Project Management Office [PMO] - 3

PMO Structures in Organization: 

A Project Management Office [PMO] is a management structure that standardizes the project-related governance process and facilitates the sharing of resources, methodologies, tools, and techniques.

There are several types of PMO structures in organizations, each varying in the degree of control and influence they have on projects within the organization, such as:

Supportive: 

Supportive PMOs provide a consultative role to projects by supplying templates, best practices, training, access t information and lessons learned from other projects. This type of PMO servers as a project repository. The degree of control provided by the PMO is low.

Controlling: 

Controlling PMOs provide support and require compliance through various means. Compliance may involve adapting project management frameworks or methodologies, using specific templates, forms, and tools, or conformance to governance. The degree of control provided by the PMO is moderate.

Directive: 

Directive PMOs take control of the projects by directly managing the projects. The degree of control provided by the PMO is high.

The PMO integrates data and information from corporate strategic projects and evaluates how higher level strategic objectives are being fulfilled.  The PMO is the natural liaison between the organization’s portfolios, programs, projects, and the corporate measurement systems (e.g. balanced scorecard).

A PMO may have the authority to act as an integral stakeholder and a key decision maker throughout the life of each project, to make recommendations, or to terminate projects or take other actions, as required, to remain aligned with the business objectives. In addition, the PMO may be involved in the selection, management, and deployment of shared or dedicated project resources.

The Project supported or administrated by PMO may not be related, other than by being managed together.