In the field of project management, the PMO (Project Management Officer) occupies a central position. His or her role is crucial in transmitting tools and methods to his or her team. He is responsible for supporting and improving project management.
A common base of best practices
PMO methods and tools are based on a common foundation, known as best practices. best practicesThey are now widely documented. They are now widely documented. Since the 1980s, they have been gradually implemented in a standardized way, based on British and American standards (PMBOK and PRINCE 2).
Today, these best practices are becoming increasingly well known in project management. Unfortunately, they are not always well applied, and it is precisely the role of the PMO to apply and pass them on. They include major topics such as planning. The purpose of planning is to define milestones and a schedule to carry out the project taking into account the human, material and financial resources required. The ABCs of project managementin short.
Best practices will also cover topics such as risk management. This means anticipating what can go wrong go wrong in the implementation of a project program or portfolio and propose corrective measures.
To find out more, take a look at this article on the essential roles of the PMO: Essential roles of the PMO (bluesoft-group.com)
And then there's a third aspect: the ability to manage stakeholders. The PMO is first and foremost a people pleaser. As Guillaume said in one of our previous videos, the PMO's best friend is the coffee machine.ne machine. He is in contact with all the people impacted directly or indirectly by the project.
The PMO wields a wide range of communication tools and techniques to bring projects to fruition and ensure team efficiency.
Finally, there is a whole methodological section the establishment of steering indicators. These indicators will enable us to report on the reality of the project and the achievement of its objectives.
To find out more: The difference between a PMO and an AMOA (bluesoft-group.com)
What's the best frame of reference to adopt?
Project management requires a high degree of adaptation to the project environment and context. It is therefore important to be familiar with existing reference systems and best practices, in order to choose the right tools.
Let's take an example: if a PMO feels that the difficulty lies mainly in the technical aspect of project management. He might choose to use the PMBOKwhich is a highly detailed repository of technical tools.
If, on the other hand, the PMO believes that the problem relates more to the relevance of the projects, it can turn to PRINCE2 and its methodological elements. This repository could prove useful. For example, in the case of an organization that launches a large number of projects, but has no clear understanding of their motivations and objectives.
The real key is to be able to draw on all these best practices. This will enable us to have a way of working that is truly adapted to the context and environment in which the project, program or portfolio takes place. To make a quick comparison, the PMBOK is more generalist. This repository allows greater flexibility in adapting management processes to the needs of the project. It mand emphasis on documentation to guarantee the quality and traceability of activities.. In addition, this document leads to PMP (Project Management Professional) certification.
PRINCE2, on the other hand, is more structured and oriented. It is more prescriptive and guarantees a more rigid structure. PRINCE2 has a specific approach to risk management, as well as specialized documentation templates recommended for each project phase.
Common sense: the ultimate PMO tool
A sound approach to project, program or portfolio management is fundamental to successfully navigating this uncertain environment. However, this approach is often not applied, even though it is essential.
This situation generally arises when complexity and uncertainty are underestimated, or, on the contrary, when too many methods and practices are implemented. More often than not, this means that teams are not using the tools they really need to bring their projects to fruition.
These aids can be Microsoft Project, Jira or Asana. These are tools based on team collaboration and project planning. They also include technical aspects that may or may not be suitable for the projects undertaken by the PMO.
It is advisable to test several tools and choose the one that best meets the precise requirements of the project.
To find out more, don't hesitate to watch our video on the subject, in the words of expert Guillaume RAOUL :
