Depending on the scope of the project management office (PMO), the needs of the organization, and its level of maturity, the PMO will need to select a few key services where it can add visible value.
It is a critical success factor for a PMO to match its services to its organization’s maturity level. A successful PMO provides services that business units can rely on time after time.
Strategic Growth of the PMO Maturity
To achieve real success, the PMO must play a strategic role within the organization and add real business value. Unfortunately, many organizations still have low project management maturity.
In this case, a PMO should focus first on providing the traditional back-end services before expanding its role. Services should be introduced gradually and mapped clearly on the PMO roadmap.
As the PMO sets its direction, it needs to consider what services it will offer and when to offer these services. These decisions will also define the roles, responsibilities, and staffing needed to support each service.
14 Ways to Match Your PMO Services to Your Organization’s PM Maturity
The right PMO must assess the organization’s project management capabilities to align with its maturity goals. Here are 14 ways to match your PMO services to your organization’s project management maturity.
1. Project Management Support
Part of establishing the PMO is to deploy a common set of project management processes, procedures, and templates. These tools make project management and status reporting easier, while helping highlight any issues or risks more clearly.
The PMO needs to add value to the project team by helping them complete projects successfully. Project managers and other project team members are more likely to use templates and tools that are easy to use.
2. Project Management Methodology
A PMO will create and offer a set of standard project management tools and processes for project team members.
3. Project Manager Mentoring
A PMO offers consultative support to project team members by providing project management mentoring. It supports project managers in handling challenges and improving at-risk projects.
It can also sponsor the improvement of project management skills and knowledge through education and certification.
4. Project Meeting Support
PMOs can help project team members by supporting and facilitating project meetings.
5. Project Governance
PMO processes facilitate control and governance at different stages of a project. The PMO can help project managers get approvals by ensuring they have the correct project documents in the required standard for the governance committees.
It is also a best practice to start a stage-gate review approval process for projects during their development and implementation. At each gate, the PMO provides standardized templates that a governance steering committee must approve before moving to the next stage of the project.
Showing clear value and delivering effective project governance reports are critical for a PMO’s success. Communications should always be tailored appropriately to the intended audience.
6. Project Audits
Another key added-value service for a PMO is performing project reviews and risk management. These audits help identify issues early and improve overall project outcomes.
7. PMO Metrics and Reporting
Developing reports and dashboards is an important way for a PMO to show early value to the organization. Tracking KPIs highlights the PMO’s impact on business performance.
Another key role is to centralize and standardize project status reporting and RAID management (Risks, Assumptions, Issues, Dependencies).
The PMO will collate information from the weekly and monthly project status reports and format it to meet the needs of each targeted audience.
8. Business Case Validation
Ongoing validation of business cases is another way a PMO can deliver visible value. This service is especially useful if the organization decides to adopt a phase-gate process to structure project planning and executing projects.
9. Master Project Schedule List
A ‘Quick Win” for a PMO is to create a Master Project Schedule List of the current project portfolio. This report facilitates key activities, including project tracking, project prioritization, and portfolio management.
Depending on the project requirements, each project can be listed with a name, a short description, the current phase, and any stage-gate approval dates if needed.
The Master Project Schedule List helps organizations:
- Maximize the value of the portfolio.
- Achieve a balance between priorities.
- Align projects with the company strategy.
10. Centralization of Project Management Documents
Implementing a basic centralized directory for project documentation helps the PMO become a single source of truth for projects.
This improves access to information, supports consistent project management practices, and enhances project visibility.
Example of a Basic PMO Directory Structure:
- PMO Implementation Project Documents
- PMO Communication Documents
- Resource Management Spreadsheet
- Project Contact List
- PMO Policies, Processes, and Procedures
- Project Document Templates
- Governance Presentations
- Governance Approvals Spreadsheet
11. Knowledge Management
To develop knowledge management for future projects, a PMO can facilitate post-project reviews and lessons learned meetings.
With the data gathered from these follow-up meetings, they can make sure new projects benefit from past experiences.
12. Change Control
An effective change control process helps a PMO manage changes to project scope, costs, schedule, and benefits, adding clear value to project delivery.
13. Resource Management
A PMO can play a key role in resource management in hiring, financial management, and project prioritization.
14. Portfolio Management
As a PMO becomes more established, it can move from its traditional role of project oversight to portfolio management and aligning projects with strategic priorities.
Advancing PMO Maturity Goals With BrightWork
Matching PMO services to an organization’s project management maturity is key to long-term success. As maturity improves, the PMO can grow its services to add more business value, boost project outcomes, and support organizational goals.
A high-performance PMO adapts to the organization’s needs, helping teams deliver projects more effectively, on time, and within budget.
BrightWork 365 is a simple, scalable solution that helps your PMO manage projects and portfolios at every stage of your maturity journey – all within Microsoft 365.
