The interest in PMO has been great for a long time, it's more than 20 years since I encountered the concept that implies an ambition to have control and overview of the projects within an organization. It is still unclear how the work is best done and made visible. The problem is reflected in the fact that many project offices are started, disappear and are started up again, because the underlying need does not disappear. Before the computerisation of planning and project administration took off, a large part of the work involved planning and reporting. The tasks included talking to project participants, sub-project managers, etc. It took its fair share of time to make a master plan for the projects in a larger organisation. At CelsiusTech, where I was responsible for a couple of the systems for the coastal corvettes, it took several months before everyone had their say. Nobody wants to go back to those days with their inefficient and in many ways manual management. Today, the ideal image is its exact opposite. All project managers are pulling their weight and no one is responsible for the whole picture. The result is disappointing, there is no planning despite a great deal of effort and training in systems. The knowledge of planning in practice and how to create overall control was lost somewhere along the way.
Many organisations therefore want to get back on track by setting up a project office, also known as a PMO, which stands for Project/Portfolio/Program Management Office. Depending on the level of maturity within the organisation with regard to project management, the function is usually divided into three categories.
Support function
Here the project office provides assistance to projects with templates and expertise when called upon by the project manager. This works in organisations where projects mostly work well independently without strict control.
Controlling function
In organisations with an ambition to gain better control over ongoing projects and to standardise the way projects are managed, accounted for and monitored, a project office is often created. A project office in this role not only provides support in the form of methodologies, models, templates, tools, etc., but also has the task of verifying that this support is requested and applied. This works when there is management support and it has a great potential to raise the level and performance of projects within the organisation.
Governance function
Here the responsibility for projects is shifted to an organisation that takes over some of the tasks and responsibilities of the management and line organisation.
It is here that the PMO function becomes an organisational unit and enters a minefield.
Personally, I believe that none of the below should be included in the tasks of a PMO.
Choosing which projects to pursue
Providing and managing project managers
Prioritising projects
Be the Project/Portfolio owner
Responsibility for implementation and quality
However, the task should be to make the above possible by creating transparency in project activities.
Inspiration for this blog has come from
http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/3-different-types-of-project-management-offices.html
At the pen/Georg
http://www.linkedin.com/in/enterprisepmoexpert
www.ln4solutions.com
Comments on what I write, questions and more are welcome at georg.silber@ln4solutions.com or call me directly at 0708 502 191.