By Mark Munster, PMP, CSM, CSPO
In 2020, the pandemic highlighted the importance of being resilient and responsive to change. The world had to rapidly change the way we collaborate, communicate, and accomplish work. We swiftly organized our efforts to put people first, conduct our work with more agility, and evolve our methods, processes, and solutions. The future Project Management Office (PMO), if structured and scoped correctly, can bring greater focus and agility to accomplish organizational goals.
Preparing the PMO
PMOs have had to learn to pivot toward Agile methodologies to adapt quickly to changing circumstances and prioritize the most critical projects and initiatives. PMOs also must adeptly expand or contract their core functions instantaneously. To prepare for the future, PMOs can use a three-step process to quickly define and refine the core functions performed by the PMO, regardless of the size, scope, complexity, or magnitude of the initiatives.
1. Gather PMO Requirements
Discovery questions help determine the catalyst and magnitude for the potential initiatives that the PMO will support. This information helps determine the level of support responsibility the PMO will play, the impact of the overall efforts, and whether the requirements are emerging or are clearly defined or require innovative solutions.
2. Select PMO Core Functions
Core functions should align with the requirements of the initiatives in the portfolio. Ultimately, the core functions drive the roles and responsibilities that will define the resources and skills needed when establishing the PMO, as seen in the table below.
3. Establish PMO Options
There are several PMO models that can serve as a blueprint to align to the core functions.
PMOs can simultaneously require different options. For example, PMOs that provide a product or service may provide that service to an enterprise-wide set of stakeholders, but require functions that align most to adaptive and optimization-based PMOs. By using this process, PMOs can help ensure that they have a repeatable and adaptive way to accomplish organizational goals at a moment’s notice in the future.