BradEgeland.com #PMP #PPM #project #Agile #cybersecurity #planning #ai #SAFe #coronavirus #virtual #mindmap #remote #COVID19 #scaledagile #fintech #webdesign
  • Welcome
  • Contact
  • Mentoring Contact Form
  • Expertise
  • Blog
  • Find Local PM Jobs
  • Books / White Papers
  • Software / Service Reviews
  • This Week in PM
  • PM Video Series
  • Awards/Recognition
  • Templates & Downloads
  • Clients
  • Professional Services
  • Past Survey Results

4 Ways to Supercharge Your PMO

9/30/2019

0 Comments

 
I was reading a survey indicating that almost 90% of organizations now have some form of project management office (PMO). That was an increase of 40 percentage points from a similar survey in 2000. Yes, most organizations now have PMOs. But are they effective? According to an April 2010 survey (I know, it's been awhile) that I conducted of project managers and PM-related staff, the answer is no. 58% of respondents indicated that they did not feel their PMO was effective. Only 34% said that their PMO had good repeatable processes, procedures and templates in place to help them do their jobs well. And a full 47% indicated that their company’s senior leadership had no visible involvement in the PMO. One of my personal strong beliefs – backed by seeing failures where this was not the case – is that the senior leadership needs to back the PMO, have buy-in to the PMO and support it in order for it to succeed.
Picture
The PMO can't make projects succeed, but it can certainly have a hand in project successes by building the right foundation for projects and the right infra​structure of support and tools for the project managers within it. How? How do we get the PMO into supercharge mode and make our project outcomes more successful for our project customers? Here are my thoughts on 4 key ways we can start supercharging our PMOs right now...

Get the best PPM possible. PPM seems to be the tool of the hour, day and year. Project Portfolio Management – or PPM - is the centralized management of the processes, methods, and technologies used by project managers and project management offices to analyze and collectively manage current or proposed projects based on numerous key characteristics. Do we really need a PPM tool to do the PMO right? Yes. And not just a PPM tool, you need the right PPM tool for your organization, your types of projects, and your overall PM infrastructure needs. You may even want to really supercharge your whole organization with a hybrid PPM tool. One that allows you to combine the best of Scaled Agile with all major features of common PM standards including PMI, IPMA and PRINCE2. With a hybrid PPM you can work smarter by taking advantage of fully integrated agile methodologies such as Kanban boards complementing proven, traditional tools like WBS and Gantt charts.

Hire experience over certification. I may not be popular on this topic so let me have it. But seriously, in many cases the most experienced available project managers will likely be certified as well. I'm just saying I would not weed out any applicants over lack of certification. Rather, I will often weed out applicants over less than 'x' amount of experience - possibly 5-10 years experience minimum depending on the current project landscape for the organization.

Present the PMO's accomplishments to senior management. If project management office has had a successful and profitable run so far - and that's the only way you would want to present this (failure would just be... well... sad) - then formally present such info and metrics so as to sufficiently impress the higher-ups. Doing this positions the PMO strategically for funding, new resources and big dollar challenges as your c-levels see capabilities in the organization they might not otherwise realize they have.

Get leadership involved in the projects. This one is key. If you are executive management, get involved with the PMO. Look at the portfolio of projects. Help with funding. Show support of the director and the project managers. If you’re the PMO director or a project manager in the organization, invite a member of senior management to several customer project status meetings as a show of interest in the customers and the projects you’re leading for them. Get them to attend several project kickoff meetings if they don’t already do that. If your CEO is in attendance at a formal project kickoff meeting, I guarantee that you’re customer will feel important from Day One. And that’s a very good thing.

Summary / call for input

The functionality and performance of the PMO isn't often a direct factor in the success of many projects. Indeed, it is more of an enabler of success – helping to create a roadmap to success for projects overall and greater profitability, customer retention, and project manager development for the organization and the PM infrastructure. By planning, innovating and structuring our PMO to better serve our project managers and by positioning it and the organization to better understand what projects to take on with a solid PPM tool, we can help strengthen the revenue flow for the organization through a growing portfolio of projects. If you build it, they (customers) will come.

Readers – how do you feel about this list? What are your experiences in the good and the bad of PMOs? What would you change or add here? Please share and discuss.

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author:

    Picture

    Brad Egeland


    Named the "#1 Provider of Project Management Content in the World," Brad Egeland has over 25 years of professional IT experience as a developer, manager, project manager, consultant and author.  He has written more than 7,000 expert online articles, eBooks, white papers and video articles for clients worldwide.  If you want Brad to write for your site, contact him. Want your content on this blog and promoted? Contact him. Looking for advice/menoring? Contact him.

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    March 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    November 2009

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.