Setting up a PMO – Phase 4 – Continuous Improvement

Congratulations! you have set-up your PMO successfully. You ran your pilot projects, set-up processes and dashboards. Figured out the risks/issues, metrics and set-up the systems to manage the processes, templates and project plans. 

You then managed to expand the PMO services across the org through all projects and programs being ran.

As you move forward and cruise along the ship, its important to note that you need to constantly watch out for any storms, sharks, islands, ice bergs and see how you can better manage the ship. Similarly, you need to constantly improvise in the PMO functioning. 

Here are a few tips that really help:

Stay Flexible, Stay Agile
Irrespective how well you have structured the PMO office and the work around it, the business and strategies in an organization constantly evolve. Accordingly, a lot can change in terms of the governance, the processes, methodologies, projects and programs. Ensure you keep a watch on your enterprise environmental factors and be flexible enough to re-invent the way you manage the programs, governance and projects. The key is to bring in those little changes effectively and keep moving forward.

To stay nimble and effective, the key is to have regular meetings with the sponsors, leadership and the project / program stakeholders and get constant feedback. Share the metrics and reports and listen to the changes that might be needed to maintain a positive outcome from the PMO office.

One thing that always helps being productive in general and specific to the team you represent is to prioritize the right things to be done. The prioritization would come as an outcome of keeping a flexible approach and taking critical feedbacks positively. Prioritization of the overall PMO functioning, roles and responsibilities, portfolio, programs and projects, processes and right up to the daily tasks and schedules is necessary.

Finally, the key is people. We need to manage people effectively and carefully. The overall functioning of the PMO depends a lot on how you manage people effectively. So, when you manage change, manage it carefully. You would need to influence or convince the project teams based on the directives from the top leadership. You might need to maintain good relations with the group and teams you work with and yet ensure that the outcomes are reached. So, handle changes carefully and effectively.

PMO Set-up and functioning is always an ongoing process and can be daunting at times. But with the right phases and steps that I discussed in this and my previous articles, with the right knowledge, experience, attitude, skillset and tools, you can be successful in managing the PMO effectively.