Project Management Office (PMO) Courses

PMO Fundamental: PMO as a Strategic Enabler – Making PMOs Work

ABOUT THIS 1 DAY COURSE:

Project Management Office (PMO) is at a crossroads.  On the one side, PMOs are gaining popularity. Today, it is difficult to conceive how project intensive organizations do not have PMOs (or equivalent) to manage the knowledge and tools, develop and promote methods,  and provide oversight on reporting and project execution. In fact, some Fortune 500 organizations have over 50 PMOs internally. Yet, multiple studies show that the average life of PMOs is only about five years. For PMO professionals or anyone working with PMOs, understanding this dilemma is the key to making PMOs work, not only for your organization but also for you.

In this one-day or six hour course, we will explore the various processes, capabilities, and good practices in the building and running of PMOs.  

Throughout the training, we will discuss multiple cases, review many of the good practices for both traditional PMOs and the recently evolving Agile PMOs. Participants are encouraged to discuss and share their experiences.  The course will also provide selective tools and templates.

 

COURSE DELIVERY:

This course is offered in three modalities: live virtual, classroom, and blended.   When delivered via live virtual technology or blended, the course will be recorded.

 

OBJECTIVES:

• Understand the key strategic drivers that underpins the required support for PMOs
• Evaluate the strategic alignment to ensure continual linkages between the PMO and the organization strategy
• Conduct the following exercises to provide hands-on applications including:
  • Create or validate vision for the PMO
  • Evaluate PMO stakeholders
  • Facilitate solutioning
  • Identify and prioritize key processes and capabilities (aligned with the strategy)
  • Develop (high level) steps to implement or enhance PMO capabilities

 

TARGET AUDIENCE:

Project professionals working with PMOs:

• Project Managers (IT or non-IT)
• PMO managers and team members
• Project team members for all projects
• Business Analysts, Customers, and Project Leaders who want to learn more about a PMO

This course is a component of the PMO training series. 

 

COURSE AGENDA:

1. Understanding the Power and Limitations of the Project Management Office
2. Critical Success Factors for PMOs
3. Linking PMOs to Organization Strategy
4. PMO Maturity Scale
5. Conducting the following exercises in the building or enhancing of PMOs:

• PMO Vision
• Key Stakeholders
• Facilitating Problem Solving
• Identifying & Prioritizing PMO Capabilities
• Tailoring Steps to Build or Improve PMO Capabilities

This course also earns 6 PDUs for those with selective PMI certifications

PMO Insights on Capability & Maturity

ABOUT THIS 1/2 DAY COURSE:

Project Management Office (PMO) is gaining popularity as organizations tackle more projects, programs, and portfolios. Today, over 75% of Fortune 500 organizations have one or more PMOs. Yet, because PMOs are often organically built, responding to specific situations unique to the sponsoring organizations, there are many variations and uniqueness across PMOs even in the same organization. Therefore, there are many myths and “best practices” when in reality they are not proven.

This short, three-hour, live virtual course is mainly designed for participants to strengthen their understanding of PMOs and gain insights on how to: 

• Improve participation and contributions
• Enhance everyday operations
• Generate new ideas to improve existing or developing new PMO capabilities.

Throughout the training, we will review many of the “good” practices including a discussion of PMO maturity.  Participants are encouraged to discuss and share their experiences. We will share a simple tool so participants can evaluate the maturity of their PMOs and also develop a high-level roadmap on the potential growth of the PMO. 

 

COURSE DELIVERY:

This course is offered in three modalities: live virtual, classroom, and blended.  When delivered via live virtual technology or blended, the course will be recorded.

 

OBJECTIVES:

• Provide a detailed introduction of PMOs, including the types of PMOs and their challenges, steps to build and operate PMOs, and words of wisdom for PMO professionals
• Explain PMO and its key capabilities (about 20+) and its maturity scale
• Highlight the key roles and associated skills required for the successful operations of the PMO
• Demonstrate the use of a simple tool to evaluate your PMO and develop a high-level roadmap to enhance the capability of your PMO

 

TARGET AUDIENCE:

Project professionals working with PMOs:

• Project Managers (IT or non-IT)
• PMO managers and team members
• Project team members for all projects
• Business Analysts, Customers, and Project Leaders who want to learn more about a PMO

This course is a component of the PMO training series.  

 

COURSE DELIVERY:

This course uses live virtual conferencing technology, and therefore, most people in the world with high-speed internet access can join and participate in this course.  The course will be recorded, and participants will have access to the course recording for 60 days following the course. All materials and templates will be digitally provided.

 

COURSE AGENDA:

• 1. Introduction to Project Management Office – What it is and what it is not!
  2. Value of PMOs
  3. Types of PMOs
  4. PMO Capabilities & Processes
  5. PMO Maturity Scale
  6. What Works!
  7. Exercise: Conducing a High-Level Analysis
  8. Exercise: Developing a PMO Roadmap for Continuous Improvement

This course also earns 3 PDUs for those with selective PMI certifications