The business driven PMO: tuning the PMO to drive business results

The Business Driven PMO: Tuning the PMO to Drive Business Results Watford: 14-15th September 2011

The Business of PMO: Tuning the PMO to Drive Business Results from the APM PMO SIG was a unique opportunity to gain understanding and practical knowledge on the real business of PMOs – bridging the gap between projects and business.

The conference kicked off in the evening of the 14th September with eight sessions for delegates to choose from. We took a recording of each session (to varying degrees of success!) and captured highlights from each:

1. Professional Services – “Client Opportunity to Delivery” Solution – can you do something “PxO / Corporate” in your spare time? - From David Dunning

> Notes from the session run by David Dunning

2. The Challenges of Creating Consistent Business Cases in a Local Authority – From Martin McCann
Output from this session is currently unavailable, more details to follow

3. PO Audit – the Project Health Check Tool – From Jacqueline Wild

> Notes from the session run by Jacqueline Wild

> Table3_PMOSIG – PO Audit.pdf 

4. Resource Management Tool in Action – From Stuart Dixon

> Table4_S.Dixon.pdf 

> Table4_PMOSIG – Resource Management Tool in Action 

5. Project Planning for Future Using History – From David Rodgers

This session discusses a planning optimisation tool which gives guidance on how long certain phases of projects should realistically be, based on historic data of similar projects.

> Table5_D.Rodgers.pdf 

> Table5_PMOSIG - Planning Optimisation Tool.xls 

6. Path from a Work Request to a Project – From Isabel Pena Barrientos

> Table6_I.PenaBarrientos.pdf 

> Table6_PMOSIG Workflow.pdf 

7. Ways of Managing Dependencies in a Portfolio Level PMO – From Lain Burgos-Lovece

> Table7_L.Burgos-Lovece .pdf 

> Table7_PMOSIG - Dependency Management - Generic Blueprint.pdf 

8. Implementing Tools and Processes – From Steve Johnson

> Notes from the Session run by Steve Johnson

The 15th September and we’re down to the main business of Business Driven PMOs; this full day workshop, hosted and presented by Mark Price Perry – author and presenter of “The PMO Podcast”. The Business of PMO focuses on the reality of setting up and managing a PMO in business environments that demand real results that make a difference to an organisation’s bottom line.

Mark Price Perry takes us on a practical PMO journey; bridging the gap between projects & programmes and the real business needs today that drive the success and continued evolution of the PMO.

Each part of the workshop was captured by mindmap – each session was fast paced with lots of information generating discussion around the conference room. Slides are also available for Mark’s workshop however the mindmaps give a little flavour of the main points.

With 50% of PMOs having closed over the last 4 years; the Business of PMO covers four crucial areas which focus on ensuring your PMO is not the next in line. The workshop opened with Mark Duddy taking the audience through recent research and survey outcomes on the current and future of PMOs. The research mentioned during the session can be found at:

• The State of the PMO 2010 published by PM Solutions in October 2010
• In January 2011 Planview Inc. also published The 2010 PMO 2.0 Trending Survey Report

 The workshop throughout the day concentrates on:

• PMO Organisation

Is your PMO business driven or theory driven? Does your PMO really deliver what the business needs or expects? Do you know the business value of your PMO? Are you becoming too inwardly focused? Are you fed up with continually having to “sell the PMO” to the business?

The PMO Organisation looks at the fundamentals or foundation blocks of the PMO and provides many thoughts and options on how your PMO could be initiated; where the PMO is heading; or how to revitalise what you already have

PMO Management Are you a great PMO leader? Are you a servant leader or a subject matter expert? Is your PMO a high performing team? Are you methodology slaves or is there flexibility in your PMO? Methodology or process oriented? The PMO Management covers the business of managing project management within an organisation through the PMO. It looks at the leadership of PMO – an opportunity to look at your part in the PMO and the chance to apply some lateral thinking to the business that is PMO.

PMO Tools

Still using Excel for all the project and programme tracking? Not sure about how and where to invest in PMO architecture? Are PMOs tool needs transactional? Looking for an independent view on establishing PMO tools and architecture?

The PMO Tools follows on from the workshop and sessions from the evening before. We’ve listened to the PMOSIG members on the need for sessions on PMO tools and the opportunity to hear from others on what works for their organisation. In this session we look at how to establish and evolve PMO tools.

PMO Maturity

Are maturity and capability models on your PMO agenda? Who should take responsibility for the PMO’s maturity? Are you aware of complex adaptive systems and the emergence of new directions in project management which have an affect on the PMO?

There are many paths to PMO maturity which don’t necessarily include traditional models and theories which can be costly and time consuming to implement. In this session, PMO maturity is addressed by challenging the “what you already know” into “thinking differently” about the longevity of your PMO and the success it brings to the business

Join the Discussion

If you missed the opportunity to attend the autumn conference and workshop and are interested in Mark Price Perry’s book, you could be in with an opportunity to win a copy.

We have two copies to giveaway when you leave a comment sharing your top tip in setting up a PMO or improving the PMO you work within.

To take part visit either the new APM PMO SIG forum here.

Or you can take part in the PMOSIG LinkedIn group here.

Many thanks to everyone who attended the conference!