The Project Management Office (PMO) in a business or professional enterprise is the department or group that defines and maintains the standards of process, generally related to project management, within the organisation. The PMO strives to standardise 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. In some organisations this is known as the Program Management Office (sometimes abbreviated to PgMO to differentiate); the subtle difference is that program management relates to governing the management of several related projects.
Establishing a PMO group is not a short term strategy to lower costs. Surveys with companies indicate that the longer they have an operating PMO group the better the results achieved to accomplish project goals (which might lead to lowering costs).
Organisations who decide to introduce a PMO have to appreciate that there is an overhead with regards to setting up and this continues throughout its operation. However, a PMO will in the long term reduce costs through standardisation, consistent reporting and defined project management discipline and control.
A programme management office is made up of a number of disciplines and these are tailored and resourced accordingly, based on the size and complexity of the project being undertaken. The typical disciplines covered by a Programme Office are:
- Risk, Issue and Assumption Management
- Reporting and Metrics
- Configuration Management
- Change Management
- Document Management
- Financial Management
- Schedule Management / Project Planning
- Communications Management
- Resource Management
- HR / Facilities Management
- Quality and Assurance Management
We have experience in different size and complexity of projects, successfully setting up the appropriate programme office or project office, based on the perceived requirements. We’ve also assisted in improving already established programme offices, streamlining or tailoring processes to fit with “best practice” and ensuring that project governance is in place but is not unwieldy.