Ep2 PMO Learning Series PMO types

Summary

This episode of the Global PMO Solutions Learning Series, hosted by Dr. Walker, explores various types of PMOs (Project Management Offices), their roles, and authority structures. It covers basic PMOs, functional or departmental PMOs, and enterprise/global PMOs, explaining how they manage projects, align with corporate strategies, and vary in reporting structures. The episode also discusses centralized, decentralized, and hybrid PMO models, as well as the internal and external roles of PMOs in organizations. The focus is on understanding the distinct responsibilities, methodologies, and governance mechanisms each PMO type employs.

Takeaways

• 📚 The PMO Learning Series aims to educate on various business areas such as PMO, project portfolio management, and change management.
• 🏢 PMOs come in different types: basic, functional/departmental, enterprise/corporate, and global PMOs, each with distinct roles and structures.
• 🛠️ A basic PMO supports a single, complex project, like an ERP implementation, managing planning, cost, timelines, and resources.
• 💼 A functional or departmental PMO operates at an organizational or divisional level, reporting to departments such as IT, finance, or product management.
• 📊 Enterprise or corporate PMOs focus on aligning corporate strategy with project portfolio management, overseeing multiple projects and project managers.
• 🔄 Enterprise PMOs often direct project managers, create career paths, and focus on training and development of project management staff.
• 🌍 PMOs can be internally or externally facing, with external PMOs often functioning in consultant or outsourced roles.
• 🧑‍💼 PMO authority can range from consultative and knowledge-based to compliance-driven, depending on the organization’s needs.
• 📈 Compliance PMOs focus on monitoring project delivery and staff performance, ensuring standardization and governance throughout the organization.
• 🎓 PMOs play a key role in establishing processes, methodologies, training staff, and managing knowledge repositories for project and program management.

Q & A

What is the primary objective of the PMO Learning Series?

The primary objective of the PMO Learning Series is to help educate and share knowledge in various business areas, such as PMO, project portfolio management, and change management.

What are the three main types of PMOs mentioned in the series?

The three main types of PMOs are basic PMO, functional or departmental PMO, and enterprise, corporate, or global PMO.

What does a basic PMO focus on?

A basic PMO supports a single complex project, such as ERP implementation, and manages planning, cost, timelines, and resources at the project level.

What distinguishes a functional or departmental PMO?

A functional or departmental PMO operates at the organizational level, typically within specific departments like IT, finance, or strategy, and integrates resources to coordinate project and program management.

How does an enterprise or global PMO differ from other PMO types?

An enterprise or global PMO services the entire organization and focuses on corporate strategic alignment, project portfolio management, and directing all project managers while also developing their career paths and training needs.

What are the two models of enterprise PMO structure?

The first model involves the PMO reporting to a department of strategy, while the second model has the PMO reporting directly to the executive level, such as the CIO, with a dotted line between PMO and PPM leadership.

What is the role of a PMO in organizations with external-facing services?

In organizations with external-facing services, PMOs often operate in a consultant or virtual model, focusing on outsourced project management for clients, particularly in consultant-based firms.

What are the internal PMO structures, and how do they differ?

The internal PMO structures include centralized, decentralized, and a combination. A centralized PMO governs all projects across divisions and regions, while a decentralized PMO governs projects within each region but coordinates with other PMOs.

What types of authority can a PMO hold?

PMOs can hold various types of authority, including consulting-based authority, knowledge-based authority, and compliance or authoritarian authority, depending on where they report within the organization.

What responsibilities are associated with a compliance-type PMO?

A compliance-type PMO is responsible for standardizing processes, monitoring performance, facilitating executive governance, overseeing project and program delivery, and providing reporting at all levels, including executive dashboards.