Building and Evolving a Project Management Office (PMO) Training

This Project Management Office (PMO) training course will provide you with the skills and competencies needed to structure a PMO — including how to analyze portfolio and project success, implement a governance model, and apply lessons learned. You learn how to standardize project management methodologies, processes, and templates.

A PMO will provide a means of centralization, standardization, and greater project oversight within your organization. Attend this course and gain the skills to enhance the alignment of project management with portfolio management and evolve PMO maturity through continuous improvement.

Building and Evolving a Project Management Office (PMO) Training Benefits

• In this PMO training course, you will learn how to:

  • Develop a vision and charter of a Project Management Office (PMO).
  • Evolve a PMO to improve project success.
  • Automate processes in project portfolio management tools.
  • Enhance alignment of project management with portfolio management.
  • Evolve PMO maturity through continuous improvement.

• PMO Training Course Prerequisites

  Attendees should have project management experience at the level of:

  • Learning Tree course 287, Complex Project Management Training, or
  • Learning Tree course 340, Software Project Management Training.

Building and Evolving a PMO Course Outline

Module 1: Identifying the Value of a PMO

• Why you need a Project Management Office
• Developing a PMO vision statement
• Creating a PMO charter

Module 2: Building a Case for PMO

Benchmarking PMO maturity 

• Examining different maturity levels 
• Leveraging a framework to assess maturity 
• Considering the current state of project and portfolio management 
• Defining the to-be state 
• Analyzing the gap between the current and to-be state 

Planning for success 

• Constructing an approach for each maturity criterion by selecting the right combination 
• Establishing PMO responsibilities within the organization 
• Developing a roadmap to mature the PMO 

Module 3: Standardizing and Automating Project Management Processes

Planning for standardized processes

• Recognizing the benefits of standardization
• Building/updating processes for your environment
• Developing standard document templates

Leveraging Project Portfolio Management (PPM)

• Bridging "doing the right projects" with "doing the project right"
• Researching, recommending, and selecting the right PPM tool/features
• Linking project management and portfolio management with a PPM tool
• Centralizing resource and capacity management
• Connecting PPM with a fiscal management system

Implementing a content repository

• Establishing standards for storing all project content
• Automating collaborative processes with tools
• Housing PMO content for project and portfolio managers
• Benefiting from integrating the PPM

Module 4: Managing Project Training and Support

Supporting project management 

• Balancing project staffing and career development 
• Structuring project knowledge management 

Providing the appropriate level of mentoring 

• Mentoring and coaching project managers' skill development 
• Building strong project/portfolio management competencies 
• Performing independent project audits to encourage growth and learning 
• Providing project recovery assistance to meet goals 

Module 5: Applying Performance Measures

Analyzing portfolio and project progress 

• Defining Key Performance Indicators (KPI) 
• Incorporating Earned Value Management (EVM) into KPIs 
• Measuring project costs and benefits against the plan 
• Establishing KPI roles and responsibilities 

Reporting progress 

• Collecting and reporting on exceptions 
• Assessing current at-risk projects/portfolios 
• Providing leadership with performance reports 

Module 6: Ensuring Proper Governance

Selecting and implementing a governance model 

• Defining governance roles and responsibilities 
• Providing guidance and control 

Structuring and developing PMO roles and responsibilities 

• Validating compliance with standards and regulations 
• Ensuring the "projects are done right" 
• Facilitating project portfolio management 
• Promoting and funding for the next project phase

Module 7: Implementing Change and Continuous Improvement

• Rolling out controlled change for positive adoption
• Fostering project management image and culture
• Evolving the PMO maturity framework
• Incorporating best practices
• Conducting and implementing lessons learned