From New Books to Old Truths: PMO Life in 2025 / PMO HotHouse April 2025

If you missed this month’s PMO HotHouse, you missed a packed session full of straight-talking updates, honest laughs, and a few moments where you just had to nod along thinking, “Yep, been there.”

Here’s a quick run-through of some of the key moments — the ones you’ll probably want to know about, and a few that, well, just made us smile.

The Full HotHouse Show!

Highlights and Key Takeaways

Big news from APM:

• The APM Body of Knowledge 8th Edition has landed.

• It’s a hefty one (and at £60 a copy, a few people are still, let’s say… “considering” it).

• Honest admission: “What’s new for the PMO? No idea – haven’t read it yet.” (We appreciate the honesty, John.)

• APM Body of Knowledge 8th Edition: APM BoK 8 Website

Also from APM:

• A new Controls Book just dropped — and at £80, it’s another sizeable investment. If you’re into earned value, benefits tracking, and general project performance geekery, this one’s for you.

• APM Controls Book: APM Controls Guide

You can check out a future event coming up where we get into the new APM Body of Knowledge (v8) – check out the events.

“You can’t read your way into running a good PMO. You have to live it a bit.”

Industry Moves: PMI’s Green Ambitions

It’s been another busy month for PMI, who have quietly opened up the review process for their new standard for project management – a move that’s pretty important if you’re tied to PMBOK or working in a PMI-influenced organisation (and let’s be honest, that’s a lot of us). If you’re a PMI member, you can dive into the draft now. But perhaps the bigger news? PMI’s spending spree isn’t over yet. They’ve just taken a majority stake in Green Project Management (GPM) – a specialist organisation focused on sustainability in project delivery. While they haven’t fully bought it outright, it’s clear they’ve got plans. GPM already offers a certification, and it sounds like it won’t be long before that gets folded into the PMI family. The general feeling? Expect more moves like this, as PMI looks to broaden its reach and, as John put it, “sweat the value” from these new investments. It’s smart business, but it also hints at a bigger trend: sustainability is no longer a nice-to-have in project management. It’s fast becoming a must.

Check out the session we did with Joel from Green Project Management.

Spotlight on PMO Priorities: What Deloitte Found

In the final news roundup, there was an interesting nod to a recent Deloitte study – and it’s the kind of thing that makes you sit up a bit straighter if you work in PMO. According to their findings, the number one driver behind transformation initiatives right now isn’t tech, or even operational change – it’s customer experience. That’s right: organisations aren’t just chasing efficiency anymore; they’re chasing ways to serve customers better, faster, and more personally. For PMOs, it’s a subtle but important shift. It means we need to think less about process for process’s sake, and more about the actual impact our projects have out in the real world. There was a bit of a chuckle about it too – that classic moment of “well, it sounds obvious when you say it out loud” – but still, it’s a good reminder. If your PMO can’t draw a line between what you’re doing and how it improves the customer experience? You might not be doing the right things.

The report can be found here

Hot or Not

The discussion moved into the “Hot or Not” section – and, unsurprisingly, AI dominated the conversation again.

We don’t want every “Hot or Not” segment to become “the AI segment,” but at the moment it’s unavoidable. AI is such a hot topic across project management, with so many new developments happening almost daily.

Professional bodies are very aware of this trend, and they’re working to put their own spin on AI in project management. PMI, in particular, was called out for “leading the way” — both in snapping up businesses (as John mentioned earlier) and in producing thought leadership on AI.

We highlighted a new paper from PMI:

• It’s a follow-up to the “AI Essentials for Project Professionals” guide. Check that out over at PMI.

• The new release is described as how to support the delivery of AI projects in organisations – it specifically highlights the PMO’s role – you can read more about that here.

• It’s a bit like “teaching grandma to suck eggs” – in other words, it’s just describing standard PMO support activities, not necessarily anything brand-new or groundbreaking

TMO vs PMO: Different Roles, Same Journey

One interesting point from the new PMI paper was the clear distinction between PMOs and TMOs – something that doesn’t always get spelled out. The analogy used landed well: the PMO is like the ship’s engine room, keeping everything running smoothly, while the TMO is up on the bridge, steering the ship toward a new destination. In a world where transformation is becoming the norm, it’s a helpful reminder that while PMOs and TMOs might be part of the same journey, they’re playing very different roles in making sure organisations get where they need to go.

New Learning Opportunity on the Radar

There was also a quick shout-out to a brand new course now available for anyone looking to sharpen their skills around transformation and AI-driven projects. It’s an online certification, accredited by APMG – the same body that backs the House of PMO certifications – so it carries real credibility. It’s another sign that professional development is shifting fast to meet the new demands being placed on PMOs. Worth keeping an eye on if you’re thinking about your next move.

> The new Artificial Intelligence Practitioner course is now available

And in the Hot Seat This Month

This session featured an interview with Sarah, a member of the House of PMO community. Sarah talked about her journey – from joining as a free member back in 2018, to becoming a full member in 2022 when she took on her first Head of PMO role. She shared how valuable the community and its resources have been for her growth.

Sarah also discussed her involvement in the PMO Service Catalogue project, highlighting how being part of it stretched her skills (especially around areas like benefits management) and provided a brilliant networking and learning opportunity. Although the project is still ongoing, they’ve reached a major milestone by reviewing every service in the catalogue and are now moving into the writing phase. You can still get involved here.

On a personal note, Sarah talked about the PMO job market –  which she found surprisingly strong – and her new role as Project Controls Director. She emphasised the importance of continued professional development, networking, and mentoring the next generation, mentioning she’s even mentoring her son who just started a project controls apprenticeship.

From major new publications to AI dominance, from sustainability to career moves, this month’s HotHouse had it all.

The takeaway?
PMOs are evolving fast – and the best way to stay ahead is to stay curious, stay connected, and keep learning.

See you at the next one!