Setting up a PPSO

"Project and programme support offices, when run effectively, are the best way of gaining good governance of the investment made by the organisation in its projects and programmes."

Many PMOs provide little more than administrative-level descriptions to senior management and are often regarded as value-free by project managers and a source of cost by the Board. When structured properly, either to provide project control, project guidance or to partner the Board in establishing and monitoring the project portfolio, they are immensely valuable.

CITI has, for many years, implemented highly effective PMOs. Depending on the culture and level of maturity in project management in the organisation, different types of offices have been established. There is a clear difference in the staffing and mode of operation for the different PMOs, and each undergoes a predictable and controlled evolution – starting from gaining control over the monitoring and leading to the creation of productive environments for projects. Our techniques and tools, and the organisational structures we established, have proved themselves in each company in which we have set up a PMO.

Clients turn to us with many concerns; typically you ask for our help to:

• Give your governance groups sight of the status of your projects and the investment being made
• Ascertain why throughput is lower than required
• Implement or fast-start a PMO
• Re-model a PMO that is regarded as providing low value and being ineffectual
• Set up a PMO as part of a project management improvement programme, in pace and synchronised with the other project process improvements
• Provide PMO staff with training and development

The techniques and services we develop our tailored solution from include:

Consulting services and tools:

• PPSO consultancy and coaching
• PPSO fast start and rescue
• Project categorisation process and PCAT tool
• Post implementation reviews (PIRs), project initiation workshops (PIWs), surgeries, health checks and stage gate reviews

Courses and tailored learning solutions, covering areas such as:

• Exploiting your project and programme support office
• Monitoring and control, including using earned value management

Profiling:

• PPSO profiling

Interim placements:

• Process consultant
• PMO assistant
• PMO manager