The Many Roles of a PMO

There's a great new series in Projects@Work about establishing PMOs. The first installment talks about the importance of defining the role of the PMO right up front.

Here's an excerpt...

"The scope of a PMO's activities can range from a set of limited support roles all the way to decision-making about project priorities, financing, and other governance functions. Defining those roles is the necessary first step in the creation of a PMO that will carry out its mission smoothly and deliver its full value to the business."

It seems so obvious, but many organizations begin implementing a PMO before fully defining, and obtaining organizational buy-in, for the role that the PMO will serve. I'd also add that many organizations begin with too broad a scope and in doing so, form a wall between the PMO and the est of the organization. It's OK to have a multi-tiered vision, with an initial state for the PMO and a longer-term, broader vision.

Here's the full article (the next installment is on PMO processes)...

http://www.projectsatwork.com/content/Articles/231325.cfm: