Delivering Successful PMOs: Chapter 11 Lessons Learned Extract

Delivering Successful PMOs is the debut publication from p3m global, CEO, Ray Mead.

The book explores, from proven practice and live application how to do the right things, in the right way, in the right order, with the right team and identify what makes a good PMO leader.

Below is an extract from Chapter 11: Lessons Learnt.

Delivering Successful PMOs is available to buy online here

Chapter 11

Lessons Learned

The authors have certainly ‘lived’ the experience (and in fact more than one experience) of developing and deploying a significant PMO and from these experience comes the framework for a PMO life cycle as previously explained. Also from this comes a number of ‘lessons learned’ that you should consider in your own PMO development.

Lesson One: Get Help

As has been already discussed the reality out there in ‘PMO land’ is that there is not a plethora of wise and experienced PMO managers, directors, leaders, heads, etc., and so it is sensible for anyone who is engaged to help an organisation set up a new PMO or advise on improvements to an existing PMO to reach out for some help.

The risk to not doing so is to, at the very least, slow the return on investment of the new PMO down. With a practical framework for guidance, such as this book, and a supporting experience coach then the organisation benefits that have led to the PMO investment will be secured in an optimum time frame and with reduced risk of failure.

This book is aimed as one source of aid, inspiration and guidance, so ‘well done’ for starting the process with the right attitude.

In addition this is what the authors, and others, do for a living so professional consultancy is another way to improve your chances of success with that PMO project.

And there are communities you can connect to – on LinkedIn, through the project management bodies such as PMI and APM, etc. Do your research before jumping on too deeply.

PMI to Stream Synergy Presentations Free

p3m global is a proud sponsor of PMI Synergy 2014, and we hope to see as many of you there as possible, as PMI Synergy has rapidly earned distinction as one of the largest project management celebrations in Europe.

Synergy 2014 takes place on Thursday, 13th November in London. Register here for tickets.

This year the PMI are showcasing a new scheme, where the seminars will be streamed live from the event via a web link, making Synergy 2014 available globally. Yohan Abrahams, PMI UK, President, shared this exciting news with us:

"PMI UK is planning as a pilot to stream some of the presentation sessions at Synergy, our annual congress on the 13^_th of November 2014 starting 09:00hrs GMT. Not all the sessions will be available for streaming, therefore we are offering this opportunity free of charge.

All you have to do is register your interest on the PMI website quoting promotional code SynergyStream. On the 12^_th of November we will send you a web link to use to watch Synergy. You will then be able to join virtually with nearly 600 members of the community who will be present on the day in London. You will be able to interact with the presenters on twitter using #pmisynergy."

PMI UK announced that p3m global would be duly recognised as Sponsor as this annual event continues to engage with leading industry figures and those looking to get ahead in P3M.

The Principles That Guide p3m global's Service

What are you getting from p3m global? What are the catalysts for strong p3m competence, p3m capability, p3m assessment & assurance and p3m technology service - the points on our service star, if you will. It's all about the 5 Key Principles, as highlighted in our recent p3m global Facebook campaign and on our website...

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As it reads on the p3m global website regarding p3m insights, it relates to our best-of-breed value:

"We make it our mission not only to incorporate the best that global standards have to offer but to be at the forefront of defining those global standards. By being a genuine thought leader we can ensure the solutions we provide are not just current or compliant, but ahead of the curve."

CONCLUSION #1: You can get ahead with us.

Post by p3m global

So what is our view on taking a more integrated approach to solving the problems of our clients:

"We do not work on symptoms or in silos, we identify and work on root causes and focus our development on pan-organisational solutions that will make a real and beneficial difference to performance. This is reflected in our integrated approach to People, Process and Technology and our modus operandi of Assess, Develop and Engage."

CONCLUSION #2: You can expect to get to the heart of the problem.

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The journey with p3m global is summed up thusly:

"We are not here to sell you a quick fix. We are here to be your partner on a journey. We do not believe in overnight transformation, though early benefits can always be identified and prioritised. We recognise that real maturity takes time and that different interventions and expertise will be needed throughout. We will be there to anticipate and provide that as a key partner."

CONCLUSION #3: You can expect the right solution, not one merely good enough for "right now".

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Here's why p3m flexibility is so important:

"One size does not fit all, and though we have standard engagement models, flexibility is built into them to ensure that the focus remains on you, the customer, and the targeted outcomes you need. No two projects we run are the same." 

CONCLUSION #4: You can expect us to be elastic and strong for the well-being of your project as it pertains to your business - not merely for the method.

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More on the importance of measuring in what we do:

"We believe that all change, good or bad, should be measured because if you can't measure it in some way, it didn't really happen. This means we will benchmark at the beginning of each engagement and monitor changes in key performance metrics as well as capturing clearly defined benefits and outcomes. We believe you should be able to clearly see the results and return on the investment you place with us." 

CONCLUSION #5: You can expect us to benchmark, monitor and establish key performance metrics of what's going on in a change programme.

Want a Shot at Free PMI Congress Registration?

Ray Mead and Steve Butler of p3m global will be on site at PMI Global Congress in Phoenix, AZ 26-28 October. More details on this great opportunity to network with us in the days ahead. 

In relation to the #PMIcongressSweeps hashtag that's sweeping the #PMOT globe, be sure to tell everyone the following...

Post this image and/or RT #PMIcongressSweeps for a chance to win FREE registration to #PMIcongress! pic.twitter.com/OXZ7PHTFuJ
— PMI (@PMInstitute) October 1, 2014

Follow us on Twitter @p3mglobal

p3m global rebrand night

Thursday 15^th May, PM-Partners officially announced the relaunch of what was PM-Partners EMEA to p3m global. An evening of celebrations with music, refreshments and an introduction to the new brand was enjoyed at the IceTank in Covent Garden, London.

Everyone at p3m global would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those who joined us. We received some great feedback from the night.

For those of you who could not make it, we encourage you to visit the p3m Facebook page, where more photos and information can be found.

Over the next few months you may notice that we will be gradually phasing out the PM-Partners brand and as of September 2014 we will officially be running solely as p3m global. We are very excited about what the future will bring and to continue working with you moving forward.

Best wishes from the p3m global team!

Like us on Facebook to catch a glimpse of the fun & some bits about the future as well. You can also catch a glimpse at our Google+ page.

Post by p3m global.

Photography c/of Amber-Rose Smith, re-used gratefully with permission

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Jennifer Parmenter-Brown serves as Marketing & Events Coordinator for p3m global. Connect with her on LinkedIn today. 


Stewart Ball is Business Development Manager of p3m global. Connect with him on LinkedIn today. 

Dan Strayer is Marketing Coordinator of p3m global. Connect with him on LinkedIn today.

10 Reasons Why Project Management is like Cricket

It is the time of year when, all over the English countryside, you can start to hear the gentle thwack of leather on willow in the parks, beside the pubs and on the village greens. With the recent success of the England Cricket Team and the advent of the domestic cricket season my thoughts turn to some of the similarities it shares with another great love of mine (or profession, at least), project management.

The obvious first thing is that nobody understands either of them! Cricket is famed for its complex nature and very few people understand the true scope and value of what a project manager does. But here's a light-hearted look at how they compare in other ways:

1. There are clear boundaries – Round the edge of the field the difference between 1&2 runs and 4 or 6 runs is a clearly defined boundary. Similarly your projects should have a crystal clear scope so there is no dispute over what has or hasn't been delivered.
2. You have limited resources – The fielding team only has 11 men to deploy around the field. The Captain must balance these resources to achieve the best results. He must make sure his best people are in the most critical positions, such as the slips, but needs also account for the risk of a stray ball to long-on. Similarly a PM needs to allocate their best resources to the most critical tasks but be ready to divert them to troublesome areas in the project. It's also important to balance the portfolio. The captain and selectors must balance the team in the right way to achieve their goals. When selecting a team this involves finding the right ratio of bowlers to batsmen or slow and steady run accumulators to aggressive and free-scoring impact players. This is similar to the role of the project portfolio manager trying to pick the right mix of projects in the portfolio to spread risk and maximise return on investment.
3. You must play to your strengths - The captain may set one type of field if they are using a fast bowler and a different type of field if they are using a spin bowler. Bowlers can seldom bat well and vice versa. Similarly, a PM must organise the project around the strengths of his team. The PM may need some good all-rounders in the team to cope with all situations.
4. There are formulae and methods - In the Earned Value Method (EVM) the To-Complete Performance Index (TCPI) bears a striking resemblance to the run-rate calculations from the Duckworth-Lewis Method (D/L) used in one day cricket. (Too technical, anyone……?)
5. There are phases and milestones – The most successful cricket teams understand that a test match goes through many different phases and these are punctuated by milestones such as wickets, declarations, lunch or taking the new ball which, when used properly, can turn the tide of the match. Similarly the PM must divide their project into clear phases to maintain control and use milestones wisely to motivate the focus their team.
6. You have to consider your environment – Just as a cricket captain must take into account the weather, the humidity, the texture and condition of the pitch, the nature of the crowd and the direction of the wind, the PM must analyse their project environment, including the culture of the organisation, the attitude to authority, working times and to project management maturity in general.
7. Risk is everywhere, and must be managed – Right from outcome of the coin toss, to the clumsy sweep from your cavalier batsman through to an uncertain hope that the ball will swing in the attack, the cricketer is constantly calculating risk exposure and coming up with strategies and workarounds to deal with it. Similarly, the project manager must plan for risk and constantly anticipate, review and react to it throughout the whole project life cycle.
8. There's Padding – Quite obviously in cricket, but it's less welcome in project management. Rather than using padding as a substitute for risk management by building arbitrary buffers around key milestones, contingency reserves should be estimated and traced back to specific risks and assumptions made and calculated by the project management team. In cricket it's there to make sure that an LBW call doesn't result in a trip to casualty.
9. It often comes down to the wire – This is a trait most often seen in limited overs games where similar run rates dictate that an entire day's play can be decided by the final ball, as seen in last season's Twenty20 cup final. The trick, like a good PM when faced with an immovable deadline, is to stick to the game plan and keep up the motivation and focus of the team, perhaps trading off some risk to meet the key constraints facing it. A surge in effort to a committed goal will often win the day.
10. In the end it's all about people – As 9 demonstrates, you may have a well-defined project process or a well-coached batting technique but it's the people in your team that make it happen on the day in the face of all obstacles. When the project reaches a critical stage will your people want to play for you? Do they 'want it enough?' Do they know what's expected of them and are they motivated to go beyond it? Understanding how to get the most from your people and having them committed to a common goal is the key ingredient to success; on or off the pitch.

This post was originally published on the blog for the PM-Partners website, 26th May 2011

Ray Mead is Founder/Director of p3m global. Reach out to him on LinkedIn today, or to p3m global on their company and/or group pages.