Computer Aid, Inc.

Computer Aid, Inc.
World Headquarters
1390 Ridgeview Dr.
Allentown, PA 18104 USA
(610)530-5000
www.compaid.com

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Computer Aid, Inc. is a worldwide computer services company established in 1981 with more than 3,000 technical and managerial professionals on five continents.

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PMO Maturity Assessment

This evaluation will help you understand the style and maturity of your organization's Project Management Office. The result will also provide an understanding of how APO can fit into your existing organization.

Indicate which of the following best describes your PMO:*
The Supportive PMO1

Controlling PMO2

Directive PMO3

Other4

1 The Supportive PMO generally provides support in the form of on-demand expertise, templates, best practices, access to information and expertise on other projects, and the like. This can work in an organization where projects are done successfully in a loosely controlled manner and where additional control is deemed unnecessary. Also, if the objective is to have a sort of "clearing-house" of project management information across the enterprise to be used freely by project managers, then the Supportive PMO is the right type.

2 In organizations where there is a desire to "reign in" the activities, processes, procedures, documentation, and more - a controlling PMO can accomplish that. Not only does the organization provide support, but it also requires that the support be used. Requirements might include adoption of specific methodologies, templates, forms, conformance to governance, and application of other PMO controlled sets of rules. In addition, project offices might need to pass regular reviews by the controlling PMO, and this may represent a risk factor on the project. This works if a) there is a clear case that compliance with project management organization offerings will bring improvements in the organization and how it executes on projects, and b) the PMO has sufficient executive support to stand behind the controls the PMO puts in place.

3 This type goes beyond control and actually "takes over" the projects by providing the project management experience and resources to manage the project. As organizations undertake projects, professional project managers from the PMO are assigned to the projects. This injects a great deal of professionalism into the projects, and, since each of the project managers originates and reports back to the directive PMO, it guarantees a high level of consistency of practice across all projects. This is effective in larger organizations that often matrix out support in various areas, and where this setup would fit the culture.

4 The above three types do not adequately describe my PMO. See responses to PMO Responsibilities for further clarification.

Responsibilities of your PMO (check all that apply):
Managed shared resources across all projects
Identify and develop project management methodology, best practices, and standards
Coach, mentor, train, and oversee
Monitor compliance with project management standards, policies, procedures, and templates via project audits

Develop and manage project policies, procedures, templates, and other shared documentation (organizational process assets)
Coordinate communications across projects
Financial Management Budget development and tracking actual costs vs. budget
Project Selection/Initiation Request logging, develop a business justification and work with the business to select requests that will become formal projects
Risk Management Is implied in the function of a PMO. Responsibility for Risk Management is with the Project Manager
Considers business impact of poor project performance and is proactive
Establishes best practice methodologies
Allocates people including project management
Provides training and mentoring to build project management skills for PMs
Ensures that project roles, responsibilities, and teams are formally defined
Defines a project's Critical Success Factors
Defines a project's baselines for Cost, Scope, Schedule, and Quality
Identifies stakeholders
Monitors and reports project progress
Provides project oversight throughout the project phases
Documents standard procedures

Identify any PMO responsibilities that were not on this list.:*

Performance of your PMO	Always	Sometimes	Never	Not Sure
Best practices are in place for each project:

Standard procedures are followed when a project goes through its phases

There currently is a formal and consistent risk management approach to evaluate a project's risk profile through each of the project's phases

Educational needs are defined for particular roles/tasks:

A process is in place to determine and oversee skills management in order to best place people in roles according to their skills

Tools are used to evaluate an individual project prior to beginning the project

Historical data is collected and shared with the team to provide them with background knowledge for the project

Mentoring and guidance is provided so that the project team is sufficiently prepared to begin and continue to work through the project most efficiently

There are early alerts of impending project risks

People are managed throughout the project so that team members are not unforeseeably interrupted

Management's expectations for project update or status are met

Project teams expectations for project update or status are met

Able to manage the scope of projects

Projects are reported upon on a routine / regular basis

There is communication among the project team and project management to make all members aware of status and of issue/change requests

Project risks are identified early

What percentage of your projects are completed on time?:*
75%-100%
50%-75%
25%-50%
0-25%
I'm not sure

Indicate # of staff assigned to the PMO:*

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