Project management and PMO

In 2 minutes this aitem® will teach you about Project management and PMO.

Unlike a company’s ‘business-as-usual’ operations, a project or programme aims to produce a unique outcome(s) that integrates with its existing resources and infrastructure without conflict.

Organisations generally evaluate professional services for the outcomes and benefits delivered and not necessarily the inputs provided. It’s vital a robust and workable delivery structure/approach that addresses the required outcomes and encourages stakeholders to engage effectively is established.

Understanding the required outcomes and benefits of a project or programme together with the drivers for change will help the project succeed.

Enablers to success:

• Senior-level sponsorship and a mandate that supports both the approach and prescribed outcomes.
• A flexible and pragmatic approach rather than relying on a ‘one size fits all’ method is key.
• Ensure a comprehensive system of governance and project controls (Planning, dependency management, reporting, risk management, change control, benefits and lessons learned) that suits your organisation is implemented.
• The delivery of strategic initiatives must remain enterprise platform agnostic, focussing on delivering business outcomes, not technology choice.

Sharpen control:

• Maintain the link between strategy and delivery.
• Define a framework of governance, assurance and oversight.
• Establish a robust methodology for project delivery and internal control.
• Drive delivery and manage expectations/outcomes.
• Define project delivery-specific processes (e.g. planning and reporting).
• Balance resource between project/BAU work.
• Assign clear ownership/accountability to deliver quality on time and to cost.
• Inform decision-making and transition smoothly to operations.