the virtual pmo
DESCRIPTION
Consultant and author Jerry Manas shares his slide deck on The Virtual PMO, based on three interconnected trends happening in the workplace today: virtual teams; small-or-zero-staff PMOs; and a much broader and strategic role for today's PMO. Visit Jerry's website at www.marengogroup.com.TRANSCRIPT
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 [email protected]@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.