Project Management Office Models
Abstract
Markets that are competitive and worldwide, as well as ongoing environmental changes, force organizations to frequently restructure their business models in order to improve performance. The value of projects in organizations can be increased through the use of project management techniques. An organizational structure is the Project Management Office (PMO).
Designed with the goal of advancing and enhancing project management practices through the adoption of suitable approaches to attain high levels of effectiveness and efficiency. Many writers have put forth various PMO models and functions in recent years, ranging from those with the sole responsibility for reporting on project execution to those that take part in the formulation of organizational strategies. This article’s primary goal is to provide a review of PMO typologies. The findings of this paper are helpful in guiding organizations on how to adopt or restructure their own PMO because PMO importance is growing inside organizations.
Introduction
The external environment, which puts organizations under growing pressure, calls for continuous innovation in goods and services in order to gain a competitive edge and satisfy client wants.In order to stay competitive, firms nowadays implement project management methods, which are described as the use of knowledge, abilities, instruments, and methods to implement appropriate methods to satisfy the needs and objectives of the projects. Processes and techniques, both as a component of their overall strategy and as an essential element in the growth of competing benefits.
Importance
- The necessity for centralized project:
Coordinating functions have evolved along with the quantity and complexity of projects in the corporate sector. In order for projects to accomplish organizational goals in the best interests of both internal and external stakeholders, as well as the business itself, good project governance for project management must be in place. Many firms carry out projects without using a defined project management approach and instead use ad hoc procedures that provide subpar results. In an effort to address this issue, several firms have introduced new structures in recent years, such as the Project Management Office, to enhance project execution and reduce resource waste.
- Significance of PMO :
“An organizational body or entity who are assigned different tasks connected to the centralized and coordinated administration of those projects under its jurisdiction” is referred to as a project management office. The duties of the PMO might range from performing support activities for project management to actually being in charge of a project’s direct management. Many models have been developed around the typology and functions of PMOs due to the significance of PMO in project management and strategic alignment with business.
- Determining the PMO function :
Its position for long-term success, and how to use the PMO to promote the accomplishment of the organization’s strategic objectives are challenges for many firms. Multi-project or strategic PMOs have evolved as a result of the expansion of project management environments in order to foster project management expertise, oversee the performance of individual projects, and coordinate several projects. Hobbs and Aubrey’s 2007 study of 500 PMOs revealed a wide range of opinions and a lack of agreement over the terminology and roles that belong in a PMO’s structure.
- Description of PMO :
This study makes a contribution to the hunt for a more accurate description of PMO. The information provided here may help organizations who are presently thinking about adopting a PMO or revamping an existing one to better define the PMO models to employ in their business. PMOs have been enhanced as a component of an organizational structure in our contemporary businesses.
Method
The following research issue is addressed in this part via the study design, data gathering techniques, and analytical methods: What PMO models have scholars and practitioners currently proposed?
We ran a number of ad-hoc searches utilizing databases and search engines supplied by well-known publications to locate older studies. Additionally, we used Google Scholar to do a few generic searches. These searches indicated that pertinent publications have appeared in a number of journals. For instance, we discovered that publications relevant to the study topic have been published in the Project Management Journal, International Journal of Project Management, International Journal of Information Systems and Project Management, PM World Journal, and Information System Management. Some outcomes also direct us to books.
We used the following terms and synonyms in our queries:
- “Project management office”;
- “Pmo type”;
- “Pmo model”;
- “Pmo typology”;
- “Pmo typologies”;
- “Pmo framework”;
- “Pmo functions”;
- “Pmo roles”;
- “Organizational project management”;
- “Project management maturity”;
- “Project governance”.
PMO Models
Project management-related books and articles have been widely released in recent years, with some of them advocating the use of PMOs. By examining these works, one may develop a picture of PMOs that differ in terms of nomenclature, organization, roles played, and perceived importance.
To categorize the primary services provided by a PMO, many writers have suggested models. PMO descriptions seen in the literature are frequently condensed into typologies made up of a few models. The most popular typologies consist of three to five categories, each of which is a PMO model. Any model will inevitably simplify and minimize the intricacies of organizational reality. To assist both research and practice, models are tremendously helpful, if not essential.
The project portfolio management organization, project program management organization, and/or project management organization—collectively known as PMOs—initiate, create, capture, and deliver value within an enterprise. The PMO model, in general, is a type of business-oriented organizational structure that supports the enterprise’s business strategy and business development. Overall, it is a design for an organizational structure that is built on both business management and project management.
In the subsections that follow, we list numerous typologies of PMO models that have been identified in the literature and briefly describe each one’s features.
Conclusion
We examined a number of PMO models that were found in the literature. The findings demonstrate how different sources have quite different classifications, roles, and structures for PMOs. In fact, writers present a wide range of several PMOs.
Three, four, or five PMO models are suggested by each author. In many instances, a PMO’s place is hierarchical. The level of authority, acceptability, adoption, and autonomy of an organization is determined by its strategic, tacit, or operational nature. For establishing, disseminating, and sustaining project management procedures anywhere inside the company. A PMO seems to advance incrementally from a low decision level to a high decision level.
In this post, we only give data from recent PMO snapshots. We are aware that further study is required, and it is already planned for the following stage of our investigation. For instance, no attempt was made to determine if the functions that are included in any of the models described here are comparable. Future research will expand on this study and aid in the fusion of some of the suggested models.
- What are the primary purposes that each model offers?
- How are they related to one another?
- Is it conceivable and/or helpful to design and propose a new PMO unified typology based on a thorough characterization of the PMO models that were provided in our research?
The current study offers a contemporary picture of PMO models, which vary in terms of their organizational structure, the functions they perform, and how valuable they are thought to be. An organization can utilize this study as the foundation of its expertise when developing new organizational project management structures or altering current ones in order to generate and realize economic value.
