A New Vision for the PMO

[ Login/Subscribe ]

Features

Departments

PPM

Tools

Executive

Resources

About Us

Home > Executive Report > Opinion

A New Vision for the PMO
Hank Leingang (April 16, 2007)

The project management offices that deliver the best business value are always on the lookout for ways to apply their resources to activities that offer more to their enterprises than “order taker.” Vendor management and regulatory compliance are two critical areas to start. And in time, the PMO should strive to be viewed as the COO of IT.

As the former CIO of a couple of substantial-sized companies, I know something about Project Management Offices (PMOs). They save money by analyzing and weeding out requests for projects that aren't worth doing. They make sure the most important projects get tackled first. And they keep worthy endeavors on track until they're finished and all major stakeholders are happy. I relied on PMOs for a lot of the heavy lifting and appreciated their competence and dedication to quality results.

Portfolio project management software vendors have been talking for several years now about a "portfolio" approach to project management. They've encouraged PMOs to view individual projects in the context of the business value expected from them and have even created informative, graphically-rich dashboards to make the process easier and a touch more glamorous.

So what's wrong? Nothing, really — except that in many instances, this view of the PMO emanates from the bottom up.

Please login/register to read the entire article.

Sponsored Announcements and Special Offers

Project Management Software That Breaks the Mold - Is your team is struggling under the weight of outdated schedules, multiple spreadsheets, and mountains of email? Get organized, get visibility, and save up to 3 hours a day with LiquidPlanner. Scheduling has never been easier with drag-n-drop prioritization that fits the way YOUR team works. Free for 30 days.

Resource Planning Summit, Sept. 19-21, 2010, La Jolla, CA - Resource Planning is HOT today! Opening Keynoter Mike Hanford, Research Director at Gartner, will describe why, and what firms must do about it. Nine industry speakers will describe the startling results they have achieved. If you have anything to do with resource management, register NOW!

ProjectWorld® & World Congress for Business Analysts® is the premier conference for advancing collaboration through practice. The high level content cannot be found at any other industry event because it stretches far beyond the fundamentals to provide leadership, strategy and enterprise wide information - exactly what you need to be more valuable to yourself and your organization.

Are you ready to gain the highest recognition for a BA and apply the best practices defined in the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge®? Let us help you prepare for Certified Business Analysis Professional® certification with our CBAP® Exam Prep Course. We also provide CBAP® Application Workshops (free webinars) to help you successfully get approved for the CBAP® application.

Are your Business Analysis Skills Current? Business analysis is not just about IT requirements anymore. Organizations are looking for a new breed of professionals to bridge the business and technology gap with value-centric solutions. Develop the fundamental skills and best practices you need to stay ahead of changes in your field with our business analysis training offerings.

@task
BAM! BA Newsletter
BAMentor
IIL
Keller Graduate School
LiquidPlanner
Management Concepts
Microsoft
PM War Stories
PPM Executive Newsletter
Resource Plan Summit '10
RMC Project Mgmt
Stanford University
Walden University

September 2010:

What are the main reasons that projects fall behind schedule?