I am often asked by CEOs and senior managers, “Does our organization need a PMO?” Like all yes/no questions about complex topics that involve a cost– benefit trade, the answer to this question is, “It depends.” Let me elaborate…..
What is a PMO?
Software development projects, especially complex ones, have a notoriously high failure rate—some estimates are as high as 60%–70% of software projects fail to deliver on their requirements and cost estimates.
A PMO, often reporting directly to the CIO, provides guidance and support to projects in implementing best practices, complying with standards and using tools to help keep projects on track. PMOs may conduct project reviews and increasingly are being expected to be directly accountable for project results. In some organizations, the PMO is staffed with experienced personnel who are loaned out to manage IT projects.
T.D. Jainendrukumar writing in PM World Today (January 2008) provides an overview of the duties of a PMO. He sees the PMO as responsible for: Practice Management, Infrastructure management, Resource Integration Management, Technical Support Management, and Business Alignment and his article describes these functions in detail.
What are the benefits of a PMO?
In an article by Megan Santosus for CIO, titled Why You Need a Project Management Office (PMO), she reported that her research found that more than 50% of those organizations with a PMO claimed improved project success rates.
At Cognitive Technologies, we encourage establishing an organizational PMO when projects are of strategic importance to the company’s future or projects are to be executed over multiple years, multiple business units or in coordination with outside organizations. We have found that a PMO helps organizations execute complex software development projects by providing increased:
- Control
- Collaboration
- Communication
If you want to dig deeper, check out Cognitive Technologies white paper about our experience and recommendations regarding PMOs: “Why do you need a PMO”.
Does your organization need a PMO?
Here are 5 yes/no questions that will help your organization decide if a PMO will help you do a better job managing your software development projects:
- Is the level of complexity within the organization’s environment high—i.e., the effort may involve multiple departments (each of which has different stakeholders) within the client organization?
- Is the project for an outside client who is likely to assign an Independent Validation (IV&V) consultant or auditor to the program?
- Are specialized requirements involved? (For example, HIPPA information security requirements, financial security requirements, EV reporting, CMMI compliant process or execution levels, PMI best practices, or specialized time reporting and charge codes.)
- Will a single methodology be enforced across the different projects or program team, requiring cultural and behavior changes for the individual contributors?
- Will there be a large number of staff/people to be managed, assigned, and tracked (i.e., 100-150) across the projects or program?
One other good source for PMO thoughts is the 2003 article in CIO magazine on Why do you need a Project Management Office.
If you have worked with a PMO in your organization, please leave a comment and share your observations. In a near-future post, I will talk about the Do’s and Dont’s of setting up a PMO.
Fear No Project Blog - Focusing on the Management Side of Projects 
March 8, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Well written. I will keep reading to find out more opinions of the PMO.
In your writing how about including something about the first announcement of the PMO, and how people react to that change. Some may be worried about the change in power, some may work to undermine the authority. There’s some new political issues for the company to deal with even if the PMO is absolutely needed and agreed upon.
June 14, 2009 at 6:31 pm
I really like your post. Does it copyright protected?
July 22, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Thanks Katty! Yes it is copyrighted and published. But if you will email me I can allow you to re-publish.
Bruce
bamcgraw@cogtechinc.com
November 12, 2009 at 4:24 pm
[…] to project managers and developers. For newcomers to the Blog, back in February 2009, I wrote about when an organization needs a PMO. To recap—you need a PMO […]
December 2, 2009 at 8:50 am
Bruce, good post. Gartner and other papers do say the same on PMOs having a positive influence in projects performance. I have a post that also gives a very nice reason for a PMO -not mine, is from professor Parviz http://www.goodpmo.com/project-management-office/pmo-value/
March 26, 2010 at 8:29 am
[…] I believe PMOs to be invaluable in large organizations with multiple projects and complex projects that last over several years. In the past, I wrote two blogs about my experience and recommendations on PMOs including Getting a PMO Right is Worth the Effort and Do you need a PMO? […]
July 5, 2010 at 2:56 pm
I have found that most companies have some form of Project Office organization already in place. However, a significant percentage of these still have not achieved the consistent level of project success that they envisioned when their Project Office investment was originally justified. According to the Standish Group Chaos Report, 90% of projects ultimately do not achieve their quality, cost, and/or time objectives. Perhaps the reason for this continued lack of success lies in how these existing Project Offices are utilized. I have observed a number of companies where, unfortunately, the function of the Project Office has devolved into performing relatively low-level administrative activities like project cost tracking, project documentation, and schedule score-keeping.
Here is a post with some good reasons and advice on adding a PMO. http://www.duration-driven.com/2010/02/project-office
October 29, 2010 at 5:43 pm
Maybe you could change the post name Do you need a PMO (Project Management Office)? Fear No Project – A Project Management Blog to more generic for your content you create. I liked the post withal.
December 30, 2011 at 1:36 am
[…] Do you need a PMO (Project Management Office)? […]
October 29, 2018 at 6:04 am
[…] To read more, go to :https://fearnoproject.com/2009/02/20/do-you-need-a-pmo/ […]
September 10, 2023 at 4:58 am
Hey there,
I just finished reading your article on the need for a PMO (Project Management Office), and I have to say, it was an eye-opener! Your insights into the benefits of having a PMO within an organization were both clear and convincing. It’s evident that you possess a deep understanding of project management, and your ability to break down complex concepts into easily digestible points is truly commendable.
One thing that particularly resonated with me was your explanation of how a PMO can act as a centralized hub for project-related information and resources. This not only streamlines project execution but also fosters collaboration among team members. Your real-life examples and case studies added a practical touch to the article, making it relatable for professionals in the field. Thanks for sharing your expertise on this crucial aspect of business operations. I’ll definitely be sharing this article with my colleagues who are involved in project management. Looking forward to reading more of your work! For more information please visit the website: https://abdullapmp.com/