the virtual pmo

The Virtual PMOThe Virtual PMO

Jerry ManasJerry Manas

jmanas@marengogroup.com

An Emerging ConceptAn Emerging Concept

The Perfect Storm: 3 Growing TrendsThe Perfect Storm: 3 Growing Trends

Virtual TeamsVirtual Teams(Dispersed (Dispersed Stakeholders)Stakeholders)

Small or Small or Matrixed Matrixed PMOsPMOs(Less Staff)(Less Staff)

PMO 2.0 PMO 2.0 (Broader Role)(Broader Role)

The Perfect Storm: 3 Growing TrendsThe Perfect Storm: 3 Growing Trends

Virtual teamsVirtual teams• Telecommuting / flexible Telecommuting / flexible

work work • Offshoring/outsourcingOffshoring/outsourcing• Travel restrictionsTravel restrictions• Consolidating markets/ Consolidating markets/

mergersmergers• Global expansion Global expansion • Matrixed organizational Matrixed organizational

structuresstructures• Reduction of brick and Reduction of brick and

mortar expensemortar expense Small or Matrixed Small or Matrixed

PMOsPMOs

PMO 2.0PMO 2.0**

• End-to-End IT work End-to-End IT work processesprocesses

• Resource MgtResource Mgt• Business Strategy Business Strategy

SupportSupport• Business Process Business Process

SupportSupport• Liaison with FinanceLiaison with Finance• Project OversightProject Oversight

* Term coined by Terry Doerscher of Planview

The incredible The incredible shrinking (and shrinking (and growing) PMO!growing) PMO!

Can a PMO serve and Can a PMO serve and influence geographically influence geographically dispersed stakeholders with dispersed stakeholders with minimal or no support staff?minimal or no support staff?

Virtual PMO TrendsVirtual PMO Trends Small staff for administration & operationsSmall staff for administration & operations Processes / artifacts created by cross-Processes / artifacts created by cross-

functional, virtual teams.functional, virtual teams. PMs / Business Analysts mostly distributedPMs / Business Analysts mostly distributed Governance Councils DistributedGovernance Councils Distributed PMO Provides Tools for Reporting and PMO Provides Tools for Reporting and

Soliciting Input/StatusSoliciting Input/Status Can expand to support major projects Can expand to support major projects Broad sphere of influenceBroad sphere of influence Facilitates strategic alignmentFacilitates strategic alignment

“Vision without execution is a hallucination.”

- Thomas Edison

Expanding PMO Sphere of InfluenceExpanding PMO Sphere of Influence

New PMO Sphere of Influence

Supporting the Portfolio and Supporting the Portfolio and Program Mgt ProcessesProgram Mgt Processes

Portfolio Management (Doing the Right Work)Portfolio Management (Doing the Right Work)• Ongoing / CyclicalOngoing / Cyclical• Alignment Oriented (Strategy, Funding)Alignment Oriented (Strategy, Funding)• Focus: Prioritization vs. Resource ConstraintsFocus: Prioritization vs. Resource Constraints• Goal: The Right Mix of ProjectsGoal: The Right Mix of Projects

Program Management (Doing the Work Right)Program Management (Doing the Work Right)• TemporaryTemporary• Execution OrientedExecution Oriented• Focus: Project Interdependencies, Benefits & TimingFocus: Project Interdependencies, Benefits & Timing• Goal: Better Integration/Leverage of Related ProjectsGoal: Better Integration/Leverage of Related Projects

Shared Administration & OversightShared Administration & Oversight Manage Common Benefits and StakeholdersManage Common Benefits and Stakeholders Economies of ScaleEconomies of Scale

Talk about doing more with less!!!

Are we Are we prepared?prepared?

Overwhelmed?Overwhelmed?

Some unique opportunities Some unique opportunities await…if we step forward…await…if we step forward…

The I’s have it:

• Inclusion

• Influence

• Information

The essence of a successful PMO

3 Themes for Success3 Themes for Success

PMOPMO

HubHub

HubHub

HubHub

Role of PMO

• Principles

• Change Leadership

• Support / Systems

• Knowledge Distribution

Distributed PMO ApproachDistributed PMO Approach

Success Factors:

• Engagement

• Governance

• Enabling Technology

Hub = local manager, PMO, or PM

Improvement of Activity

Imp

rovem

en

t of

Kn

ow

led

ge

GLO

BA

L

PM

O

LOCAL Managers, PMOs or PMs

* Based on Fons Trompenaars and Charles Hampden-Turner model in 21 Leaders for the 21st Century

The “Through-Through” RelationshipThe “Through-Through” Relationship A Helical Progression toward Better Knowledge of Better Activities*A Helical Progression toward Better Knowledge of Better Activities*

PMO as Knowledge BrokerPMO as Knowledge Broker

Together, everybody benefits…Together, everybody benefits…

• Strategic Alignment Strategic Alignment & Importance& Importance

• Product & Service Product & Service Advantage / Advantage / CompetitivenessCompetitiveness

• Market Market AttractivenessAttractiveness

• Leveragability / Leveragability / ReusabilityReusability

• Business Ops Business Ops ImprovementImprovement

• Technical FeasibilityTechnical Feasibility• Leverages Core Leverages Core

CompetenciesCompetencies• Financial RewardFinancial Reward• Regulatory/ContractualRegulatory/Contractual• Socio-Political (Internal Socio-Political (Internal

/ External)/ External)

Global/Divisional ConsiderationsGlobal/Divisional ConsiderationsWhich factors make one project Which factors make one project more valuable than another?more valuable than another?

Q: Can weighting vary throughout the organization?

Virtual Team ConsiderationsVirtual Team Considerations

Leading with Leading with TeamsTeams

3 Success Factors of ANY Virtual Team3 Success Factors of ANY Virtual Team

EngagementEngagement

GovernanceGovernance TechnologyTechnology

• Inclusiveness

• Identity

• Training

• Flexibility

• Small Groups

• Goals Focus

• Lean Processes

• Effective Meetings

• Teamwork Technology

• Social Technology

• Shared Information

Some hints Some hints from a recent from a recent study…study…

The #1 thing people like about working virtually:

FlexibilityFlexibility

A close #2:

EfficiencyEfficiency

Early Survey Indicators: High Performing Virtual Teams, Manas, Aldridge, Ring, 2008/2009

The #1 thing people dislike about working virtually:

IsolationIsolation (The Mushroom Effect)

A close #2:

Lack of work/life boundariesLack of work/life boundariesEarly Survey Indicators: High Performing Virtual Teams, Manas, Aldridge, Ring, 2008/2009

The #1 barrier to adoption for social technology:

VulnerabilityVulnerability

A close #2:

Individual Work PreferenceIndividual Work PreferenceEarly Survey Indicators: High Performing Virtual Teams, Manas, Aldridge, Ring, 2008/2009

7 Ingredients for Virtual PMO Success7 Ingredients for Virtual PMO Success

1.1. Outcomes FocusOutcomes Focus

2.2. Management InvolvementManagement Involvement

3.3. Inclusion over ComplianceInclusion over Compliance

4.4. Guidelines/Checklists over RulesGuidelines/Checklists over Rules

5.5. Standardize SelectivelyStandardize Selectively

6.6. Knowledge Broker ApproachKnowledge Broker Approach

7.7. Keep it Simple = Quick WinsKeep it Simple = Quick Wins

““The ability to simplify means to The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.”that the necessary may speak.”

- Hans Hoffman- Hans Hoffman

For More InformationFor More Information jmanasjmanas@marengogroup.com@marengogroup.com www.marengogroup.comwww.marengogroup.com www.PMThink.comwww.PMThink.com www.creatingweinstitute.comwww.creatingweinstitute.com

www.pmthink.comwww.pmthink.com

Jerry’s books are available where books are sold or at www.rmcproject.com.