Actionable Insights from Knowledge Hubs and Mobile App Discussion Channels

Transcription

1 Actionable Insights from Knowledge Hubs and Mobile App Discussion Channels PMO Symposium 2016

2 The following slides capture and consolidate the insights shared by your peers at various knowledge hubs and mobile app discussion channels at PMO Symposium We hope you find these insights actionable and useful.

3 LESSONS FROM THE TRENCHES THINGS I D DO DIFFERENTLY IN SETTING UP AND ADVANCING MY PMO

4 Understand the objectives as to why a PMO is needed and problem it needs to focus on with specific outcomes and timeline, followed by resourcing appropriately. Take an iterative approach with continuous improvements vs. a big bang with too much to do at once. Focus on a few key things that matter and show progress and benefits. Don t try to do too many things and lose focus. Keep it simple and meaningful for the context you operate in. Lessons from the Trenches Things I d Do Differently in Setting Up and Advancing My PMO

5 Make it simple and address first what your stakeholders are expecting from you - after all they are the reason behind your existence. Ensure sufficient design up front because getting that wrong is detrimental not only to cost, but to credibility. Enhance and refine continuously. Utilize and enhance process according to business needs. Process comes before tools. Focus on portfolio prioritization. Cannot say yes to everything. Lower effort & detail for lower complexity Kill is not a failure Lessons from the Trenches Things I d Do Differently in Setting Up and Advancing My PMO

6 Focus on effective organizational change management Get input, be open to other ways Use early adopters as ambassadors for change programs Use lunch-n-learn to spread knowledge Engage stakeholders and manage their expectations through the sharing of relevant information Always a work-in-progress Lessons from the Trenches Things I d Do Differently in Setting Up and Advancing My PMO

7 Obtain executive buy-in and continuously align the PMO to organizational strategy Ensure regular executive review meetings by proposing and justifying criteria for inclusion on the agenda Participate in gate meetings with continued visibility in order to achieve endorsement Make sure you get enough time and budget to gather enough information for the next gate Show values in C-level terms Lessons from the Trenches Things I d Do Differently in Setting Up and Advancing My PMO

8 Focus on talent management Implement career paths for team members Focus time and energy on knowledge transfer Partner with HR to ensure the hiring, training and rewarding process are working Develop mentoring programs for team members Train team members to be leaders Provide incentives for getting PMP certification Lessons from the Trenches Things I d Do Differently in Setting Up and Advancing My PMO

9 BENEFITS REALIZATION MANAGEMENT BEST PRACTICES AND THE ROLE OF THE PMO

10 Start benefits realization management (BRM) by showing how the PMO is contributing to the organization show the value of the PMO as it relates to the bottom line [of the business]. Invest the C-suite in projects; help them see the benefits rather than the requirements. Avoid being static in approaching our work; Adapt and elevate the PMO s ability to contribute to the organization. Find ways to be nimble and agile and measure outcomes to gain insights into what we re doing, how we re doing it. Benefits Realization Management Best Practices and the Role of the PMO

11 Start by defining the basic definition of benefits Develop a transformation methodology based on Portfolio and Program Management and align with stakeholders Educate teams and executives on what benefits realization really means Base benefits on the needs of the organization not on requirements It s not just about dollars Benefits are written in a language for the audience Benefits Realization Management Best Practices and the Role of the PMO

12 Align projects with organizational vision; don t approve projects if their benefits are not aligned. Don't approve, fund or resource projects unless they have compelling business cases with business outcomes. Manage changes to your business case with a designated owner. Celebrate PMs who recommend cancelling projects that aren't going to deliver their business cases. Have tough conversations with business sponsors who are not engaged enough in supporting business outcomes. Demonstrate and show the business value at the end of every project and at various intervals thereafter. Benefits Realization Management Best Practices and the Role of the PMO

13 Embed expected benefits in project scope statement Use a risk-benefits matrix; identify, assess and document each benefit source. Include the matrix in your project plan make it part of it. Review the matrix, both risks and benefits, every month. Include BRM in tools/templates (e.g., in the project charter) Confirm that stakeholders accept benefits realization plan Confirm plans and forecasts are updated when changes are accepted Benefits Realization Management Best Practices and the Role of the PMO

14 Be proactive so you do not chase benefits when a project is completed. Have a designated benefits owner such as a portfolio manager to monitor for when benefits are actually realized. Partner with finance and other business areas who will be able to track the benefits in the long term Integrate benefits tracking responsibility as part of the project governance team and regularly review benefits after things are delivered. Follow the same framework across all sectors. Benefits Realization Management Best Practices and the Role of the PMO

15 Add criteria to program benefits. For example, your program goes yellow if a program does not deliver some benefits from the first few projects Utilize tools to mind map benefits linkages and understand parent/child relationships Report completing milestones as a percent of benefits Confirm non-biased reporting of metrics in dashboards Require all projects to go through a customer experience review board Benefits Realization Management Best Practices and the Role of the PMO

16 Deliver regular status reports to executives and different areas of the business with a section focusing on benefits risks (issues and opportunities) that would speak to leadership. Ask stakeholders what they d like to see in the status report and then pick and choose wisely Use a transparent, consistent framework for management of benefits transition and acceptance Benefits Realization Management Best Practices and the Role of the PMO

17 Develop realistic benefits metrics that will resonate with executives. Pick a few "simple" benefits to track without getting bogged down in the detail and still provide enough detail to be meaningful. Galvanize around one or two core strategies and the two or three simple metrics become obvious Examples include: Improving customer service Increasing productivity Reducing cost, headcount Benefits Realization Management Best Practices and the Role of the PMO

18 TALENT MANAGEMENT IN THE PMO

19 Network and sell talent management within the organization Get one champion (sponsor) don t worry about all of them; actively engage and communicate what you need Partner with Human Resources (HR) to develop the pipeline, career ladder Do HR work for them; keep HR involved and start a pilot and get them to take the credit Focus on succession planning and driving it; HR executes but PMO has opportunity to make changes to roles and gets it re-graded; leverage the thought leadership content from PMI to pull out executive level points and research Talent Management in the PMO

20 Evaluate PMs to understand their depth of knowledge/experience then put them in training Carve out time meet every week with team leads; do a roundtable about how it s going get the problems (not status reports); determine what works and doesn t work Conduct survey during close out of project did everyone do what they were supposed to do? Capture successes and lessons learned Demonstrate that the PMO is dedicated to raising the bar Talent Management in the PMO

21 Don t make people into a PM if it s not what they want to do put every tool in place to make it as easy as possible for the person; try not to go against the grain don t force people into something they re not interested in Sometimes it is just a conversation get people connected with the opportunities that they re interested in Lean on people who enjoy an activity gets them passionate Partner junior PMs with senior PMs who "get it". Understand the culture of the organization Consider work-life balance Talent Management in the PMO

22 Encourage daily feedback Encourage CANDID feedback; by time of formal review it s more of a formality Focus on future progress and what they want to do rather than focusing performance Give people autonomy and access to the leadership team as a way to encourage retention and increase job satisfaction Talent Management in the PMO

23 When you have non-pms in PM roles Create project in a box - online PM templates/tools readily available/set up Proactively "on-board" PM training for individuals who are non-pms for a 3-6 month period Create mentorship opportunities Assess the complexity of a project to determine whether you can use a non-pm in a PM role Talent Management in the PMO

24 Devote time to develop the right posting and effective interview techniques Evaluate critical thinking Utilize case studies, scenarios Assess how challenges or difficult situations are handled Assess all three areas of the PMI Talent Triangle Talent Management in the PMO

25 RESPONDING TO THE CHANGING ENVIRONMENT THE EVOLVING PMO

26 Obtain C-Suite backing to help the PMO grow and evolve Promote the PMO; show how governance and consistent processes can achieve efficiencies. Keep the reporting simple. Always validate what we are doing to make sure benefits are realized. Conduct true assessment not a biased audit. Obtain customer feedback on how efficient the PMO is operating. Do surveys, lessoned learned and annual review to understand strengths and weaknesses. Responding to The Changing Environment The Evolving PMO

27 Conduct SWOT analysis to understand and anticipate opportunities and threats and develop change strategy to be more strategic Prioritize and provide adequate resources to change initiatives Utilize middle management as change agents Consistently reinforce the value of project management Keep an ongoing pulse of what the organization needs from its PMO (aka voice of your customer). How is your organization's direction changing and what's needed to get there? What deficiencies does the org have and how can you help fill gaps? A relevant PMO is ever-changing to improve AND in alignment with your ever-changing organization. Responding to The Changing Environment The Evolving PMO

28 Provide clarity of team roles/responsibilities and understand why/where the PMO is located. Management/sponsors need to be aware of responsibilities. Be prepared to have a process to review roles/responsibilities to deal with the changing environment. Hire talent with leadership skills; SMEs can cover technical aspects. Avoid too much bureaucracy that can overwhelm the project team. Responding to The Changing Environment The Evolving PMO

29 Leverage tools to help manage change. Below are tools used by attendees. Innotas: project management tool that deliver dashboards that help people outside of PM to be able to consume the information and get the message across and easy to read. JIRA: has been helpful across the organization Clarity and Planisware : popular tools in the pharma industry Smart sheet Share point for PMO and portfolio management. Responding to The Changing Environment The Evolving PMO

30 When there are multiple PMOs within the business: Engage in discussions on the objective of each PMO. Confirm that roles are aligned through good communication management on big/strategic projects. When a PMO is not working, restructure and streamline for more efficiency and improve communication. Different teams/business areas may have different needs. Diversify and split the PMO if necessary. Responding to The Changing Environment The Evolving PMO

31 For PMO transitioning to agile: Get external experts to help with agile coaching especially when you do not have internal experts Designate dedicated teams to create standards and consistency for agile implementation Develop templates and tools to support this transformation Measure and assess approaches continuously Develop processes before investing in tools Use tools such as JIRA agile : very sophisticated level service ware according to some attendees Responding to The Changing Environment The Evolving PMO

32 CREATING VALUE WITH KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT A PMO IMPERATIVE

33 Emphasize the advantages and need for sharing ideas Leverage websites, guides, templates, procedures, team meetings, communities and forums Implement project diaries (not just PM info) Develop play book, run book Develop centralized lessons learned data base such as SharePoint - use filters and sorting Creating Value with Knowledge Management A PMO Imperative

34 During PMO staff meetings, encourage feedback from a PM on something they recently experienced or tried During Quarterly offsite meetings, dive deep into a PM topic and facilitate PM bonding Provide opportunities for new PMs to shadow and work with senior PMs Creating Value with Knowledge Management A PMO Imperative

35 Make it easy for people to access information. Think and structure your PMO as an enabling body not a governing body. Utilize story telling techniques. Ask people to reflect on their experience and provide the opportunity to tell their story. People tend to remember and relate to a story better. Be relentless in using lessons learned to improve process, templates, tools and techniques. Creating Value with Knowledge Management A PMO Imperative

36 INTEGRATING AGILE METHODOLOGY AND THE PMO

37 Focus on delivery and benefits realization management via agile approach bottom up and agile concepts top down and encourage organizational agility Providing agile training to teams Combining the roles of product owner and project manager, PM and Scrum master if needed Providing appropriate project management domain knowledge to product owner Some attendees found it useful to incorporate added benefits realization to SAFe model (scaled agile framework for software and system development) - showing value, fast paced governance Integrating Agile Methodology and the PMO

38 Choose wisely when deciding to use agile Implement on an individual project level to see what works and what needs to be adjusted Use a hybrid approach (agile and waterfall) to address the balance needed by your unique projects/programs Require the tracking and measuring of performance metrics - this is an area where the PMO can be a valuable resources. Position the metrics in terms of executive priorities. Need to focus the what and not the how with them. Integrating Agile Methodology and the PMO

39 Communication and change management are crucial disciplines in adapting agile methodology Implement a Business Relationship role to keep stakeholders abreast of project/program activities. Respond to change requests from customers in an expeditious, logical and consistent manner. Communicate to sponsor and stakeholders the difference between the project and the product backlog. Project backlog set of tasks and activities required to complete the project Product backlog set of desired features that may enhance the product Integrating Agile Methodology and the PMO

40 Focus on delivering benefits in the long term not just the fixed set of features for the product or service created by your projects and programs Assess and determine what is really most important in your projects and programs. What is the desired outcome, not just the output. Refine and align the scope, requirements, budget, schedule and resource prioritization to meet the required strategic goals Integrating Agile Methodology and the PMO

41 PMO PERFORMANCE METRICS

42 Translate the language of project management metrics to the language of the c-suite Partner with Finance and other business areas in order to deliver both line of business specific and enterprise-wide level benefits reporting to ensure visibility and accountability Quantify PMO benefits whether they are financially based or not. Determine what business outcomes are intended by the PMO (customer satisfaction, improved time to market delivery, higher quality products, etc.) and measure the PMO on delivering the target outcomes. PMO Performance Metrics

43 Design a portfolio report dashboard that is easy to follow and accessible to stakeholders Focus on a few KPIs that matter to reflect the objectives and goals of the PMO. Having too many KPIs is like having too many gauges on the dashboard of a vehicle. Leverage earned value management to assess the health of projects and programs while keeping track of potential PMO benefits measurements PMO Performance Metrics

44 Relate your PMO performance metrics to the bottom line where possible. For example, better trained PMs are able to deliver projects faster or more efficiently and achieve more cost savings for the organization. PMO Performance Metrics

45 BUILDING A STRATEGIC PMO

46 Provide regular status reports to senior management and highlight business benefits realized by the PMO. Engage executives to visibly support the PMO and its project management approach. Conduct an assessment of your PMO. What are the gaps, the opportunities? Develop a strategic plan and roadmap for evolving and advancing your PMO. Building a Strategic PMO

47 Utilize portfolio management. Be relentless about project approval and prioritization. Focus and align projects to organizational strategy Develop consistent criteria for approval Position a decision to what are the internal vs. external benefits. Kill projects that will not deliver benefits. Focus on the projects that will create business value for the organization. Make the work attractive by doing the work that matters. Assess and mitigate risks to get the most benefits Building a Strategic PMO

48 Eliminate ambiguities in roles and responsibilities for all projects and programs. Require the review of relevant lessons learned when initiating new projects and programs. Utilize earned value management systematically and consistently Consider getting the PMI Portfolio Management Professional Certification to learn more about implementing a strategic PMO. Building a Strategic PMO

49 BEING AN EFFECTIVE AND SUCCESSFUL PMO LEADER

50 Adopt a service management mindset to running the PMO. Consider the needs of different internal customers and consumers of the PMO services helps ensure you are doing what's relevant for the business in a way that will create continual support and endorsement. Continuously improve yourself and your PMO. Invest in your own skill-sets and capabilities so that you can improve your leadership ability There is always another level of value delivery for the PMO to strive for. It's a journey where you gain mastery in one area and then keep moving on to others. Being an Effective and Successful PMO Leader

51 Provide ample opportunities for open communication among team members, actively solicit ideas for improvement and reward team members for submitting them. Strive to communicate persuasively, passionately and honestly. Organize and plan ahead. Anticipate change and challenges. Be prepared for the unexpected. Being an Effective and Successful PMO Leader

52 Develop a compelling vision for the PMO that support the organizational strategy and use that vision to inspire and focus the work of your team. Communicate the vision and align your team effectively. Focus on the people. Understand the dynamics of your team. Develop your empathy and work to help others to succeed and grow. Seek to understand different perspectives without bias and work with key stakeholders to prioritize ideas and find the right solutions that best support the overall strategic goals. Being an Effective and Successful PMO Leader