Project Management Office Essentials Explained
A PMO – Project Management Office – can be a game changer for an organization. If you’re not sure exactly what a PMO does, you’re in the right place because I’m going to explain exactly what a PMO is and what some of the benefits of PMOs are for organizations.
What is a PMO?
Depending on the company, the PMO may look after every project in an organization, be involved in strategy, and be highly connected to what’s happening at the senior level.
In other companies, the PMO may be just a one-stop-shop for getting documentation and ensuring that everyone is working from the same set of project principles.
Bottom line? A PMO helps to centralize projects within an organization so its projects are aligned with its strategies.
What else is true about PMOs?
- They are usually their own department
- They support projects and remove roadblocks
- PMs report into them at checkpoints in their projects
What are the benefits of having a PMO?
- They bring standardization to project ways of working
- They help drive productivity and efficiency for project managers
- They ensure resource loading is balanced and that budgets stay on track
I’ve worked with organizations who have struggled with getting projects to the finish line in a standardized way, and I’ve seen the benefits for them of setting up a PMO. I’ve also seen the pitfalls to avoid.
In my latest video I talk about PMO challenges and dive into how to handle them. I cover:
- What kind of pushback to expect
- Where you may struggle to get support
- When ‘cowboy’ executives show up
- Where communication may break down
- A critical element that can make or break your PMO
Whether you’re implementing a very simple PMO, or one that’s highly complex, you want to take the right steps. Set your PMO up for success by following me over to YouTube to find out everything you need to know.
If you’re a decision-maker struggling to start a PMO, or you need extra support for your project managers, check out my SLAY Corporate Program. It’s a turnkey solution that gives your teams access to my SLAY Project Management online course for standardized training, a private Support Hub with weekly group coaching, my SLAY AI tool, and customizable support to fit your organization’s needs.
Adriana Girdler, PMP | Creator of Slay Project Management™
