For the desired impact

A PMO requires a different kind of approach than a regular business improvement initiattive.

- ABHISHEK AGRAWAL

A special initiative by organisations, typically set up when they are scaling-up or going through a phase of transformation, Program Management Office (PMO) is a focused, high-impact effort to solve a burning issue such as accelerating sales or turning around profitability. However, not all PMOs are successful in achieving the desired outcome. The implementation of the following points can be instrumental in running a successful PMO:

Focus on solving just one burning issue

Setting-up and running a PMO is an intense, time consuming, and expensive exercise. This may tempt the management to try and achieve multiple objectives through this effort. However, this would diminish the required, single-minded focus. Organisations should thereby focus on solving just one burning issue—accelerating sales or managing a new product launch—at a time.

Keep duration short and focused

PMOs work best in short spells—with a typical effective duration of about 12 weeks—and are differentiated from the regular business improvement efforts through their focus and intensity. Stretching the duration of a PMO invariably takes away this focus and intensity. Adopting a 2+8+2 format—the first two weeks to set-up the PMO and for the PMO team to achieve the desired pace, eight weeks of focused and dedicated delivery, and the last two weeks of handing over the initiatives back to regular business teams for sustenance—is an ideal approach for a successful PMO.

A common misconception is that successful PMOs require large teams. This is not true for most situations. Small, two to three member teams that are dedicated are much more effective than large teams, which suffer from divided attention and high inertia.

Define upfront two to three objectives and one to three key results for each objective