What you need to know to set up your company’s Project Management Office

At C/D/H, we strive to achieve what we call “predictive excellence.”

That’s our buzzword for assuring ourselves and our clients that we will deliver a quality product to our clients -- every time.

In the manufacturing world, this process is usually called “quality assurance.” If we were in that business, we would create systems that consistently produce widgets within a specific quality range. The model has been around for decades in other industries, too, and now we bring it to our consulting projects.

But we don’t manufacture widgets. It’s even safe to say we almost never produce the same product twice. Our clients need individualized services and products, and this makes it difficult to develop technical approaches which are repeatable and predictable.

So, we must rely on systems that manage our technical projects to predict and achieve an excellent outcome. We develop these management systems in our Project Management Office.

We’ve discussed in previous articles the benefits of and reasons for building your own Project Management Office.

Here’s what you need:

• Support from your executive team, and a champion on that team who understands and believes in the concept of effective project management.
• A core team of committed individuals who are willing to drive the project while you build and maintain the office.
• A strong leader who can effectively bring change to your organization.
• Recognition by the organization that effective project management will result in positive change.
• Alignment with your business governance structure and clear lines of communication between the project management office and business stakeholders.

The path starts with a strong business case.

Typically, this initiative does not start at the top.

Weaknesses in project management are recognized first at the ground level, among project teams and managers. You must work with your managers to build a case that will attract a champion on “Executive Row,” one who can position the Project Management Office as a resource for change and improvement, not as a watchdog. Without this crucial buy-in, your PMO will be met with resistance at every turn.

Once you have a champion and a strong case, you can assemble your team.

Enlist members from among those people throughout your organization who have a vested interest in the project’s success. Find a strong leader who is passionate and committed. If you’re taking the time to read this, that person could be you!

Team members should bring an even balance of those with competencies and those with influence in the organization. You can’t just stack the team with great project managers and hope to be successful if you don’t have a voice that carries weight. Include managers from the most strategic parts of your business. They will be most effective when they are part of the change, not only targets of it.

Now it’s time to get to work.

Your PMO team will build the office, develop the methodologies, build best practices and deploy tools and processes. Use your influencers to test your strategies and tactics throughout the organization. Don’t forget to collect feedback and refine your processes accordingly. Along the way, you will develop tools to measure project performance.

At this point, your PMO will begin to integrate with your governance committee. They are the team most interested in project performance and driving continuous improvement. Set up regular communication and reporting paths to this team -- because it is your ally in keeping the office strong.

These are the factors critical to building a successful Project Management Office. You’ll travel a long road, and the process can be a huge undertaking but, with a strong case, executive support and the right team, you can make it happen.

We can help you get started on your own Project Management Office. Contact your C/D/H consultant for a conversation with one of our certified Project Management Professionals.