It is hard to believe another year is upon us, which means it is time to reflect on what went well and what could have gone better over the past year. Thinking through the accomplishments and lessons learned for a PMO is equally valuable. When I reflect upon what did or didn’t go well I typically use a checklist. A checklist enables me to think through all of the different areas that I consider to be important. Here is a checklist that I have created to focus my reflection on aspects of what a PMO has achieved and what needs correcting:
- How well did the PMO team interact with one another and with key stakeholders?
- Has project status been reported consistently, accurately, and in a manner that is visible and accessible to all key stakeholders?
- Did key stakeholders utilize the reports and information prepared by the PMO team or did they just “file” them?
- What do stakeholders feel is the most valuable aspect of the PMO’s existence? What does the answer to this question tell you?
- Were performance metrics identified at the beginning of the year, baselines captured, and then re-measured for analysis? What do those metrics indicate?
- Is the PMO team utilizing a collaboration site? Does this site make collaborating easier and more effective? If not, why not? Can it be improved?
- Are the PMO team members utilizing common processes consistently? Do any processes need to be updated?
- Are projects being completed on time, within budget, and in compliance with quality standards? If yes, what has helped to make this happen? If no, what is prohibiting it from happening?
The objective of these questions is to take the pulse of a PMO and to identify areas where attention can be focused in order to mature a PMO’s capabilities and productivity.
One of the greatest gifts a new year brings is the ability to establish a fresh start and to use this fresh start to inject energy into your PMO. May we all use this gift wisely and reap the benefits a fresh start offers us.
The views expressed on this blog are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer, Robbins-Gioia.
