Project Management Methodology Activities Across the PMO Continuum

The evolution of the "project management methodology" function along the PMO competency continuum is characterized by:

• Development and implementation of increasingly more complete and comprehensive project management processes and practices

• Increased integration of technical and business process activities

• Wider cross-functional influence at advanced stages of the continuum, in association with oversight authority and responsibility for project management methodology

Table 1.1 presents an overview of the range of prescribed PMO project management methodology activities according to each level in the PMO competency continuum.

Table 1.1: Range of Project Methodology Activities across the PMO Continuum

Project Office	Basic PMO	Standard PMO	Advanced PMO	Center of Excellence
Applies effective practices for project performance and oversight; and employs standard life cycle processes when available	Introduces critical processes and practices of project management Identifies and develops critical processes Manages cross-project critical process use Identifies best and preferred practices	Establishes and monitors use of a complete project management methodology Provides full project life cycle coverage Integrates technical processes Conducts user training in methodology	Enhances content and monitors use of a comprehensive methodology Integrates business processes Optimizes alignment of automated tools Facilitates use of methodology across relevant business units	Analyzes project management methodology Examines process variation in business units Assesses methodology use and ongoing process improvement

The project office, as a formal or informal entity, is the fundamental agent of project management methodology implementation. Traditionally, project oversight has relied on the practices that each project manager has brought to bear, based on personal skill and experience. With the establishment of a project office, project managers can now contribute those valuable individual capabilities to the development of practices that can be applied across similar, related projects. Ultimately, these practices will form the foundation of more-structured, repeatable project management processes that can be shared across the organization.

Mid-range PMO levels of the continuum have the responsibility of developing and deploying a full project life cycle methodology that best fits the needs and requirements of the relevant organization. The PMO first ensures that a standard, structured, and repeatable process for conducting project management is established within the organization. This can begin with incremental development of only the most critical processes and later expanded to encompass a more complete methodology as the organization gains additional understanding and benefits from the initial processes. The PMO then expands its influence to develop its methodology to a comprehensive and robust level with appropriate integration or alignment of technical and business processes, according to the affiliated business units' needs.

The center of excellence performs any necessary methodology development, deployment, and review activities to formulate solutions and guide process collaboration across business units. As the interface with senior management, the center of excellence recommends and implements policy for development and deployment of project management methodology.

The fundamental objective of the PMO's "project management methodology" function across the PMO continuum is to:

• Determine and implement project management process solutions that align with the relevant organization's business interests

• Support the organization's technical work performance

• Assist project managers and project teams in achieving project objectives