In recent years, project management offices (PMOs) have generated their fair share of bad press internally.
Many employees look at PMOs with disdain, seeing them as unnecessary bloat. To them, the PMO seems to only create an endless number of slideshows talking about business strategy and outlining the steps the company will take to reach its goals. The purpose, it appears, ends there.
For this reason, an increasing number of enterprises are no longer referring to PMOs as PMOs. Some substitute branding that has emerged in recent years includes the business transformation office and the strategy planning office.
Why PMOs Get a Bad Rap
PMOs tend to get a bad rap because they provide support that’s somewhat intangible to the organization. For many executives, PMOs eat up a good deal of time and budget, and it takes far too long for them to start delivering true value.
Beyond that, a number of other perceived issues tarnish the reputation of many PMOs. Let’s briefly explore six of them.
1. An overly burdensome process
It’s not unheard of for PMOs to require every project—even the simplest ones—to follow a precise plan and produce voluminous reports even when neither is really required for success. In many instances, failure to adhere to these guidelines could derail a project from the outset or at least require stakeholders to submit additional supporting documentation.
2. No link to strategy
Oftentimes, it’s seemingly impossible to discover a link between the PMO’s actions and the overall business strategy. This is why more and more organizations are transforming their PMOs into strategic leadership departments that clearly articulate a business’s goals so that all employees know what’s expected of them and why.
3. Inadequate tools
If an organization chooses the wrong tool and it complicates things—or even if the organization chooses the right one and the tool fails to achieve widespread adoption across the organization because it’s not sold well internally—the PMO may be seen as more of an enemy and less of a friend.
4. An executive who gives lip service instead of leadership
A PMO leader is more than a glorified project manager. Without the right leader at the helm of the PMO, the unit will almost certainly fail to achieve its full potential and instead be seen as an added layer of bureaucracy.
5. A culture resistant to change
Many employees are set in their ways. That’s no secret. When cultures resist change and management fails to sell a PMO internally, adoption will be stunted.
6. Lack of visibility across the defined scope of inclusion
PMOs that don’t provide top-down visibility into the projects they’re facilitating do themselves a disservice. How can you expect team members to buy in to the promise of a PMO when they’re left in the dark?
Now that you’re familiar with some of the main reasons “PMO” has turned into something of a dirty word in recent years, let’s turn our attention to how software can help PMOs rebrand themselves—becoming a vital component of the organization.
How Software Can Help PMOs Realize Their Full Potential
The good news is that by investing in the right software solutions, PMOs can avoid these hindrances and establish themselves as a helpful and essential part of the organization.
For example, Daptiv PPM lets PMOs manage and monitor across multiple types of work with adaptable project workspaces while connecting all PPM data into a single source of truth. With Daptiv, you can adapt and evolve your PPM processes using the tool’s built-in flexibility and configurability.
Let’s take a look at some of the ways Daptiv helps PMOs overcome the challenges that hold some of their peer departments back.
1. Align strategy with execution
With more insight into your portfolio, it’s easier to select project ideas based on how they align with your business strategy and what impact they will have on your operations. Daptiv gives you a complete view of your enterprise’s resources and the customization needed to build a portfolio that aligns with your goals and helps you achieve your objectives.
2. See all kinds of work in one place
In the age of distributed teams, SaaS solutions, and data silos, it’s harder than ever for the average organization to gain deep visibility into all of its data and all of the projects that are going on at one time. With the right tool in place, your team gets complete visibility into every project your PMO is shepherding, which makes it even easier to make sure resources are allocated effectively and projects are prioritized correctly.
3. Operate with agility
In the PMO world, agility is more important than ever before. With a tool like Daptiv powering your PMO, becoming agile is easier than you might think. Teams are empowered to find the information they need and are positioned to respond to changes as they arise. This enables your team to evolve and adapt its PPM processes to achieve the results you’re looking for.
Is your PMO as productive and well-received as it should be?
If not, it may be time to think about how tactical software solutions can help your enterprise start looking at your PMO in a positive light. To learn more about how software can transform your PMO, check this out.
