I struggled with the title of this blog. I first called it, "PMO as a Partner in Success" which I then changed to, "Getting More Value from Your PMO." Though I firmly believe in each of these propositions neither of these labels worked for me.
So I spent some time reflecting on the inspiration for this post. It was a recent exchange I had with Demian Entrekin of IT Toolbox fame http://it.toolbox.com/people/dentrekin/ . Demian wrote a post titled, "In English please..." In his post he wrote, "Statements like ‘Transforming IT' may sound pretty but don't always provide a whole lot of meaning." Demian then went on to provide his interpretation of transforming IT which prompted me to share some of my ideas on the subject. In one of his responses to my responses Demian wrote:
"Steve, I just had a great conversation with the CIO of Forbes, and his view is that the PMO can (and should) act as a change agent. In other words, rather than simply running the PMO as the project police, the folks in the PMO actively look for ways to create more value for the organization as a whole, using IT as a leverage point. This certainly supports your point."
Ahhhh, this was music to my ears. And not simply because my point was being supported (though it is nice when that occasionally occurs). First, the statement supported my long standing assertion that technology should be leveraged for strategic advantage as opposed to being a cost that is managed. Second, I loved hearing about the role of the PMO at Forbes - the role of value creator.
I say loved because that was truly the feeling I had. I love IT Governance and the power and promise it provides. I love IT Governance processes that lead to reasoned and rationale decisions in the use of technology. And I love PMOs that enable aspects of the discipline, though I find they rarely do.
Almost every PMO I have ever encountered acts as project process enforcers and paper-pushers. Their role is simple, establish project management methodology and then report on the use of that methodology - ergo, the unenviable position of Project Police. Though just about everyone agrees (especially me) that sound project management practices are a good idea, these PMOs almost always degrade into something that Executive Management views as overhead, and PMs and project staff view as something that should be avoided.
Couple the doomed "Project Police" model with the fact that few PMOs are backed with sound enterprise-led PPM (Project and Portfolio Management) and it is no wonder so many projects fail. (Michal Krigsman has a blog dedicated to "IT Project Failure" that I highly recommend. http://blogs.zdnet.com/projectfailures/ ) Effective PPM is essential because it ensures the PMO is given a reasoned and rational portfolio of investments upon which to deliver.
If PMOs are to have any hope of aspiring to the vision and purpose of the PMO at Forbes they must be backed by good governance, good PPM processes and they must be chartered in the role of "value creator." In this circumstance PMOs will help to make work possible and practical. The will help to make people successful and they will be loved.
I travel the world on a quest to help enterprises aspire to this audacious goal. I have 5 presentations I deliver with great regularity and they all play a role:
- Understanding and Achieving Sustainable IT Governance
- Meeting Enterprise Goals Through Project and Portfolio Management
- Critical Components of Effective PMOs
- Enabling Stellar Performance with Process Management
- Meaningful Metrics
I love delivering these presentations and I do so in CA Field Marketing Events, at professional association conferences such as PMI, ISACA and itSMF, and at individual companies. And now CA is offering them in a series of webcasts. I delivered the IT Governance presentation this past Tuesday and if you missed it a recording is available at https://myclarity.webex.com/myclarity/lsr.php?AT=pb&SP=EC&rID=50767772&rKey=C0CA819947BD5CBF.
I will be webcasting the other four presentations every other Tuesday at 8:00 AM PST for the next two months. I invite you to join me by registering at:
Session 2 PPM: https://myclarity.webex.com/myclarity/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=599166558
Session 3 PMO: https://myclarity.webex.com/myclarity/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=591596258
Session 4 Process: https://myclarity.webex.com/myclarity/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=596021503
Session 5 Metrics: https://myclarity.webex.com/myclarity/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=591676154
I just finished delivering my PMO presentation to a Clarity User Group in North Carolina. I asked them if people "loved their PMOs." They all laughed. Though it was a nice lighthearted moment, I would have liked a different response. Together, I believe we can turn the answer to this question to "yes."
Steven Romero, IT Governance Evangelist