Establishing & Managing the Project Management Office

In this course, you will gain the relevant knowledge and skills to establish, operate, and improve a project management office (PMO) and to work with PMO staff in a way that maximizes the value projects produce for your organization.

You will review the advantages of running a successful PMO and learn how to set up a PMO that is appropriately positioned within the organization. You will explore the various types of PMOs and the various review and auditing functions that they can perform, and you will explore why PMOs might perform below expectations and learn how to improve and revitalize PMO performance.

Students pursuing a university-recognized and/or accredited certificate in Canada or continuing education units in the US must attend at least 90% of class time, participate in class exercises and section-knowledge checks, and score at least 70% on an end-of-class, multiple-choice assessment.

1. PMO Overview

• The Function of the PMO
• The PMO and Project Success

2. Establish a PMO

• The Steps to Establish a PMO
• The PMO Charter
• Barriers to Establishing a PMO
• The PMO Value Proposition
• PMO Revitalization

3. Project Controls, Failure, and Recovery

• Overview of Project Control
• Project Audits
• Project Health and Additional Control Measures
• Project Recovery and Termination

4. PMO Assessment

5. PMO Trends and Moving Forward

• PMO Trends
• Tips for Starting a PMO

PMO sponsors, project sponsors, someone who has the mandate for a PMO or wants a PMO to exist, someone who runs the PMO, program managers, project managers who need to understand how they support and get support from the PMO, someone actively involved in operating or establishing a PMO