a fan. Someone else touches the leg and says it is like a tree and so on. So, my question to you is, how would you describe a PMO? Saving Changes...
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saurabh mahajanPMP, ITIL, PRINCE2| vodafonePune, Maharashtra, India
A PMO can be seen as a function in itself which is at the center of the organization with expert project management capability and when involved can make project a success.
The problem is that PMO is used for several different things. One of the best overview articles I read about can be found at The Project group - see http://www.theprojectgroup.com/blog/pmo-der-zukunft/ - unfortunately it's in German. But maybe the picture 2 in that article and picture 2 in article http://www.theprojectgroup.com/blog/vorteile-eines-pmo/ explain without too much German: You can find PMOs at several hierarchy levels - and PMO's can provide serveral service areas, in differing intensities and shapes. That is the reason, a PMO does not really resemble an elephant but more a bug (and think about the huge amount of different bugs). But don't confuse my bug analogy with that bug analogy IT uses ;-)
An institution operating in a consulting capacity, offering project managers with training, guidance, best practices by implementing standard practices leading to project success. Saving Changes...
A PMO can be many things. I expect the PMO to be a Center Of Excellence for Project Management for the organization. They should archive project data in a Knowledge Base and recommend or establish Best Practices and forms and templates to help achieve good results. At the risk of incurring the wrath of some folks at projectmanagement.com, who don't want links posted, here's a great link about PMOs. http://www.som.cranfield.ac.uk/som/dinamic...CPM/PMO4web.pdf Saving Changes...
Sean WhitakerProject Management Consultant| Crystal ConsultingChristchurch, New Zealand
Jun 23, 2016 2:47 AM
Replying to saurabh mahajan
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A PMO can be seen as a function in itself which is at the center of the organization with expert project management capability and when involved can make project a success.
I like this - nice and simple - thanks! Saving Changes...
Sean WhitakerProject Management Consultant| Crystal ConsultingChristchurch, New Zealand
Jun 23, 2016 6:55 AM
Replying to Rolf Dieter Zschau
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The problem is that PMO is used for several different things. One of the best overview articles I read about can be found at The Project group - see http://www.theprojectgroup.com/blog/pmo-der-zukunft/ - unfortunately it's in German. But maybe the picture 2 in that article and picture 2 in article http://www.theprojectgroup.com/blog/vorteile-eines-pmo/ explain without too much German: You can find PMOs at several hierarchy levels - and PMO's can provide serveral service areas, in differing intensities and shapes. That is the reason, a PMO does not really resemble an elephant but more a bug (and think about the huge amount of different bugs). But don't confuse my bug analogy with that bug analogy IT uses ;-)
Thanks - this is a good summary Saving Changes...
Manfred KressSenior Project Manager, PMP| Atos Information Technology GmbHTaunusstein, Germany
As John said, the PMO should be a Center of Excellence for Projectmanagement, providing governance, guidance, tools and templates. And according to Rolf Dieters reply, it can provide several services.
But be aware of not mixing up PMO and PSO. From my experience this happens to often. The PMO is not accountable to upload/archive project data (this in contrary to John), do the planning or organize meetings.
If there is a rule to archive project data (all or specific), it has to be done by the project PSO, the PMO only monitors that it is done.
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1 reply by Rolf Dieter Zschau
Jul 06, 2016 1:37 AM
Rolf Dieter Zschau
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Hello, Manfred.
I agree.
With Services I mean all tasks the PMO does. Following the article I referenced: Strategic project management, project portfolio controlling (mybe extended to project portfolio management), processes/methods/tools, training/coaching and project services. Under Project services I subsume more things like moderating workshops (e.g. for lessons learned), helping projects in PM tasks (not as coach but as additional resource or as "practical example"), temporary project controller, crisis PM / firefighting PM (some organizations anchor all PMs in PMO - which would also be a project service) and the like and not "archiving" (but this is worth a try as a company wide technical/organizational service a project can use).
Improve the capability of people and process involved in project management activities by providing the correct training & tools to achieve project/program/portfolio governance therby meeting the organizational objectives. Saving Changes...
As John said, the PMO should be a Center of Excellence for Projectmanagement, providing governance, guidance, tools and templates. And according to Rolf Dieters reply, it can provide several services.
But be aware of not mixing up PMO and PSO. From my experience this happens to often. The PMO is not accountable to upload/archive project data (this in contrary to John), do the planning or organize meetings.
If there is a rule to archive project data (all or specific), it has to be done by the project PSO, the PMO only monitors that it is done.
Hello, Manfred.
I agree.
With Services I mean all tasks the PMO does. Following the article I referenced: Strategic project management, project portfolio controlling (mybe extended to project portfolio management), processes/methods/tools, training/coaching and project services. Under Project services I subsume more things like moderating workshops (e.g. for lessons learned), helping projects in PM tasks (not as coach but as additional resource or as "practical example"), temporary project controller, crisis PM / firefighting PM (some organizations anchor all PMs in PMO - which would also be a project service) and the like and not "archiving" (but this is worth a try as a company wide technical/organizational service a project can use). Saving Changes...
James SweatmanSr. Enterprise Project Manager| Mecklenburg CountyCharlotte, Nc, United States
The PMO can be an elephant, but it doesn't have to be and we definitely don't have to be blind. The real challenge is identifying the needs of the organization that the PMO will provide; specifically the value proposition. Coming from a federal PM background, it's important to frame the PMO's responsibilities and governance adequately to ensure it provides the services needed. This could be PM resources, methods, processes/procedures, etc., a reporting structure working with other PM staff, or on an enterprise level assisting multiple lines of business across the organization strategically. Saving Changes...
