In 2015 Project Management Offices will have to face new challenges while delivering value to their organizations. The project management office is geared towards establishment and accomplishments of goals linked to stakeholders needs. As firms move from traditional processes towards more agile operations, PMO has to play an active role in the process by making their leaders more adaptable to new technology.
In today’s challenging business environment project management is a combination of hard decisions and soft management skills to improve business and have a definite growth path. The goal of PMO is to guide project managers so they understand strategic importance of decisions taken by the organization and play an active role to improve performance and profits.
Different schools of thought have defined PMO of 2015 in their own manner, depending on the importance of work assigned to them.
- PMO of today is a multi-project entity – According to a recent white paper published by Dr. Brian Hobbs of University of Quebec, PMO is an integral part of an organization’s project management structure and are linked to multiple activities at a single point of time. These PMO have low number of resources who are experts in their field and can manage multiple projects and are elite groups with limited decision making responsibilities.
- Corporate culture managing group – According to a recent article, project management office has to implement regulations within a corporate’s work culture to reduce inefficiency and lack of responsibility. The PMO will establish a culture of process improvements to facilitate strategic planning and management of intellectual assets within an organization.
- Creating value and enhancing corporate performance – A PMO creates and enhances value of its employer by organizing a set of performance standards for accomplishing all activities within the organization. It sets up key process steps and applies performance metrics to project activities thereby enhancing overall corporate performance and value.
- PMO as central nervous system – The PMO of 2015 will be a strategic point which will control all vital function of an organization related to people, time, money and effort applied. It will work like a central nervous system by constantly improving reflexes and performance.
- Evolving role in dynamic business environment – In today’s global business environment wherein companies are facing new challenges related to technology, business processes and regulatory changes, PMO has to play an evolving role. The PMO of 2015 has to be dynamic with ability to take on diverse responsibilities and carry on give meaning to project management.
In the modern business environment PMO is a social unit comprising of complex structures which make up an organization and is constantly evolving to face business challenges.
