Project Management Office
A project management office, also called a PMO, is the department or team within a company or organization that sets guidelines and processes by which projects are managed. The purposes of the Project Management Office are to ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget, projects are managed and documented consistently throughout the organization and complies with all applicable regulatory requirements for each project. A project management office often provides training and advice to project managers throughout the company, regardless of whether these individuals report to the Project Management Office.
One of the main functions of a Project Management Office is to develop standard forms and documentation procedures. A company or organization may have several project managers working in various areas throughout the company. Each of these professionals have their own ideas about what information should be written and what information can be committed to memory. However, lack of proper documentation can lead to human error and may create a situation of responsibility in case of an audit or litigation. Creating standard project documents such as forms of exchange control, project information folders and the matrices of risk management analysis, to help ensure that all necessary information is complete and available at any time necessary.
The Project Management Office projects can also correct or incorrect analysis to identify weaknesses in the process. This may include an examination of the creation of the specification, estimation, purchasing, design, sales, customer service and manufacturing. Often create documents best practices to address issues not also require a formal procedure.
Depending on the size and structure of the organization, project management office can be a separate department or may be a cross-functional teams. You can also refer to a program management office. Regardless of the structure and terminology, the objectives of the Office are consistency, efficiency and reduced errors. Ultimately, these things combine to create a better customer experience and the most profitable projects.
Development of an Office of effective project management is an investment of time, effort and often money. The companies forming the Office should not expect to see immediate results. Members of the Project Management Office will need time to study the processes, analyze the latest data and interviewing the project managers and other employees to identify needs and develop solutions. They must determine if the project management software to be beneficial for the organization and, if so, decide what software to buy. The project management offices most successful are those who have sufficient financial backing and support of top level management.
