I once worked with a project management office with a rigorous project intake process. They prioritized projects using PMO principles<\/a> focused on force-ranking scores heavily weighted by the project\u2019s return on investment.<\/p>\n Sounds great, right? It ensures they allocate resources to the projects that benefit the company most. Not quite.<\/p>\n Projects needed to support customer requests didn\u2019t usually score a high ROI.<\/strong> They were left at the bottom of the barrel, passed over month after month by high ROI projects. This left account managers frustrated and embarrassed as they continually made excuses to customers for why they couldn\u2019t meet their requests.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve interacted with and been a member of many flavors of PMO designs throughout my career. Some \u2013 like the one in the story above \u2013 were too \u201chot.\u201d They were frustratingly rigid and enforced over-engineered processes that barred growth and development. Others were too \u201ccold,\u201d providing little more than a rubber stamp of approval.<\/p>\n In the middle lies the ideal: the \u201cjust right\u201d PMO.<\/strong> This organization enables both IT and business teams<\/a> to appropriately prioritize efforts, ensures you achieve real benefits that align with the overall strategy, and supports both short- and long-term goals.<\/p>\n These organizations\u2019 PMO principles help them go beyond being administrative watchdogs and become integral, active partners.<\/p>\n Getting a project management office to be just right is an art, but there are five PMO guiding principles that can help.<\/p>\n Make sure the PMO design, structure and methodology<\/a> are a good cultural fit for the company. Some organizations respond well to a more rigorous process, while some rebel against it.<\/p>\n In the other direction, some organizations struggle to progress without being made to toe the line. Overall, a bad cultural fit will generate resentment and receive little, if any, support from senior leaders. Without leadership support, a PMO cannot be effective and is doomed to fail.<\/strong><\/p>\n We all know how to establish regular communication channels with stakeholders, core team members and extended team members. Remember to be transparent!<\/p>\n Is something going wrong, or might something possibly go wrong? Don\u2019t hide it. Communicate it and share the action or mitigation plan and key dates.<\/strong><\/p>\n Is something going exceptionally well? Celebrate it and give credit to the responsible team members!<\/p>\n A good PMO is a trusted and sought-after partner. Before saying no to anything, consider how to say yes instead.<\/strong> For example, rather than reject a project with no clear ROI, meet with the business sponsor to see if you can help them develop the business case.<\/p>\nFinding Balance in Your PMO<\/h2>\n
Five PMO Principles for a Successful Balance<\/h2>\n
1. Know the Culture<\/h3>\n
2. Communicate<\/h3>\n
3. Add Value<\/h3>\n
4. Embrace Feedback<\/h3>\n