Business Environment Interface Concepts

The PMO can accomplish the "facilities and equipment support" function by being a coordinator and collaborator in the business environment. The intent is not to replace any current business unit functionality but, rather, to influence processes that are conducive to effective and efficient management of facilities and equipment within the project management environment. However, if there are no existing business-area processes that address facilities and equipment management to support project efforts, then the PMO can play a lead business role in its accomplishment of this PMO function.

Presuming that there are current business functions within the relevant organization that address facilities and equipment, the PMO's primary responsibility will be to monitor the support provided to the project management environment. To that end, the PMO can collaborate with in-house facilities and equipment support providers to help them achieve a better understanding of how their support activities impact project management requirements. Subtleties taken for granted in the project management environment are not always evident to nonpractitioners, and current support processes may not necessarily be conducive to effective project management. For example, the classification and priority of a new project may influence equipment assignment, rather than an earlier-dated requisition request. Likewise, facilities that are available and can house two or three project teams may not be appropriate for such use if one of the project teams has contractual obligations for separate facilities to avoid a conflict of business interest. The PMO can monitor these conditions and help current support providers understand the concepts and considerations of project management.