The Critical Role of the PMO

The role of the Program Management Office (PMO) is to tightly control the planning and management of complex business programs. Proper Program Management achieves the following goals:

  • Organizes and guides the delivery of a new business capability through multiple projects and releases, while maintaining alignment with the overall corporate vision

  • Applies appropriate disciplines, techniques, and tools to plan and organize the work, and to manage the incremental delivery of the new business capability

  • Coordinates interrelated projects and ensures interdependencies are addressed

  • Drives initiatives from the standpoint of desired business results, and drives the overall program toward the enterprise level goals versus those of individual operations/corporate functions

  • Maximizes end-to-end quality and addresses risk at a comprehensive level

  • Ensures adequate stakeholder and business representative involvement

  • Communicates with all stakeholders in terms they understand

  • Consistently reports program status and health, financials, issues and risks

  • Resolves cross-program/project team issues and high risk situations