PMOs and Resource Management: A New Role?

There's another interesting article at Projects@Work on PMO design.

This one, written by Terry Doerscher of Planview, endorses taking what I'd call a "whole systems" approach to PMO design---i.e. looking at the PMO in the context of the overall "technology services organization."

This means expanding beyond just the project management realm---in particular, facilitating the planning and prioritization of activities across projects and other work that compete for the same resources. In effect, the PMO becomes a facilitator for managing the supply and demand of all IT work.

I'd add that, while this is a worthy role for the PMO, there is some heavy change leadership that needs to happen in order to make this successful. All too often, organizations overlook this and throw the fledgling PMO to the wolves.

As for project management practices, Doerscher suggests taking a more realistic, iterative approach to planning---something I couldn't agree more with.

Here's the article, well worth a read...

http://www.projectsatwork.com/content/Articles/232633.cfm