In this series of articles on launching a successful project management office, I’ve explained how to assess the current status of projects in your organization, determine your PMO strategy, and what actions as needed to initiate the project.
Learn how to launch a PMO with BrightWork for SharePoint On-Premises [Watch demo]
Now it’s time to establish the PMO.
You need to resource the PMO and decide upon immediate needs such as a project management methodology and tools.
3 Factors to Establish and Evolve your PMO
Using the business case and PMO services roadmap, establish the PMO with a focus on space, people, processes, and tools.
1. PMO Location
Start by thinking about an actual physical place for the PMO. Some organizations opt for a central location so all project managers can work together.
In other instances, the PMO may be situated within the relevant business unit.
2. Project Management Processes
A key function of the PMO is to decide on a project management process.
Will you use a waterfall methodology, agile, or a hybrid approach? What types of projects does your organization typically run and what templates are needed for these projects? What reports do senior stakeholders want to see
Decide upon the project management process that your PMO will use and document in a central location.
Based on the agreed processes, identify training requirements for project teams.
3. Project and Portfolio Management Software
With the project methodology in place, you can now select the right project and portfolio management software to support your goals.
BrightWork, a project and portfolio management solution for SharePoint, is an ideal platform for your PMO.
BrightWork includes:
- Flexible project and portfolio templates
- Project Request Management
- Real-time, cross-project dashboards
- Interactive Power BI dashboards
- Agile Boards
- Gannt charts
- Work reports and charts
- Project Status Reports and Charts
- Automated report sharing.
BrightWork customers collaborate with a dedicated Customer Success Partner, who will configure and deploy the right templates for your business needs.
Launching a Project Management Office
This article is part of a four-part series, which looks at how to establish a successful PMO. If you want to jump to another part of the process, just follow the links below:
- Launching a Project Management Office: Assessment and Strategy
- Launching a Project Management Office: Initiation
- Launching a Project Management Office: Implementation and Improvement
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in October 2015 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.
