Empower Decision Makers Through a Project Portfolio Office

It is commonly assumed that the PMO should both support individual projects and carry out project portfolio management activities. It is not clear, however, that it always makes sense to combine these very distinct responsibilities. For organizations looking to provide a clearer and stronger PPM mandate or for those looking at a leaner PPM option, the Project Portfolio Office is a viable alternative to the standard model.

Your Challenge

• Combining portfolio management and project support often means PPM gets overlooked. Failing to dedicate resources to PPM and giving them a mandate distinct from the PMO’s mandate of project support denies the opportunity to mature PPM capability.
• Viable alternatives get overlooked in attempts to make project-related overhead leaner. Ideally, organizations provide both individual project support and portfolio management; however, in reality trade-offs often must be made. Many assume the whole PMO must be cut, but scaling down to a PPO is a viable alternative that is usually overlooked.
• Shortchanging PPM denies executives the dedicated decision support they deserve. Reconciling overwhelming project demands with scarce project resources is tough. Decision makers need information and advice to make effective choices they can justify to stakeholders. Don’t shortchange them by making PPM “just another task” in the PMO.

Our Solution

• Our blueprint will clarify the distinction between project support and portfolio management and provide the materials you need to educate key stakeholders about the benefits of separating these into distinct offices.
• We will help you formulate a clear mandate, organizational structure, and workflow for your Project Portfolio Office.
• Completing this project will allow the portfolio manager to give the executive decision makers at your organization the attention they need and deserve in order to deliver strategic project results.
• Challenge the assumption that organizations should start with project support and add portfolio management later.
• Think of the Project Portfolio Office as the core foundation for improved project performance and allow your organization to mature in ways its competitors often overlook.

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