
In turbulent times, delivering a change agenda is critical to the ongoing success of your organisation. A great programme management office could be the key to a high-performance transformation, according to Project One expert Ed Davies.
The programme management office (PMO) may not be the first team considered when thinking about high-performance transformation. At Project One, we know many organisations suffer from ‘PMOs’ which focus on admin, or support rather than driving performance in delivery, either at project, programme, portfolio or enterprise levels. To deliver high-performance transformation PMOs need to be so much more than this, and with the right expertise they can be.
How PMO can build high-performance transformation
Look at other high performing teams, say in the peak of motorsport. Race teams have the best drivers in the world competing on track chasing every race win. Drivers are focused on getting around the track as quickly as possible, reacting to instant changes to make a key overtake and do their best for faster and faster lap times. Even the best drivers need the best car possible to help turn their efforts into those race wins. A great driver with a poor car will be left struggling at the back of the pack and doing what they can to just get to the finish line. A driver relies on the mechanics, engineers and pit-crews to give them the best tool possible for the job.
Drivers are like skilled and experienced PMs. PMs focus on navigating the twists and turns of change to ‘win’ delivery for each of their projects and programmes. They make tactical decisions every day to keep the transformation on course and get to the finish line as quickly and effectively as possible. Just like drivers, experienced PMs can be stuck in traffic without the right delivery ‘car’ of tools, processes and capabilities.
PMO are like the team mechanics, engineers and pit-crew of transformation.
Experienced PMO put the best ‘car’ on track for every delivery. They work, often in the background, to make sure all the different components work together, and the transformation is tuned to go as fast as it can. Just like mechanics and engineers are experts in their car’s systems (like engine, gearbox, aerodynamics), great PMO are the experts in how each change system works (like risk, schedule or change management) and getting the most performance from them. The PM is great at putting their foot down, but great PMO understands the engine of change.
Beyond the start line
Great PMO goes beyond getting the transformation car to the start line, they give Clarity, Control and Confidence in the change. Like the engineers and pit-crews in the race, PMO are with the delivery right to the finish line;
- Just like the engineers on the pit-wall are feeding information and analysis to the driver as the race develops, PMO can give clarity to the PM on the performance of the delivery, bring insights, and help them make the best strategic decisions.
- If something breaks on the car or the driver doesn’t feel in control, they come straight into the pits for a quick repair or tweak to the cars set-up. Every race, and every delivery is different, so being able to fix what doesn’t feel right is a key capability of great PMO. If the transformation is out of control, bring it into the pits and have PMO tune it for the best performance.
- With the right team backing them, not just at the circuit, but back at the factory monitoring systems and metrics, drivers, sponsors and team management can be confident in their performance. Great PMO gives the same confidence to change managers, stakeholders and leadership. With the right oversight, insight and performance culture you can be confident in the success of the most critical deliveries.
With the finishing line of another successful delivery crossed, the PM might be on the podium with some champagne, but great PMO will be continuously improving and getting the car of transformation ready for the next race.
A crew to drive success
Building the right, experienced PMO lets you put the best ‘car’ on track for every delivery and unlocks the capability in your PMs. Great PMO tunes and supports every change right through the delivery race for high performance to deliver at pace.