Author Archive

1. The Issue  I raised the following question in a LinkedIn group:   A common (unsolved?) problem   How would you recommend addressing the following issue that is common in internal projects in enterprises that are not project-based?   The objective is: “to use internal technical personnel as resources on internal improvement projects, without jeopardizing day-to-day operations”.    The situation is...
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1. Introduction Now that the integrated model has been developed, and the commonalities and differences between the domains have been investigated, these ideas will be used to develop a revised set of terms to take into account the fact that all of the domains are part of the project family. 2. Proposed Approach At the most basic level, we...
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1. Introduction In part, 2, the following model (Figure 1) was explained and the analysis of the roles and responsibilities was provided. The roles and responsibilities are complementary, with commonalities and differences in the way in which they are carried out, as explained below. 2. Commonalities The commonalities relate to the “how”. However, these commonalities have to be adapted depending...
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1. Link The first part of this article explained the need for developing a concept of a “project management organisation” which integrates the different management focus of each of the four domains: portfolios, programmes, projects and operations. From one point of view, this allows the distinction between portfolios, programmes and portfolios to be ignored so...
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1. Starting Position Statements in articles and on the Web have (too) often prompted me to get on my hobby-horse about the difference between projects, programmes and portfolios. I now realise I have been flogging a dead (hobby-) horse. But there is still a valuable truth in those distinctions if we approach them from a different...
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Originally published in 1906, The Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce offered cynical definitions of terms of the “political” language of the period. As one of the goals of a PMO is to ensure consistent processes and terminology, this posting attempts to provide similar “helpful” definitions of project management-related terms. 360o Communication Communicating upwards, downwards, diagonally and...
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In my previous posting I outlined the below key issues: -       Why business transformation? -       Where does the BABOK Guide fit in? -       Integrating PM and BA -       Knowledge Areas Here in the last section of this article I will focus on lifecycles, competencies and techniques. Life Cycles Having understood the processes – i.e. how they fit together and what they...
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The first sections of this article listed two directions for PMOs in 2011: Enterprise risk management: the ability to deal with uncertainty while enhancing the capacity to build value by setting an optimal balance between goals for growth and return, and related risks. Business transformation services: optimising organisational change in order to realise enhanced benefits.  It described...
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In my previous post I explained the importance of Enterprise risk management and the COSO model.  Here I will highlight how the PMO can help in these vital areas. The Potential Role of the PMO in ERM It is up to the PMO to address this unbalanced risk focus, and provide an approach aligned with the...
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I have pointed out elsewhere that PMOs are like sharks: if they stop moving, they die! So, with the start of a new year, we need to see where PMOs may be heading in the future.  Obviously each PMO activity has to answer a need of the organisation, and it is up to the PMO...
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