PM ADVISORY:

How to Leverage Value from your PMO

By Ian McDougall

Principal, Moorhouse Consulting
UK

Introduction

Fundamental to success or a costly overhead – where do you stand on the Project Management Office (PMO) debate?

A Project Management Institute (PMI) and CIO study found that of 750 organisations researched worldwide, over 75% of organisations that had set up a PMO shut it down because it did not demonstrate any added value. PMOs should be a way to increase efficiency, cut costs, and improve programme and project delivery in terms of time and budget. So why are so many failing to deliver?

Challenge yourself. Go on, really challenge yourself.

As a programme and project management practitioner, how well are your PPM practices working? Do you believe that you are performing optimally across the spectrum of functionality; are you concerned that there may be deficiencies in your individual and organisational capabilities; do you know where the gaps lie and do you have an approach to address these areas?

Now, challenge yourself again!

A combination of the increasingly complex nature of today’s programme delivery environment and an overarching focus on cost reduction has thrust the role of the programme management office (PMO) back into the spotlight. And the debate between those who recognise the PMO function as a fundamental enabler for delivery success and others who simply perceive it as unnecessary and costly overhead to the business is hotting up.

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About the Author Ian McDougall Author Ian McDougall, a Principal with 'APM Project Management Company of the Year 2008', Moorhouse Consulting, has a significant amount of programme and project management experience, formerly as a military engineer and latterly as a public sector consultant with PA Consulting, one of the UK’s leading management and technology consulting companies.  Ian has considerable experience of working on large, complex change programmes in Government His worked has involved engaging at Central and Regional Government levels and with local authorities. He enthuses in leading initiatives and motivating clients to implement successful delivery structures to realise programme and project benefits. He is a firm believer in coaching and skills transfer as part of his consultancy delivery. He has a MSc from Cranfield University in the management and exploitation of spatial data and has led several high-profile projects in this area.  Ian is experienced in utilising methodologies such as PRINCE2 (Qualified Practitioner), MSP Advanced Practitioner and the Successful Delivery Toolkit (SDTK).  To contact Mr. McDougall or to learn more about Moorhouse Consulting, visit www.moorhouseconsulting.com.