During the last years we have seen in Mexico a very peculiar phenomenon within organizations about project management and it is their urgency to have the largest possible number of PMP®s if under the understanding that they have certified resources it will allow us to perform our projects in a better way; But what do organizations do to exploit the knowledge and experience of PMP®s, and thus facilitate their work?
Therefore, the question that we must ask ourselves in the search to improve our organizational performance in project management is if we want as an organization to have PMP® or a PMO.
The first thing is to understand the benefits that having a PMO and having PMP®s brings us as an organization.
The objective of the PMO in general is to establish the methodology, processes, guidelines and tools to be used within the organization to manage the projects that we must develop; as well as consolidate and monitor the results of the organizational project portfolio aligned to the strategy to answer 4 simple questions:
- What projects should we pursue? What projects should we start? What projects should we continue? What projects should we scrap?
If we have a solid PMO for the operational aspect of project management, the PMP®s can easily exploit their knowledge and experience because they will have the support and infrastructure provided by the PMO; entity that should have previously identified the best practices and necessary skills that the organization requires to manage its projects more efficiently and effectively.
It is important to emphasize that under an organizational PMO scheme, it should not be mandatory for all project managers to be PMP®s; only the PMO team.
The reason for this is because the PMO team must know in detail the best practices and skills in project management at a theoretical level and contrast them with the operational needs of the organization's projects in order to define its own project management methodology.
Project managers will only apply the project management methodology defined by the PMO and will contribute their experience and managerial skills for project management.
What should NOT be is to have PMP®s without the organization having a PMO, since we would generate a feeling of frustration in the PMP®s by not having the organizational infrastructure required to perform their role as project manager.
If we decide to implement a PMO we must take into account the following points:
- Organizational structure under which the operations and projects of the organization are developed (functional, matrix, composite, project-oriented, etc.) Organizational governance Level of organizational maturity in project management Type of Project Management Office required by the organization; for example, Operational or Tactical Project Administration Office, Strategic Project Administration Office, Project Administration Office by business unit or institutional, etc. Integration of the Project Administration Office with the definition of the organizational strategy (strategic maps, definition of initiatives, key performance indicators, etc.) Technological infrastructure that will support the administrative processes of the Project Management Office.Change management strategy for the adoption of new processes and project management methodology Profile of the project manager required by the organization Training plan for the Project Management Office team and project managers and members of the project teams.
PMP® or PMO? Having both aspects within the organization is very valuable if what we seek is to improve our performance in the way we manage projects.
It is important to note that to be competitive in the project environment today it is essential to have three aspects:
- Technological Infrastructure Methodological Infrastructure (PMO) People
Ideally we should have the three aspects to obtain positive results in the medium or long term in our performance managed projects; on the one hand, the organizational infrastructure; on the other, the knowledge and experience of the PMP®s to really exploit both the knowledge and the integration of the best practices and skills in project management within the organization; and finally the technology that will allow us to automate the processes to follow in project management and that will allow us to work in a collaborative environment (technologically speaking).
