Business Environment Interface Concepts

The PMO can serve as an implementer of HR department guidance in the project management environment. This is an effort that business units in most organizations already perform, and it is applicable to the PMO whether it is itself a resource manager or is simply coordinating the activities of resource managers within the relevant organization. This ensures that resource oversight above the project manager's supervisory level continues even when resources are no longer in their assigned business unit. Of course, this may not be needed if the project manager's resource management authority is limited by a weak matrix-type project team structure, where resources continue to report to their primary resource managers. However, there are arguably indications that such a structure reduces resource management effectiveness for both the project manager and the resource manager.

The PMO is ideally situated, and presumably authorized, to coordinate project resource use with resource managers across the relevant organization. It can serve as a source of information and endorsement for resource managers who are essentially external to the project management environment. A prominent role would be for the PMO to educate resource managers on project resource needs, demonstrating that "loaned resources" are not a loss to the resource manager but, rather, a gain to the relevant organization's project efforts. It can further illustrate how the matrix management approach is intended to serve the project management environment as well as the business unit. As well, the PMO can assist in monitoring both project manager and resource manager commitment of resources to project efforts. It also can formalize the process and monitor individual resource commitments to project assignments according to the practices established in the relevant organization.