Comparisons

Compliance and Help Desk PMOs both have frequent interaction with project managers, but the nature of that interaction is very different. What benefits do they offer, what are their drawbacks, and in what types of organizations are they best suited? Here’s a comparison of both models.

What are the key differences between compliance-based PMOs and their administrative counterparts? What are their advantages and downsides? Why do project managers tend to prefer one over the other? And what organizational factors should be considered when deciding to establish one PMO approach over the other? Here's a comparison of both models.

An administrative PMO doesn’t get heavily involved in day-to-day execution of the processes it develops, and works best with experienced project managers who prefer independence. A help-desk PMO offers the additional function of coach and mentor, and works better in a culture of open communication and continuous improvement. Here’s a comparison of both models.

Steering committees can reduce risk, facilitate faster decision making and keep the project manager more closely informed on the project’s position in the portfolio and in the organization as a whole. But there is overhead, and they can end up being just another level of bureaucracy in the project management hierarchy.

How do you identify team requirements and knowledge sources differently for traditional and agile projects? What are some best practices that are common or useful to both approaches?