Traditionally, the project management office (PMO) has focused on tactical metrics such as project management skills, processes, and templates. These metrics are a little too inward-focused.

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Developing meaningful PMO metrics for a project management dashboard is a challenge for many project management offices.

A primary strength of BrightWork is its reporting capability, including a wide choice of configurable project management performance metrics and dashboards easily customized to all types of audiences within an organization.

Defining Project Management Office Metrics

More strategic PMO performance metrics now focus on value to key stakeholders.

Metrics such as the number of PMs certified in PRINCE 2 / MSP are not included in this list. This is not to say that these are not valid metrics but may not really mean much to business stakeholders who just want their projects delivered on time, in budget, and fit for purpose.

In defining project management metrics for a PMO, there is a very simple 3 step process worth considering:

Step 1:  What outcome are you trying to show?

Step 2: What questions will show your attainment of the defined outcome?

Step 3: What measures can you define to answer the questions?

25 Project Management Office Metrics

Note: It is not intended that a PMO would use all these metrics. Choose the metrics of most relevance and importance to their stakeholders and organization.

1) % of investment decisions influenced by PMO participation and provided data.

2) % of projects aligned with organizational goals.

3) % of projects reviewed during execution by senior management.

4) % of projects completed within budget vs. cost overruns.

5) Number of projects completed during this financial year vs. previous year (productivity).

6) % of projects completed on time  – deliverables (On Time vs. Late).

7) % of projects with deliverables (Accepted vs. Rejected).

8) The number of open issues and aging on a monthly basis.

9) % of projects that were audited at major milestones.

10)% of projects with post-project reviews.

11) Business Stakeholder customer satisfaction score for project performance (survey per project).

12) Business Stakeholder customer satisfaction score for stakeholder communications and governance reporting (survey).

13) % of projects reporting the earned value on a monthly basis.

14) % of projects have supporting and validated business cases (should be 100%).

15) Project Manager satisfaction score of the value of PMO services (survey).

16) Organizational customer satisfaction perception of PMO value contribution to project management within the organization (survey).

17) Improved coordination of resource management (planned vs. actual).

18) Organization perception of improved portfolio management and prioritization.

19) Improved visibility of risks and interdependencies of projects.

20) % of projects complying with project management standards & methods for audit requirements.

21) The monthly number and status of change requests (approved, rejected and pending).

22) The total cost impact of all the changes on a monthly basis.

23) The total number of risks open (Size, Schedule, Quality, Staffing, and Cost) on a monthly basis.

24) The total number of risks by aging on a monthly basis.

25) The total cost value of risk by month (by adding up individual risk cost amounts).