In my last few articles, there were the information about various topics and concepts on Project Management Framework. By the end of this article, you will learn what a project management office PMO should do, what types you should consider and who really needs one?

Table of Contents

1. What is Project Management Office
2. Project Management Office Functions
3. Project Management Office Structure
   1. Supportive
   2. Controlling
   3. Directive
4. Project Management Office Roles and Responsibilities
5. Project Management Tools
6. Conclusion
7. A Question to you

What is Project Management Office

If we think about project management office definition, Project Management Office is a group within the organization. It takes the ownership to provide or ensure compliance with project governance. Project Management Office sets, maintains and ensures standards for project management across that organization. They keep track of best practices, project status and direction.

Project Management Office Functions

Their work includes helping project managers in tailoring efforts to meet the need of project and appropriate project management processes, tools and techniques. They help project managers for succeeding the project.

“At the end of the day, PMOs are in place to help organizations deliver value to their stakeholders to projects and programs,” says Brian Weiss, vice president, practitioner career development of the Project Management Institute.

PMO standardizes the management of projects. The role of the PMO could change as artificial intelligence and digital transformation take hold, but in today’s business climate, here’s what a PMO should do, what types you should consider, and who really needs one.

A PMO makes sure company procedures, practices and operations go right — on time, on budget and all in the same way. “PMOs are there to ensure project and program success, and that’s critical because organizations deliver value through projects and programs,” said Weiss. “How they do that depends upon how they’re situated within the organization.”

Project Management Office Structure

A PMO can take one of several different forms including the following:

Supportive

Supportive project management office supports to project managers and project teams. It provides the policies, methodologies, templates and lesson learned. It has low level control over projects.

Controlling

Controlling project management office has moderate level of control over projects. It provides support and guidance on how to manage projects, trains others in project management, project management software, project management tools and techniques. It ensures compliance with organizational policies.

Directive

Directive project management office has high level of control over projects. It provides project managers for different projects. Directive PMO is also responsible for the results of all projects managed by this office.

Project Management Office Roles and Responsibilities

There are various project management office roles and project management office activities. In other ways, it can be said as project management officer role.

1. Manages inter dependencies among projects, programs and portfolios.
2. Shares learning within organization projects, programs and portfolios and assess whether the organization is achieving its strategic objectives.
3. Provides project management resources.
4. Very much involved during project initiating that later in the project.
5. Prioritize projects.
6. Provides centralized information and establish communication about the projects.
7. Recommend termination of projects whenever needed.
8. Provides templates for documents such as Work Breakdown Structure WBS or communication management plans.
9. Helps in providing guidance and project governance.
10. Monitors compliance with organization processes.
11. Acts as a stakeholder.

Project Management Tools

Project management office can use various project management tools or project management office software to ease their work within the organization. Project management with office 365 is also a good example of using cloud technologies for project management purpose. Organizations take license of Microsoft Office 365 and get access to various Microsoft Office products on cloud.

Conclusion

In above article, you have learnt what a project management office PMO should do what types or structure you should consider?

We have understood, what is project management office, project management functions, project management office structure, project management office roles and responsibilities?

Question to you

Which Project Management Office structure (supportive/controlling/directive) is more important for your organization and why?

Answer?? You can give your thought in the comment box provided at the end of this article.

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