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| Project Management Office Structure |
A project management office (abbreviated to PMO) is a group or department within a business, government agency, or enterprise that defines and maintains standards for project management within the organization. The PMO strives to standardize and introduce economies of repetition in the execution of projects. The PMO is the source of documentation, guidance and metrics on the practice of project management and execution.
How to become a successful PMO
Modern PMOs aren’t the cat-herding managers of the past, but they’re also not the long-haired, laid-back gurus that are more suited to yoga studios than business presentations. A successful PMO that can operate within today’s Agile business world sits somewhere in the middle of those two extremes.
A good PMO should:
- Have a deep understanding of your organization’s strategy, culture, and customers.
- Bridge the gap between the company’s primary stakeholders, customers, and the teams working on the projects.
The best, most agile project management offices will:
- Shift with adaptations of strategy to align itself with the changing world.
- Act as mentors for project managers and team members to provide oversight and insight into the reasons behind the decisions.
- Embrace the importance of helping staff understand why changes should be made so they can make informed decisions when they encounter obstacles.
Do you need a PMO?
Just like not every organization necessarily needs to adopt Agile principles, neither does every organization require a PMO. Some companies function smoothly on Agile alone. Their teams have enough personal investment and understanding of the company’s big picture that guidance and best practices aren’t required.
If your DevOps teams are already performing at high levels and aren’t wasting effort on superfluous “features” with much frequency, why rock the boat? Every organization is different in its culture due to the people within it and their personalities. This means no single solution will be a magic bullet which can be applied to every organizational challenge.
If your organization is having issues focusing on impactful changes that aid the customer and benefit the company, then adopting a PMO might be just the thing for you. They can help align teams with organizational goals and strategy to ensure teams don’t waste time. Some organizations may see the role of PMO as an unnecessary overseer that will stifle creativity. PMOs and Agile practices can find a happy meeting place where the two work together in harmony. To that end, PMOs can help
- Prevent decision paralysis
- Ensure that teams have the information they need to best complete their projects
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