A company can be successful in its processes, but still suffer from a form of collective inefficiency that manifests itself in project failures.
Your management lines can be effective in their respective fields, but still struggle to lead transformations that require agile, collaborative, and/or transversal approaches.
In response to these difficulties, 'project coordination functions' have been implemented.
The generic term PMO (Project Management Officer) is most commonly used to describe this function, although other titles are used as well, such as Project Officer.
This article aims to educate you about the concept of PMO and how it differs from e-PMO. Its goal is to educate you on the risks and benefits of implementing such an approach.
Are you an e-PMO or a PMO?
In order to properly position the PMO's function, it is necessary to consider the nature of the missions that are typically assigned to it:
Support for project coordination and decision-making
Managing the level of managerial requirements in projects as well as changes in corporate culture
Management and reporting on the company's transformation roadmap
A project repository's definition, maintenance, and deployment, as well as its tools (PPM software)
Individual and collective project management and governance skills training and development
Effective project contribution and ownership of several key project management processes (Costs/ Contracts/ Deadlines, Risks, Communication, etc. )
The PMO approach supports an operational scope and ensures that a repository and/or a project management tool are effectively integrated into a key company function (PMO of the IT department for example). The PMO is focused on 'support.'
The e-PMO (Enterprise - Project Management Office) approach is becoming more widely adopted today, and it differs from traditional PMOs in that it operates at the highest level, as close to managers as possible, to ensure that projects and portfolios are aligned with the company's objectives and strategy. The e-PMO provides cross-functional support to transformation plans and/or complex and cross-functional operations. The e-PMO is "service" oriented.
This requires the organization to have a clear and defined framework of:
Corporate governance
Strategic management
Project Portfolio Management
Program and Project Management
IT business structure
Human resources and culture
However, one thing is certain: implementing a PMO role can double the a project's chances of success. According to a PMI study, companies that have a PMO have a 33 percent lower project failure rate.
Faced with this observation, and in a context where operating in 'project mode' has become a mode of corporate governance, it will be necessary to transition from a PMO to an enterprise PMO sooner or later, regardless of the company's size.
The establishment of a PMO or its increase in competence towards e-PMO must be approached as such real projects because it offers significant benefits:
A better ratio of launched projects/ started projects
Project targets more often achieved
Better recognition linked to taking projects into account in the workload and individual and collective performance
More efficient reporting and a significant decrease in time spend in meetings
Time saved on decisions making (better framing, shared language, ...) and project execution (less time spend planning, standardization of deliverables, etc...)
Better forecasting and real analysis in terms of dates, workload, budgets and risks
Better balance management and communication of the transformation roadmap, of its actors, and their deadlines
Dare to evaluate your project management maturity!
If you want to find out how mature your organization's project management model is, convince yourself of the benefits of an e-PMO type approach, and above all, identify areas for improvement with high added value, we recommend that you and the stakeholders in your company take this free online test: TESTMATURITE.COM.
Take 15 minutes to complete your test at TESTMATURITE.COM. It's simple and it's free. You will receive by email a complete report on your personal vision of the project mode of your organization
Use a graphical summary that allows you to quickly benchmark yourself against a repository of good practices: SMPP (Project Portfolio Management System), repository and maturity model in project governance, but also to identify areas of consensus and progress of your project management / governance.
With the help of one of our consultants, identify the main actions and areas for improvement to integrate so that your organization is guided and your managers are involved in improving project management and governance processes.
This test is an ally for your reflection on the implementation of a PMO within your organization and its positioning as PMO or e-PMO.
For more than 10 years, IQar has been a partner in the development of skills in project management and governance. With more than 100 assignments as a transition PMO, IQar has developed: SuitePro-G – the most PPM suitable solution to help companies develop their project management maturity model. Are you next?