1. An Approach To Developing a PMO A Case Study
Presentation
Edited Version
An Approach To Developing a PMO A Case Study
John Thompson
January 2011

2. Introduction..... Objective:
Share an approach to defining, planning, implementing and developing a Project Management Office.
John Thompson Bsc. PMP
16 years experience in project, programme, portfolio and change management …..led and overseen multiple large infrastructure, product & change programmes and established PMO’s in both the private and public sectors.
CompassPoint Ltd. provides consultancy & advisory services in project, programme & change management….

3. Agenda Approach Improvement Programme Assessment A PMO framework
Discovery approach & outputs
Improvement Programme
Programme Structure
Programme Content
Assessment
Development roadmaps
Conclusions

4. A PMO Framework…..
PMO framework defines different PMOs based on 2 dimensions
- SCOPE & SERVICES -
Project - Programme
Departmental
Enterprise
Which of these 21 different PMO models would best support the organisation? ?
Strategic
Operational
Functional

5. Discovery Approach…
Strategic Review to assess capability and determine the priority services to be provided by the PMO….
Cross section of senior management undertook structured review of 6 key components of Project Management (over structured 50 questions):
Scored current practice against good practice
Follow up 1x1reviews
Workshops to review assessments
Scoring provided a strongest – weakest assessment across the 6 components.
Scoring also provided lowest - highest priority for improvement across the 6 components.

6. Final Outputs from Strategic Review
Strategic Review gave us an:
Assessment of current practice & capability….
Assessment of improvement priorities… and priority services to be provided by the PMO
A comprehensive review of these assessments told us:
The improvement effort needed to address multiple priority areas….in a co-ordinated way….
An integrated Improvement Programme was required….
Process, Governance & Oversight
Skills & Support Structures
Tools & Systems
Project Prioritisation

7. Direction Setting……..
Returning to the question – what type of PMO – we now had an answer!
Enterprise
Departmental
Project - Programme
Partial
Strategic
Primary
Operational
Secondary
Functional

8. Improvement Programme

9. Training & Development
The Improvement Programme……..
“….the role of the PMO is to implement an integrated PM Improvement Programme primarily Operational in nature……”
Project Management Process
Establish a standard way of managing, overseeing and delivering projects.
Training & Development
Improve in-house Project Management skills and competency.
Improvement
Programme
IT Prioritisation Process
Align IT developments with strategy and optimise return on IT investment.
Support Framework
Develop in-house support services & tools and provide practical assistance to PM’s.

10. Project Management Process…..
But what…standard way ?
……a process that was a RIGHT fit for the organisation!

11. Project Management Process…..
Process (PM Process) employs a 5 stage life-cycle:
Objectives & deliverables defined for each stage
Approval gates and defined project governance
Standardised reporting & change control
(also a fast-track process for small less complex
projects)
PM Process aligned with operational processes:
Operational process (IT, Finance, Procurement) activities & outputs aligned with PM Process stages
Holistic framework for management of projects

12. Training & Development…..
Key objective – build in-house competency in both PM Process and generic Project Management…
Integrated 3 level training & development programme
Dual emphasis on PM Process and Project Management
Strong emphasis on post training evaluation & improvement

13. Support Framework….. Documents & Tools Support Systems
Support Structures

14. Project Prioritisation…..
An opportunity to both:
Adopt consistent approach to prioritisation
Embed PM Process as organisation standard
Prioritisation process integrated with PM Process & engages senior management
Focus on initiation and business case stages with selective project closure reviews
Key driver in PM Process adoption and compliance

15. Assessment
Development roadmap
Conclusions

16. PMO Development Paths…..
PMO Framework can assist in charting a development roadmap for the PMO
- a 3 dimensional maturity model -
For each of the 3 Enterprise PMO service categories a maturity model has been developed (3 maturity models)……
Each model defines 4 maturity stages and the services associated with each stage…..
This provides both a current maturity assessment and various PMO development options……

17. Conclusions….
In less than 12 months project management practice & capability improved substantially
The PMO framework assisted in defining the type of PMO & service options but also in identifying future development choices….
The engagement of management in analysis and subsequently in design was critical in PM Process adoption and the embedding effort…..
The introduction of a project management methodology and a PMO to drive adoption requires both project and change management disciplines…
Change Management
Project Management

18. THANK YOU