THE EFFECT OF A PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE ON PROJECT AND ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCE: A CASE STUDY

J Van Der Linde,Herman Steyn

doi:10.7166/27-1-1114

Abstract

Depending on the specific needs of the host companies, Project Management Offices (PMOs) are created and mandated for different reasons. As a result of varying mandates and functions of PMOs, there is no agreed method to determine the value of a PMO. By studying the case of an organisation that recently implemented a PMO, this paper provides some insight into ways to determine the value of a PMO. Three new methods for determining the value of a PMO are proposed.

Highlights

The concept of a project management office (PMO) or project office (PO) has been around for many years, the functions, purposes, and definitions of these offices have changed over time
By studying the case of an organisation that recently implemented a PMO, this paper provides some insight into ways to determine the value of a PMO
The PMO evolved from a project office (PO) that was responsible for one project or programme, usually a major government-funded project (1950-1990), to the more multi-project management scenarios currently found [1]

Summary

Introduction

The concept of a project management office (PMO) or project office (PO) has been around for many years, the functions, purposes, and definitions of these offices have changed over time. The definitions given for a PMO in A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) varies between the 4th (2008) and 5th (2013) editions [4,5] The former mentions that the role of a PMO can range from providing support functions to being responsible for the direct management of projects, while the latter emphasises standardisation and facilitating the sharing of resources, methodologies, tools, and techniques. The mandate of the PMO selected for this case study is a combination of the three types mentioned above It is a mutli-project PMO or Project Portfolio Management Office (PPMO) that is responsible for providing project support and managing projects and programmes directly. It includes a Centre of Excellence (CoE) that is the custodian of the project management governance, methodologies, tools, and techniques, and provides strategic management input to the organisation

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Conclusion