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Top Ten Trends in PMO for 2023
Each year we bring you the top ten trends to watch out for in PMO over the coming year.
*Interested in the previous trends, why not have a [browse here.]
PMO Trends for 2023
Here are the new predictions for 2023, what will it have in store for us?
- The strategy execution gap: how the strategy breaks into programmes and projects
- Rethinking the project data strategy to create tangible benefits to the organisation and support rapid delivery and reporting
- Back to basics with the three-area mantra – planning, risks and issues
- The PMO leads the way in being back in the office – as business concerns increase over productivity and performance levels
- The PMO as a Business Function – taking portfolio management and strategy execution to the next level
- Seeking out more external insights and benchmarking to take the PMO to the next level
- Tailored development based on individual assessments
- The service-based approach to PMO
- Integrated PMO model and one PMO ecosystem
- An increase in PMOs recognising the benefit of having a clear vision and mission and directly linking them to their metrics
The strategy execution gap: how the strategy breaks into programmes and projects
More and more PMOs are getting switched onto the strategy execution gap and beginning to explore what that gap looks like for their organisation. The common gap – project prioritisation – is where the majority of PMOs have focused their support in recent years, for example, understanding how many initiatives are running across the business that are there to meet strategic objectives? Which projects are most aligned with the strategy and in what order should they be executed?
The next gap area to consider is how the PMO can support the decision-making required in the initial stages of how the strategy breaks down into projects and programmes.
>> You can check out portfolio management-inspired sessions in the library here.
Rethinking the project data strategy to create tangible benefits to the organisation and support rapid delivery and reporting
PMOs are increasingly utilising apps and business intelligence tools and strengthening their understanding of what data is needed and how to get it. It throws up many questions on how to make improvements in analysis and insights – which is now driving the need to rethink their project data strategy and plan. Better data is needed to gain the insights that will really make a difference to project delivery and the PMO have a role to play in planning what is really needed to make that difference.
>> Check out this session all about utilising apps
Back to basics with the three-area mantra – planning, risks and issues
It’s back to basics once again with the three-area mantra – get the planning, risk and issues standards up to a higher level of maturity across all projects and programmes – it’s these three that have the biggest impact on the delivery success of traditional predictive projects. At the House of PMO we’ll be putting extra focus on these during 2023.
>> Get started with the session that shaped this trend for 2023
The PMO leads the way in being back in the office – as business concerns increase over productivity and performance levels
We will start seeing increased time in the office as getting work done effectively and efficiently takes a nosedive. With economic uncertainty driving business concerns about productivity and performance affecting the bottom line – the hybrid pendulum will swing to more time in the office than working from home.
The PMO will take the first steps in becoming a more regular feature of the working week and a central point of contact and hive of activity in the office once again.
Why not read up on the articles informing this shift, including insights from Hybrid headaches; Why a recession in 2023 could see remote workers return to the office and Bosses Are Winning The Battle To Get Workers Back To The Office
The PMO as a Business Function – taking portfolio management and strategy execution to the next level
PMO as a business function – the thinking continues – how the PMO can be seen as an essential business function, supporting company-wide portfolio management incorporating all delivery, change and business-as-usual activity. Will 2023 be the year we start to see more PMO functions of this nature?
Seeking out more external insights and benchmarking to take the PMO to the next level
As PMOs continue to up the value they provide to their organisations, practical ideas and proven approaches are required to take them to the next level. It’s time to stop being so insular and seek out more external lessons and benchmarking with other PMOs. The PMO adopts a growth mindset.
We’re seeing an increase in the number of corporate members at the House of PMO looking to collaborate and share insights with others. If your PMO would like to benchmark externally in 2023, why not become a corporate member? Find out more details here.
Tailored development based on individual assessments
With each PMO serving and supporting different organisation strategic objectives it stands to reason that each PMO requires different knowledge, skills and approaches to make that support effective. In 2023 there will be more tailoring of the development needs of PMO practitioners – utilising a self-assessment, training and reassessment approach.
We’ve heard from a number of different PMOs sharing their stories of developing and retaining talent in their PMOs. To hear some of the sessions, search in the library for PMO Conference and there are plenty to choose from.
>> You can also check out the self-assessment session here
The service-based approach to PMO
2023 sees a major mindshift for the PMO. The PMO provides services not a person although those services are provided to people. It’s not a riddle, just a recognition that programme and project delivery don’t need a specific person to support them, it’s the services that the PMO provides that matters the most. When the PMO presents itself as a service-based offering, it moves another step away from “the PMO is just admin”
We have seen more and more PMOs make this step change – focusing on what services are required by the organisation; building that service; delivering it and ensuring it’s meeting the service level required.
>> Take a look at what service-based PMOs are
Integrated PMO model and one PMO ecosystem
The PMO in larger organisations adopts an integrated PMO model – a linking up of all PMOs across the organisation, especially where PMOs have sprung up over time to support individual initiatives. It’s time for the next stage of evolution to provide one eco-system.
This trend is as much about linking together existing PMOs which have sprung up over the years without any connection to a centralised function. When we talk about the eco-system (seen in the PMO Competency Framework) it is about all PMOs being joined up and utilising shared resources, knowledge, skills and tools.
For many PMOs, the integrated PMO model is also similarly known as the P3O model, however not all organisations subscribed to the full best-practice approach (much like saying all project managers deliver to the PRINCE2 full standard). The integrated PMO model gives an alternative phrase to describe an organisation’s entire collection of PMOs – both permanent and temporary PMOs.
An increase in PMOs recognising the benefit of having a clear vision and mission and directly linking them to their metrics
An increase in PMOs recognising the benefits of having a clear vision and mission – and utilising them to alter the perception of the PMO across the organisation. They are also helpful to help decide which services are needed from the PMO and which metrics need measuring. Time to task the PMO sponsor with defining the purpose of the PMO and instilling a sense of belonging and identity in the people who are part of the PMO as we head into a turbulent 2023.
What do you think?
Why not share with us your thoughts as you move into 2023, what is your PMO thinking about for the year ahead? Leave a comment below!