This document discusses how a PMO can achieve business results through business architecture by focusing on people, processes, systems, and data. It provides guidance in each of these areas, embracing practices that maximize value and avoiding those that do not. Effective use of knowledge workers, project workers, processes, systems, and data management can save money, increase skills and success rates, and provide information for strategic decision making. Continuous evolution is needed to ensure the PMO meets changing needs.
4. Knowledge workers
EMBRACE AVOID
Short term targeted usage Too many on one project
Increased skill level Mismatching skill sets
Project workers
EMBRACE AVOID
PMO shared resources Overloading great PM’s
Continuing Education Mismatching work skills
5. Value
$ saved on hiring
$ saved on efficient use of workers
Increased skill levels, increasing successful future
programs & projects
Effective use of workers (resource leveling)
10. Process Value
Strategic program value, market share
$ saved from consistency and alignment
Time saved from common taxonomy
$ saved by not working on misaligned projects
13. System Value
Funding to complete the programs
Realistic scrutiny of testing & schedules
Appropriate management of stakeholders
to accept change
$ saved from accurately monitoring the
systems
14. Data and the PMO
Horizon and value metrics
Risk Analysis
15. PMO Data
EMBRACE AVOID
Clear ownership Redundant data
Clear definitions Disparate data
Single Source of Truth Owning everything
16. Horizon and Value Metrics
EMBRACE AVOID
Framework for review Change w/o data
Trending (slip) Boring & repetitive
Future views
18. Data Value
Ability to provide information to make critical
Enterprise decisions
$ saved or gained as a result of effective risk
management
Trust!
When discussing Business Architecture during this hour we will take a look at 4 components They are People, Process, Systems and Data. Product is a result of the business architecture and determines success or failure of the above. We will take a look at what are items to embrace or avoid with Business Architecture; knowing that each Enterprise is different and it is my desire that you will leave this session with some new knowledge or insight to adopt within your Enterprise.Glove demonstration.Knowing that each Enterprise is different consequently means that the purpose, mission and goals of the PMO will also be different. Find where you fit and execute to those parameters for success. Additionally, we will conclude this session with a discussion of a step up.This will be an interactive session and I would like very much for your participation. There is time allotted at the end so please write your questions down and ask them then.
Interaction:How many of your companies have PMO’s or a PMO Director? How many of you have dedicated PM’s. vs. Pooled PM’s vs. shared PM’s? Select 3: Can you give a 1min description of your structure?Thank You,
As a program management office people responsibilities are directly linked to the Enterprise structure. Is it a highly matrixed organization, a weak matrix organization, a purely projectizedorganzation or a purely functional organization. The people aspect of the PMO will be address differently based on the organizational structure, so please make sure you understand the structure clearly. Embrace: Knowledge workers are better utilized short term for their knowledge and skill for only the segment of the program or project that is needed. They can be utilized better functionally across the organization.Avoid: Too many knowledge workers because the are specific and not broad and they are expensive.Embrace: Project workers are better utilized if reporting to a PMO rather than a function because they can be shared among projects and programs. Project workers have skill that is transferrable across functions which allows optimal utilization.Avoid: Overloading the Project worker until they become ineffective. Also avoid having them wear the hat of project work and knowledge worker.Embrace: Education and needs making all participants of the program/project aware of the nuances being managed. This can include educating the project team or educating the functional teams. Avoid: Mismatching workers to the projects or programs. For Example, putting a senior PM on a short term entry level project Get the best utilization of your work force by aligning skills sets to level of complexityEmbrace: Protocol for engagements so that mutual respect is presentAvoid: Creating scenarios where workers are not in the correct role and expected to work in areas that are not governed by the PMO.
As a program management office people responsibilities are directly linked to the Enterprise structure. Is it a highly matrixed organization, a weak matrix organization, a purely projectizedorganzation or a purely functional organization. The people aspect of the PMO will be address differently based on the organizational structure, so please make sure you understand the structure clearly. Embrace: Knowledge workers are better utilized short term for their knowledge and skill for only the segment of the program or project that is needed. They can be utilized better functionally across the organization.Avoid: Too many knowledge workers because the are specific and not broad and they are expensive.Embrace: Project workers are better utilized if reporting to a PMO rather than a function because they can be shared among projects and programs. Project workers have skill that is transferrable across functions which allows optimal utilization.Avoid: Overloading the Project worker until they become ineffective. Also avoid having them wear the hat of project work and knowledge worker.Embrace: Education and needs making all participants of the program/project aware of the nuances being managed. This can include educating the project team or educating the functional teams. Avoid: Mismatching workers to the projects or programs. For Example, putting a senior PM on a short term entry level project Get the best utilization of your work force by aligning skills sets to level of complexityEmbrace: Protocol for engagements so that mutual respect is presentAvoid: Creating scenarios where workers are not in the correct role and expected to work in areas that are not governed by the PMO.
How many of you a PMO process?Are your processes the same across all functions?Depending on regulatory practices, some Enterprises have better processes than others.
We know that all Enterprises have processes and within the Enterprise some functions adhere to the processes better than others. Not all processes or Enterprises are equal. Enterprise processes can be defined as requests, patterns, Re-use of capabilities, creating new capabilities, regulations, adoption and measurement. Enterprise processes are created for all organizations and functions to follow; not all do. Depending on the type of PMO, maintaining processes and methodologies could be a responsibility of the PMO. Determine upfront how that responsibility will bring value to the Enterprise.Embrace: Enterprise processes and promote them throughout the company. It will create a common taxonomy and simplify and clarify communications.
Embrace: Industry standards and processes (PMI PMBOK, PLC, Agile). As a PMO the need to drive consistency and industry standards is tantamount. If the PMO does not hold up the standards the organizations following them will not either. This often times creates chaos and undermines the value of the PMO. It also feeds a passive / aggressive culture.Avoid: Playing police for other organizations unless that is the PMO charter to do so. Remember the type of PMO and it’s purpose and adhere to the PMO strategy and execution to meet the desired outcomes for the PMO.
Embrace: Creating an engagement process if one is not already in place. There may be exceptions to this idea; however without an engagement process; discipline and prioritization will be diminished. Fire, Ready, Aim is an engagement process, but is it right for your Enterprise?Avoid: Ad hoc requests without an approval process or engagement process in place.
Strategic Program Value: working only on the projects and programs which align to the Enterprise strategy.Engagement process keeps $ focused on the high value aligned projects/programs
What do you think about when I say Systems?Take answers from the audienceOpening remark:What is a system? whole compounded of several parts or members, system", literary "composition"[1]) is a set of interacting or interdependent system components forming an integrated whole.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SystemMost systems share common characteristics, including:Systems have structure, defined by components and their composition; Systems have behavior, which involves inputs, processing and outputs of material, energy, information, or data; Systems have interconnectivity: the various parts of a system have functional as well as structural relationships between each other. Systems may have some functions or groups of functions The term system may also refer to a set of rules that governs structure and/or behavior.We will take a brief look today at 5 systems and what the PMO can embrace or avoid.
Fire, Ready, Aim – is a system. Is it a good one? Perhaps in some situations where money is no issue. Where money is an issue it is not a great system.There are multiple systems within an Enterprise which will impact the success of a PMO. Let’s take a look at 5 of them.Financial Systems: How is the PMO funded, how does the Enterprise pay for it’s services.Embrace: a financial system which gives budgets and control over the PMO funds for the PMO specifically and the projects/programs preferably. Avoid: a financial system which does not directly support programs or projects, avoid tin cupping, it breeds political parity.Political Systems: How does the organizational structure and placement of the PMO impact its ability to execute? Embrace: Buy in from all impacted stakeholders, appropriate stakeholder management process; must have an executive sponsor to assist with political situations.Avoid:CLM = Career Limiting Moves; Passive aggressive behaviors; Infrastructure Systems: Is the infrastructure integrated or antiquated; enabling or punitive. Depending on which you encounter, the infrastructure can impede PMO success.Embrace: a knowledge of the infrastructure the PMO will be utilizing and engaging. Infrastructure which will allow the PMO consistent, effective and valid data gathering.Avoid: Multiple use systems when processes are the same.Culture Systems Reference: http://www.linkedin.com/groupItem?view=&gid=63688&type=member&item=44298978&commentID=-1#lastComment; "Culture eats strategy for breakfast" I believe that every individual, organization, and even governments should take the reality and importance of this statement into account when they are operating and doing business across the international arena. Failure to do so will inevitably lead to complications and even failure. Cultural scrutiny, awareness and understanding is king, regardless of your terrain - at home or abroad. Passive / Aggressive Behavior is a type of culture. Ready, Aim, Fire is also a culture.Change systems = Kotter /Awareness/ Demand BaseTechnology has given us many ways to communicate, but only one is truly human: in-person presentations. Genuine connections create change. (Resonate, by Nancy Duarte).It is my personal opinion that change is most successful when stakeholder management is appropriately demonstrated and Executive Sponsorship is fully engaged in the change.
How many of you use stop light reports?How effective is it and why?Definition: TaxonomyThe term data refers to qualitative or quantitative attributes of a variable or set of variables. Data (plural of "datum") are typically the results of measurements and can be the basis of graphs, images, or observations of a set of variables. Data are often viewed as the lowest level of abstraction from which information and then knowledge are derived. Raw data, i.e. unprocessed data, refers to a collection of numbers, characters, images or other outputs from devices that collect information to convert physical quantities into symbols.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DataWhy is data important? It helps to orchestrate business decisions. Decisions which will determine the Company’s success for failure? This is important to the PMO as it exports data to diverse audiences.
PMO data: What data is important to the PMO and what data should be owned and driven by the PMO? These are important questions and need to be determined prior to presenting data. When data surfaces that is disparate, which data will be used for decision making? Single source of Truth data (SSOT) must be identified and validated by the Executive Sponsor as the information that decisions will be predicated. Embrace: Single source of truth data. Require ownership of data regardless of where it is created or resides.Avoid: disparate data without sponsorship
Horizon and Value metrics: What data should the PMO own? – Execution data, Business Value Data, Forecast Data? What data can the PMO borrow? -Marketing Analysis, Sales statistics. Embrace: Data which trends historically but tantamount to predict the future. Create a framework to review the data on a periodic basis.Avoid: Boring and repetitive data that does not add value to decision making. Change to program without new data metrics to identify change success.
Risk analysis and contingency information is the safety net for PMO’s. A risk management plan (RMP) with contingency built in is best practice execution. As a part of the RMP, identify data, track it to validate or discredit the risk realization. Embrace: a risk management plan, and that the plan is being tracked and executed against.Avoid: incorrect risk data, lack of risk management plan
Never the same – listen to customers respond to changing business requirementsGame Changers – discover and search out ways the PMO can bring new and different results to the organization which totally changes the outlookProcess Evolution - look for ways to improve, ALWAYS
Thank you for your participation.I am available for conversation anytime via my email address.Have a wonderful time in sunny Florida.
