Implement These Six Value-Add Services in Your PMO

All Project Management Offices (PMOs) try to build and support better practices for managing projects. However, PMOs can do much more. Here are six items that would provide additional value to the project managers and the entire organization.

1. Establish and support a document repository. One of the value propositions to deploying common project management processes is the ability to reuse processes, procedures, templates, prior examples, etc. However, to facilitate process and document reuse, the PMO needs to establish and manage a document repository. This could be as easy as setting up a directory structure that everyone in the organization can access. It might also be more elaborate and multi-functional, like a tool specifically designed for document management.

2. Convert key learnings to best practices. At the end of every project, the project manager, team and major stakeholders should get together in an end-of-project meeting to collect key learnings. As the PMO collects more and more key learnings, they may start to see patterns emerge in the lessons learned. At some point, lessons learned from projects can be raised from the level of a best practice. A best practice statement implies that the benefit can be gained for all projects, not just the few that reported it.

3. Coordinating a common resource pool. All companies have a process to staff projects. Since the PMO is a focal point for all project management-related activities, it is the right place to manage these common resource pools.

4. Document review service. Document reviews can be offered to help ensure that project managers are utilizing the standard templates as they were intended and that they are completed clearly and consistently. The PMO is not “approving” the document, but they are providing feedback on the content, format and readability of the specified document.

5. Defining the role of contractors on projects. Most companies utilize contractors for some portion of their workload. How do you best utilize contractors and how do you best utilize employees. The PMO can help determine the right policies for staffing projects in your company.

6. Benchmarking. As your company becomes more sophisticated at utilizing metrics, you might realize that collecting internal data on internal projects is valuable, but can only take you so far. You don't really know how efficient and effective your project delivery is unless you can compare how you deliver projects against other companies. Benchmarking studies (one-time) and benchmarking programs (longer-term) are a way to compare your organization against others.

Many companies are finding that they must build project management capabilities if they are going to meet business challenges in the future. Many companies give this responsibility to one or more people in a Project Management Office (PMO).
If the PMO is established with a clear vision, strong sponsorship and a solid approach, it can be a vehicle for creating tremendous value for the company.

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Project Management Fundamentals e-Class

This TenStep “Fundamentals” e-class series provides an overview of the concepts, processes and techniques associated with managing a project from end to end. These sessions teach the practical application of value-add project management. Students will complete the e-class armed with techniques and processes to apply to your own projects.

The Fundamentals of Project Management e-class is made up of 10 2-hour sessions. Buy individual sessions or the entire e-class at a great discounted rate.

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