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PMOs must share passion for delivery

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When people talk about stakeholder management on a project, they seem surprised that the PMO has any influence. In fact, the PMO can play a huge role.

I think it is up to us as PMO professionals to share more of our experiences and best practice. This will enable us to get more people on board and understand the PMO role and how it can add value to any programme or project.

The P30 Guidance and exam was a great start and seemed to at last formally recognise PMO. But we still have a way to go for people to utilise the resource effectively on a project or programme.

The PMO can understand the business objectives to ensure the project aligns to them. The role is often underutilised in a technical respect, whereas if the PMO was at the forefront of technical conversations, the experience and knowledge within it could lead to smoother and more successful delivery.

We must share our share our learnings more widely. A case study approach for each type of organisation or project could be useful, similar to the Olympic Delivery Authoritys Learning Legacy. P30 Guidance has put us on the map but there is much more to do to get us fully appreciated and recognised for our passion in delivery, resilience and best practices. Perhaps this is the way forward?

Sonal Shah
Written bySonal Shah
Sonal Shah is passionate about PMO and Project management and sees this as a springboard to enhancing company effectiveness in project delivery and is keen to see project roles used properly across teams with increased understanding. She has over ten years’ experience in the industry from both private and public sector experience in companies such as Siemens Enterprise Telecommunications Ltd working in the company wide Enterprise Programme Management Office through to BP in IT&S and Prosource IT. Sonal has an approach that is people focussed and works with individuals and groups to help them see the value PMO brings while utilising the best aspects of Project Managers experience and knowledge. Above all, she remains committed to bringing more awareness and understanding of project roles such as the PMO, which helps utilise the role well and maximise the value that organisations can achieve.

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  1. Sonal Shah
    Sonal Shah 02 May 2014, 11:13 AM

    Hi Nadim Thanks for your comments I do think not enough is understood or said about the value a PMO can bring to programmes and projects as not always understood well enough so learning is important for us project professionals to make the business aware.

  2. Nadim Hussain
    Nadim Hussain 02 May 2014, 10:51 AM

    Sonal,Your post was refreshing to read and says it clearing it as it is. PMO are sometimes seen as nuisance parts of the business, that is until a major incident, political or otherwise hits senior management and action is taken.  Support your idea about sharing and learning and hope I can learn and in time, share experience with the community.  Nadim