PMOs should evolve to support bimodal IT and digital business: Gartner
- 27 April, 2016 13:30
Gartner says project management offices (PMOs) are increasingly being challenged to prove the value they provide.
"Digitalisation and bimodal IT are just two examples of the many developments in the business environment that the PMO must support," says Mbula Schoen, senior research analyst at Gartner. "A failure to evolve and adjust to such changes can result in a PMO being misaligned with an organisation's goals, and therefore being seen as failing to deliver value."
Gartner identifies seven best practices to help PMO leaders adapt to such developments and demonstrate the PMO's value to the business:
Evolve the PMO to support bimodal IT and digital business
The PMO must adapt its service model to support the technological changes at the heart of every growth and innovation-led transformation project. For example, a PMO may have been formed several years ago, with the economic downturn being the primary driver. At that time, cost reduction and efficiency were the main desired outcomes, but the same business may now be far more concerned with flexibility and speed of delivery. Consequently, the PMO's configuration and staffing may no longer be ideal and may need to change to reflect the new focus. "An effective PMO continuously re-examines its processes and capabilities to ensure they are in line with the current needs of the business," says Schoen.
Acquire the right people, knowledge, skills and collaborative behaviours
This is the cornerstone of a highly effective PMO. When project managers who are part of a PMO act like administrators, they erode the PMO's credibility and make it appear to be focused only on everyday tasks and deliverables. This neglects a crucial part of effective IT project delivery – driving strategic change within an organisation. "People are generally averse to change, so it's critical that the PMO hires staff with who can drive change in the face of resistance," says Schoen. "Project managers within the PMO need a broad range of 'soft' skills in communication, conflict resolution, persuasion and facilitation."
Identify and execute high-impact, high-visibility projects
It can take years to build a track record of improving PPM maturity and getting better IT investment results. It is, however, possible to quicken the process by identifying "easy wins" and improving delivery for a few highly visible and important PMO projects. It's critical to demonstrate the value of the PMO. This will ensure stakeholder commitment and support for future PMO-driven initiatives.
PMOs need to shift from a belief that 'the more detail we give, the better' to an iterative evolution of reporting that provides leaders with the kind of information that supports them in their role.
Report on what the business really cares about
The business' view of the PMO is inconsistent. Business executives generally agree the PMO should report on the status of projects and programs, but most don't think it does this adequately. "The reality is that most PMOs are providing status reporting for projects and programs, but the perception of many business executives suggests either that there's a breakdown in communication or that the reporting isn't fit for purpose," says Schoen. "It's important to check that reporting provides organisational leadership with status information that supports effective decision-making."
Build a framework that shows how the PMO aligns with strategic enterprise objectives
A clear framework is essential to articulate the PMO's alignment with the continuously evolving organisational goals and direction. It also serves as an aid to identifying goals and milestones along the road to resolving obstacles and issues that block strategic success. In essence, it's key to communicating the PMO's value. What is often overlooked is the need for the PMO to define strategic goals with senior IT managers and business leaders. Unless this is done, the PMO's work is rarely perceived as valuable, however well it's carried out.
Provide senior managers with simple, clear information
PMOs are routinely perceived as failing to provide the kind of data that senior managers want. This leads to a disconnection between expectations and perceived reality. PMOs need to shift from a belief that "the more detail we give, the better" to an iterative evolution of reporting that provides leaders with the kind of information that supports them in their role. For time-starved senior managers, short, precise and informative reporting is most effective. These are busy people who want the "bottom line" — they expect the PMO to work with them to identify and provide this information.
Highlight the PMO's achievements
Agreed metrics are important, but they should be complemented by promoting the PMO's success stories to the organisation. This is less about "hard" numbers and more about the tangible benefits that are recognised by stakeholders, such as how shorter time scales for project completion have contributed to the solving of key business problems (overlong time-to-market for new products, for instance). In terms of benefits that are hard to measure, it may be appropriate to use surveys to measure the value the PMO provides, states Schoen.
Send news tips and comments to divina_paredes@idg.co.nz
Follow Divina Paredes on Twitter: @divinap
Follow CIO New Zealand on Twitter:@cio_nz
Sign up for CIO newsletters for regular updates on CIO news, views and events.
Join the CIO New Zealand group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, CDOs, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.
Join the CIO New Zealand group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.
