Concepts and Content Overview

The prescribed PMO functions and associated activities are presented for due examination and consideration for individuals and organizations looking to establish a PMO capability that will enhance project performance, increase project management maturity, and integrate business interests and objectives. The proposed functions provide insight and guidance regarding the type of PMO functionality that can be pursued and suggest how they can be modeled or constructed. They suggest or prescribe possibilities, leaving it up to the individuals responsible for implementing PMO functions to deliberate and decide how to implement these model concepts in their business environment. Undoubtedly, adaptations and adjustments of the PMO function models will be the rule rather than the exception.

Similarly, it is unlikely that any individual PMO will use all of the functions or activities proffered here. There are too many unique business environments and organizational circumstances to presume that they would all fit nicely in every location and every business environment. Instead, the PMO can use the recommended function models as guidance, implementing only the particular PMO functions essential to its project management environment.

It should also be noted that the PMO function models are not particularly project management models. Whereas each PMO function model has significant relevance in the project management environment, these models represent what the PMO does, not what the project manager does. At best, the embedded prescriptions for the project office are activities performed by project managers when they conduct oversight as a Stage 1 PMO.

Throughout this book is the underlying premise that, overall, the PMO is a "business integration" activity. To that end, many PMO function models present concepts that not only approach, but also sometimes include, traditional business functions. It is never intended that the PMO replace organizational business functionality or functional departments. Rather, the PMO has responsibility for working with them to facilitate or adapt business functionality for use in the project management environment. The PMO function model may state that the PMO "should" or "will" do something, but that is only in the context of the prescriptive nature of this work. It is considerably more important that the PMO identify where in the relevant organization such functionality may already exist and then develop collaborative means to have it represented in and supportive of the project management environment. The PMO should facilitate the positive influence and integration of business functionality in the project management environment. The applicable PMO function model can, in turn, be used to aid in introducing such business integration.

Likewise, when a PMO function model prescribes an action or activity for the PMO to perform, it should fulfill those efforts to the extent permitted by existing PMO competency and maturity, current business capability, and acceptance within the overriding organizational culture. The PMO function models enumerate what is needed in the project management environment to effectively conduct project management oversight, control, or support. Smaller PMOs, usually with limited staff and authority, certainly cannot begin to address the full scope of activities recommended for each PMO function model. Some larger PMOs may not be chartered to pursue certain functionality. In those cases, the PMO should adopt as much or as little of the model prescription as needed. When a PMO inherently is not able to fully implement a PMO function, it can work and maneuver within the business environment to facilitate implementation of PMO functional interests by a better-suited business unit or other functional department. In some cases, the PMO will discover that proposed functionality already exists in the relevant organization. It then becomes the PMO's responsibility to introduce it into the project management environment, to the extent possible, to align with widely accepted, professional project management practices and precepts.

Given these underlying concepts, each of the 20 subsequent chapters delineating PMO functions contains the following recurring subsections:

• Chapter Introduction: Presents a brief overview of applicable concepts for the given PMO function, including a specification of what capability the PMO achieves as a result of implementing the function.

• Project Environment Interface Concepts: Identifies the impact and general benefits to be realized within the project management environment as a result of implementing the particular PMO function.

• Business Environment Interface Concepts: Identifies the impact and general benefits to be realized within the business environment as a result of implementing the particular PMO function.

• [Function Area] Activities across the PMO Continuum: Highlights the prescribed PMO activities for implementing the particular PMO function at each of the five progressive PMO competency stages.

• [Function Area] Function Model: Provides a detailed and comprehensive discussion of the prescribed activities to be performed in conjunction with implementing the particular PMO functionality. This portion of extensive content within each chapter varies significantly according to the prescribed activities of the particular function model.

• Postscript for the Smaller PMO: Provides a brief statement of insight and focus for individuals associated with a more modest PMO function implementation. Following examination of the extensive and comprehensive descriptions that present the activities, concepts, and considerations of each PMO function model, this final section of each chapter suggests the fundamental capabilities that the smaller PMO can address.