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Beyond Project Methodologies: How PMOs Create Biomes of Delivery
From Dinosaurs to Delivery Biomes: Rethinking How PMOs Create the Right Environments for Success
At the recent PMO Conference in Edinburgh, a last-minute gap in the programme led to an unexpected but thought-provoking session from PMO HotHouse co-host, John McIntyre. Stepping in with no fuss, John introduced us to a concept that turned a few heads: Delivery Biomes.
His session tackled a familiar frustration for many PMOs – the idea that one project delivery method should fit all. We’ve all seen it: projects with vastly different goals, contexts, and constraints are shoehorned into the same methodology, simply because that’s what’s always been done.
And yet… many PMOs still build from the inside out. We start with what we know: a process here, a template there, maybe a stage gate model if we’re feeling organised. We tweak, we adapt, we cross our fingers. But what if, like the dinosaurs, we’ve become highly specialised for an environment that no longer exists?
Enter Delivery Biomes – a fresh approach that invites us to turn the traditional model on its head and design delivery ecosystems that are fit for purpose, not just familiar.
Recorded Session
Presentation Deck
Download the DeckKey Insights and Takeaways
What Are Delivery Biomes?
What Are Delivery Biomes?In nature, biomes are environments like rainforests or deserts, distinct ecosystems where everything within is tailored to survive and thrive. You wouldn’t expect a cactus to flourish in a snowstorm, would you?
The same applies to delivery. Biomes of Delivery are custom environments designed to match the type of work being done. A high-innovation project? It needs fast feedback and agile iterations. Compliance-heavy transformation? That calls for structure, governance, and rigour.
This concept invites PMOs to stop forcing every initiative through the same delivery pipeline and start designing environments that fit the outcomes they’re targeting.
Discovering Your Biomes
Discovering Your Biomes
Dinosaurs were excellent at being dinosaurs – but when the environment changed, they didn’t survive. Many project environments are changing just as rapidly.
The environment matters more than the method.
Instead of starting with project stages and templates, start by understanding your organisation’s delivery ecosystem:
- What types of work are being done?
- What environments (biomes) already exist organically?
- Where are the pain points, handoffs, or systemic dysfunctions?
This approach shifts the PMO from method enforcer to environment architect.
Building Delivery Biomes in Practice
Building Delivery Biomes in Practice
Here’s a step-by-step approach:
- Observe and Identify
Map out delivery zones. Look for clusters – HR initiatives, compliance work, tech innovation. Draw them out visually. Don’t default to org charts; look at how work naturally groups and flows.
- Define Each Biome
Create persona-style descriptions for each biome. Give it a name, define its purpose, and draft OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) that link to strategic goals.
- Set Minimum Viable Governance
Governance should be tailored to each biome. The level of control needed in a cake-tasting R&D biome is wildly different from that needed in a GDPR-heavy compliance biome. Your role as PMO? Facilitate just enough control – no more, no less.
- Toolkits That Fit
Provide the right tools for the right context. Agile methods might work in one biome, stage gates in another. Your PMO becomes the toolkit provider, not the dictator of practice.
- Create Human APIs
Projects don’t happen in silos. Design how biomes interact. Use boundary spanners – people or roles that coordinate across biomes – to smooth dependencies and avoid friction.
- Iterate and Evolve
Biomes aren’t permanent. Monitor them with simple metrics (ideally linked to those OKRs). If a biome becomes rigid or ineffective, refactor it.
The Role of the PMO in a Biome-Based World
The Role of the PMO in a Biome-Based World
In this model, PMOs operate at two levels:
Strategic PMO
Shaping and monitoring the biome structure. Ensuring strategic alignment. Owning the organisational view.
Embedded PMO
Supporting delivery teams within the biomes. Tailoring practices. Optimising tools. Facilitating smooth boundaries and rapid decisions.
No more “one size fits all.” Instead, the PMO becomes a dynamic enabler, helping teams thrive in the right conditions.
Key Takeaways for PMO Practitioners
Key Takeaways for PMO Practitioners
Here’s what you can try immediately in your PMO:
- Stop starting with stages and templates. Start with environments.
- Sketch out your organisation’s delivery biomes. Share and iterate.
- Define OKRs at the biome level to keep them outcome-focused.
- Align tools, methods, and governance to biome needs—not the other way round.
- Identify and empower your boundary spanners.
- Build in regular review cycles to refine or retire biomes as needed.
Mentioned Resources & References from the Session
Mentioned Resources & References from the SessionOKRs (Objectives and Key Results)
Referenced as a way to define biome-level goals. Originates from Intel, popularised by John Doerr at Google.
“OKRs help teams set stretching objectives with measurable key results—useful for defining the purpose of each biome.”
Systems Thinking
Mentioned during the Q&A as a helpful lens for understanding how different biomes interact, especially in complex, dynamic organisations.
Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)
Referenced critically when discussing how some delivery ecosystems (like value streams and Agile Release Trains) can become rigid and resist evolution.
“They like trains… but they assume the organisation won’t change, which is a bit of a problem!”
PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge)
Referenced humorously in contrast to the dynamic, ecosystem-based approach of delivery biomes.
“Outside, you’ve got bodies of knowledge like PMBOK… but in reality, within your organisation, that knowledge sits within the PMO.”
“Dynamic Reteaming” by Heidi Helfand – Book Mentioned
Used to support the idea that delivery biomes should evolve over time. Her model of forming, storming, thriving, and dissolving was applied to biomes.
“She talks about how teams evolve—and we can apply the same thinking to biomes.”
Human APIs
Borrowed from software design. Refers to defining clear interfaces between teams or biomes—how to communicate, what data is exchanged, and when.
“Define how you engage with our team—like a human API. Make the invisible visible.”
Boundary Spanners
Borrowed from organisational theory. These are the individuals who maintain connections across biomes, enabling coordination, learning, and alignment.
“Minimum Viable Governance”
Not from a formal framework, but introduced as a practical term. It refers to applying just enough governance to meet organisational and regulatory needs—no more, no less.
If you enjoyed John’s session and want to see more about this subject and others from John, take a look at HotPMO