1. 1 Top Challenges To Your PMO Success “You May Be Surprised” PMI-SVC PMO Forum April 2007

2. 2 What Is PMO Success? What is PMO Failure? Some indicators are… Hard to prove value Hard to prove value Wrong focus Wrong focus Not true participation from stakeholders Not true participation from stakeholders  The first two impacts the third…

3. 3 Three Basic Steps (Questions) What is the nature of the challenge? What is the nature of the challenge? What do we need to know? What do we need to know? What can we do? What can we do?  Driven by the first two…

4. 4 Challenge/Opportunity 1 PMO must truly add measurable value to stakeholders and business performance Key words: measurable value ; Key words: measurable value (at least observable) ; to stakeholders; to business performance What’s surprising about this? What’s surprising about this?  What perception do stakeholders really have about your PMO?

5. 5 Is Perception Reality? 55% of senior management think the PMO makes a significant or essential contribution to project success 55% of senior management think the PMO makes a significant or essential contribution to project success – what about the other 45%? Less than half of project managers agree with that perception Less than half of project managers agree with that perception

6. 6 What do we need to know? What is ‘value’? Measurable benefit to stakeholders Measurable benefit to stakeholders  Do we know what benefit key stakeholders expect?  Is value from the stakeholder’s perspective? Contributes to business performance Contributes to business performance  Do we have this in mind in what we do?  Is value in terms of business performance?

7. 7 PMO Effectiveness PMOs result in a 10% increase in project management effectiveness management effectiveness – PMI  Is your PMO increasing PM effectiveness? Is your PMO increasing PM effectiveness? Is effectiveness from the stakeholder’s perspective? Is effectiveness from the stakeholder’s perspective? Is effectiveness in terms of business performance? Is effectiveness in terms of business performance?

8. 8 Challenge/Opportunity 2 PMO leadership and key staff must model characteristics of master project managers with credibility Key words: model characteristics; credibility Key words: model characteristics; credibility What’s surprising about this? What’s surprising about this?  Does your PMO really have this capability?  Can your PMO really attract and keep those who have this capability?

9. 9 Master Project Managers What are their characteristic capabilities? Big picture, long-term viewpoint Big picture, long-term viewpoint Able to make and own PM policy Able to make and own PM policy A great front person A great front person (think lead singer in a group) Coaching leadership style Coaching leadership style (facilitates motivation) Risk analysis and contingency planning Risk analysis and contingency planning (beyond obvious work deliverables)

10. 10 Challenge/Opportunity 3 PMO must have and maintain the right focus Key words: right focus Key words: right focus What’s surprising about this? What’s surprising about this?  Are your PMO service areas really the priority of your stakeholders?  What motivates your PMO to stay in focus?  What focusing standard to you strive toward?

11. 11 PMO Services Areas Are you focused on the real priorities? Obvious processes, methodology, tools Obvious processes, methodology, tools Project monitoring Project monitoring Knowledge and skills development Knowledge and skills development (information, education, training, mentoring) Cross-project coordination Cross-project coordination (issues, resources, risk) Portfolio management Portfolio management (strategic alignment)

12. 12 Focusing Motivators What are yours? What are yours? (Do you have one?) Picture a PMO that… Makes a meaningful difference Makes a meaningful difference Achieves quicker results Achieves quicker results Attracts strong, capable PMO staff Attracts strong, capable PMO staff Motivates everyone to measure up against a standard you strive toward Motivates everyone to measure up against a standard you strive toward

13. 13 Focusing Standard – PMO of the Year How about striving for these judging criteria? Demonstrates vision and business acumen in implementing new ideas, methods, or processes Demonstrates vision and business acumen in implementing new ideas, methods, or processes Meets organizational challenges Meets organizational challenges Makes a positive impact on project success Makes a positive impact on project success Makes a positive impact on organizational success Makes a positive impact on organizational success

14. 14 Focusing Standard – PMO of the Year More judging criteria… Realizes tangible business benefits Realizes tangible business benefits Builds a project management culture Builds a project management culture Uses resources effectively Uses resources effectively Improves organizational PM maturity Improves organizational PM maturity Improves project manager capability Improves project manager capability

15. 15 Conclusion… What does your PMO need to do… To truly add measurable value to stakeholders and business performance? To truly add measurable value to stakeholders and business performance? To model characteristics of master project managers with credibility? To model characteristics of master project managers with credibility? To have and maintain the right focus? To have and maintain the right focus?

16. 16 Questions or Comments? Please don’t hesitate to contact me at… joseph.gee@comcast.netjmgee@ucdavis.edu916.327.7178