3 crucial steps for onboarding an effective ePMO

Three steps for onboarding an effective ePMO

An ePMO is instrumental in laying the foundations for this practice through information and framework design. Collecting and delivering the right data and embedding the processes and behaviours to support this practice takes time, expertise and commitment from the top. In our client engagements here at Hummingbird we’ve identified three conditions that are critical for onboarding an ePMO that’s effective in performing its many roles in driving strategic alignment and return on investment across all projects.

Step 1:?Balance best practice with pragmatism

Guiding organisations towards?best-practice and greater maturity?in their project technology, skills and frameworks should be part of the remit for an ePMO. For their efforts to be successful, both in winning over stakeholders and delivering value through cost savings and other business benefits, an ePMO needs to be scaled to the organisation’s current state. Building best practice can do more harm than good for an organisation that’s not ready for it. If an ePMO is too large and complex at the outset, it can quickly become an overhead and a barrier rather than the foundation that brings visibility to leaders and efficiency to project teams.

An evaluation of where and how an ePMO can deliver the greatest impact on strategic goals and uplift in value is a good starting point for developing an ePMO service solution that fits the current needs of an organisation. Over time, this solution can move towards best practice by assessing and refining standards and practices for project governance and execution. Taking this staged approach to improving discipline, consistency and transparency across project management offices (PMOs) and teams is far more likely to meet with acceptance and have a positive impact on project and organisational outcomes.

Step 2:?Secure C-suite sponsorship?

With the information, efficiency and value an ePMO can deliver in supporting good decisions, it promises project visibility and reporting that C-Suite leaders have long sought. In an organisation with multiple PMOs sitting across a portfolio, consistent project management and reporting practice can be elusive. Providing a single, trusted source of project reporting and governance can bring executive leaders the potential for greater rigour and speed in guiding action that delivers both strategic goals and financial return. This is just what it takes for organisations to succeed in times of rapid change, high customer expectations and intense competition.

For the ePMO to be successful in delivering project reporting that’s consistent and reliable executive sponsorship makes all the difference. Project teams, PMOs and the ePMO itself, need to be held accountable for adopting the processes and providing the information that’s required for high-quality governance and reporting. By sending a clear message from leaders that the outputs and impact of an ePMO are valued in decision-making, it creates this greater sense of accountability within an organisation’s project team and culture.

Step 3:?Foster collaboration

Although leaders have an important role to play in helping an ePMO gain traction, a focus on practices and skills that support effective collaboration is also vital for an effective ePMO. In their work across all functions and levels within the business – whether C-suite, business units or project teams – an ePMO must foster collaboration to properly understand the information requirements of all stakeholders. By establishing both a rapport and workflow with these stakeholders, the ePMO can find ways to keep refining and improving information quality and relevance to better support desired project outcomes and benefits to the organisation.

The value in a mindset and practice that’s focussed on collaboration can also help an organisation reap the benefits of the growing global ePMO community. Being active in ePMO forums and networks, organisations can gain insights on how their peers are driving more value from projects and select the best-practice methods that suit their own organisational and project needs.

Read the full article here: Connecting the dots for better decisions - Hummingbird