The Program Management Office

The role of project management in the modern organization has grown significantly. The effective management of project portfolios that include numerous short-terms projects, large multi-project programs or both has become a growing challenge for industry, government and other institutions. Many organizations have identified a need to formalize the practice of project management and develop centers of coordination and excellence for project management. The Program Management Office is a guide to satisfying this need for improved coordination, standardization, optimization, and management of the practice of project management. It addresses the strategic and practical aspects of establishing and managing the program management office (PMO) including how to create a clear and compelling business case for the PMO and sell the business case to management, how to design, structure, and implement a PMO, and how to clearly demonstrate the value provided by the PMO once operational. The text also addresses a number of common challenges that management, PMO implementation teams, and PMO staff often struggle with as they develop, implement, and manage a PMO.

The early chapters of this book provide step by step instructions to those interested in implementing and managing an effective PMO. The later chapters provide practical guidance to those who already work in a functioning PMO on how to improve PMO performance as well as its value to the organization. The author proposes that the PMO serve three primary missions — standards, consulting and knowledge. He discusses these three domains in detail and provides an understanding of why each is important as well as how the PMO can best serve each of these missions to maximize value to the organization. The Program Management Office: Establishing, Managing and Growing the Value of a PMO is an outstanding guide for those interested in starting a PMO or in growing the value of an existing PMO. It is also an ideal text for project management course instruction on the subject of PMOs.
 

Key Features:
Introduces essential concepts, models, and fundamental roles of the PMO for those exploring the idea of starting a PMO to more effectively manage their organization’s project management processes and project portfolio
Delineates the key processes involved in establishing a PMO, including selecting a PMO leader, setting organizational structure, gaining executive support, and defining the PMO charter
Features the PMO “90-Day Plan” which provides readers with a set of steps to help get their PMO effort up and running quickly and provides guidance on how to effectively manage a PMO after it is established
Covers developing, managing, and growing organizational standards and portfolio management processes; project consulting, mentoring and actively managing projects; and education, training and development of a project knowledgebase as the three primary missions of the PMO.


 

Part I: Introduction to the Program Management Office (PMO)

Chapter 1: What is a PMO?
Chapter 2: Why do organizations establish PMOs?
Chapter 3: What value does a PMO provide?

Part II: Selling the PMO Concept in Organizations

Chapter 4: What areas of project management in organizations can be improved by PMOs?
Chapter 5: How does the PMO act as a driver of increased project culture in organizations?
Chapter 6: Common areas of resistance to PMOs and suggested strategies for overcoming resistance

Part III: Getting Started

Chapter 7: Preparing for change
Chapter 8: Selecting a PMO leader
Chapter 9: Selecting a PMO organizational structure
Chapter 10: Defining the PMO charter
Chapter 11: The PMO in Operation—The First 90 Days

Part IV: The PMO as a Standards Organization

Chapter 12: How to establish a set of standard organizational project management practices
Chapter 13: Deploying an Organizational Project Methodology
Chapter 14: The PMO role in project auditing

Part V: The PMO as a Consulting Organization

Chapter 15: The PMO role in portfolio management
Chapter 16: The PMO role in deploying project management best practices
Chapter 17: The PMO role in assisting troubled projects
Chapter 18: The PMO as a mentoring organization

Part VI: The PMO as a Knowledge Organization

Chapter 19: Capturing and maintaining project knowledge
Chapter 20: Developing and implanting a project management training program

Index