Project Governance Activities Across the PMO Continuum

The "project governance" function along the PMO competency continuum is initially characterized by activities that establish the PMO as a business activity having central authority and responsibility for project management across the relevant organization. This includes an acknowledgement of accountability to higher authority throughout the advancing stages of PMO development. However, it also illustrates progressively independent authority to "govern" in the project management environment without being burdensome to executives and senior managers.

Table 5.1 presents an overview of the range of prescribed PMO project governance activities according to each level in the PMO competency continuum.

Table 5.1: Range of Project Governance Activities across the PMO Continuum

Project Office	Basic PMO	Standard PMO	Advanced PMO	Center of Excellence
Conducts project management using authority conveyed by a project charter	Introduces essential business authority and policy guidance for use in project management Establishes the PMO charter Develops policy guidance needed in the project environment Identifies project managers' scope of authority Specifies project classification	Ensures that business and technical guidance is properly conveyed to the project environment Establishes an executive control board Convenes and uses business and technical advisory boards and committees Monitors project environment for use of business and technical guidance	Manages authority for direct interfaces with organizational business managers Collaborates on preparation of policy, practices, and guidance used by project managers Establishes requirements for cross-functional business support Identifies project sponsors' scope of authority	Develops and contributes practice guidance for use across the relevant organization Recommends adaptation of business processes Assesses practices of the executive control board Establishes cross-functional task forces for major practice renovations

The project office, in the form of the project manager, is the first line of authority for project management. The project charter is the instrument that conveys the necessary authority to manage project work. It also is the instrument that can specify what information or feedback is required from the project manager to the PMO and, ultimately, to the responsible executive or executive control board.

Mid-range PMO levels have the responsibility of introducing the capability and asserting appropriate authority within the project management environment. In particular, the mid-range PMO is responsible for using its authority to implement the business and technical policies and guidance deliberated and decided by executives and senior managers who have vested interests in project performance. Throughout this level of PMO operations, the PMO will play an influential role in developing and recommending project management policies and guidance for senior management review and approval. The PMO may evolve to hold its own authority to prescribe policy and guidance without excessive senior management review, although it continues its close collaboration with senior management representatives from business units.

The center of excellence takes on a business unit-type approach to project governance. It is concerned with oversight and the delegation of authority within the project environment, but with a distinct cross-functional business interest and perspective. It will look at what authority different participants need, and how that authority can be placed at the appropriate level of management to maximize effectiveness for all business operations.

The PMO's "project governance" function undoubtedly will be established consistent with the existing culture and distribution of authority that exists within the relevant organization. That considered, it remains only to be said that the PMO, at whatever stage it is introduced, must have sufficient authority to influence the activities of the project management environment and to undertake and achieve the business objectives for which it was created.