By Jesse Guzman Jr and Hari Vasudevan
There are several factors that must be considered before a company can determine that a technology platform driven Project Management Office (PMO) solution is right for them.
HISTORY OF PMO
Today’s PMO can be traced back to the 1950’s, where project management became recognized as a distinct discipline. Ad-hoc project oversight environments evolved into processes such as PERT and CPM. These techniques were widely used in the defense industry, where the US military’s development of complex missile systems necessitated a PMO-driven management structure whereby each weapon system was comprised of several subprojects grouped together in system program offices. The PMO was able to provide oversight and guidance of not only project systems (e.g., the missile), but also the warhead, support equipment, launcher, training, and logistics support. This became the model upon which the Project Management Institute (PMI) was formed in 1969.
STRATEGIC DELIVERY CHALLENGES
In today’s post pandemic project execution environment, organizations must tailor their requirements for improved productivity, cost savings, and adequately trained project management professionals to an increasingly remote workforce. Remote teams make key decisions that impact execution, and work with contractors and suppliers located around the world. Organizations are finding it necessary to integrate existing technology stacks of systems like SAP, Oracle Primavera P6, IBM Maximo, and others. A PMO solution that does not fit an organization’s unique culture is doomed for failure.
AI AND PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS
Today’s best PMO teams have at their disposal technology platforms with advanced data analytics, predictive modeling, and machine learning capabilities. These teams have the ability to track and process a huge volume of information and provide guidance based on active or predicted risks and much more. Armed with advanced technology platforms, today’s PMO teams can, with a high level of accuracy, hone-in on issues based on a number of factors such as team experience, historical information, project types, project constraints, environmental factors, and work process types. By providing solutions backed by hard data, and by thoroughly understanding an organization, its culture, and its available resources, PMO solution companies with robust technology platforms provide valuable insight to help clients deploy their resources effectively and efficiently.
TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS
Technology platforms that digitize documents for PMO programs provide valuable automation technology using real-time information. Beyond digitally capturing data, a good tool can increase the accuracy of information, document, eliminate redundancies, and automate data processing. These platforms allow solutions that provide valuable tools such as key performance indicator (KPI) tracking to provide insight and intelligence that consistently steers organizations towards industry best practices.
By organizing and consolidating financial, operational, and schedule data regarding ongoing projects, and combining with GIS capabilities and readying for integration with existing ERP, these tools give clients the ability to see the big picture. Technology platforms provide executives, project managers, stakeholders, and team members a closed loop environment that improve communication and keep everyone up to date with reliable and actionable data.
HUMAN PERFORMANCE
Because even the best of the best is fallible, the Human Performance-centric approach to project management breaks the links in the chain that lead to errors. Human Performance is a work process that analyzes how actions result in mistakes and how education and relevant procedures reduce or eliminate them. By adopting Human Performance into its culture, where all employees are engaged in a highly reliable organization that focuses on learning and continuous improvement, the stigma associated with reporting less than desirable occurrences in the field is eliminated. That fear is replaced with the goal of learning from these same instances, reducing errors as opposed to simply assigning blame.
THINK POWER SOLUTIONS
Think Power Solutions is a leading tech-enabled infrastructure management solutions provider with highly skilled and dedicated consultants who clients entrust to manage their mission-critical infrastructure. Think Power Solutions was founded with the vision of providing exceptional client service influenced by modern technology to positively impact the utilities, telecom, and construction industries.
CLOSING THOUGHT
When considering whether or not to engage with a PMO, first take an overall look at how your company operates. What is the organizational structure: is it functional, divisional, matrix, or flat? Does your company culture lend itself to continuous improvement? Do you require integration of existing technology stacks? Would you like to improve project delivery and execution as well as maintain consistent reporting standards across your enterprise?
If the answer to any of these is yes, many options now exist for cutting edge technology driven solutions for PMO and capex oversight. As businesses learn to embrace the available technology platforms, they begin to realize the benefits of engaging in PMO solutions driven by technology platforms for everyday problem solving in the office and out in the field. Improved productivity, process refinement, alignment with strategic goals, management practices, and organizational intelligence all benefit from engaging with a PMO that fits your company culture.
About the Authors:
Jesse Guzman Jr is a certified project management professional and the director of the PMO group at Think Power Solutions. He has more than 16 years in the construction industry with over 10 of those in the utility industry. Hari Vasudevan is the founder and CEO of Think Power Solutions. Think Power Solutions is a leading tech-enabled infrastructure management solutions provider with highly skilled and dedicated consultants who clients entrust to manage their mission-critical infrastructure. Think Power Solutions was founded with the vision of providing exceptional client service influenced by modern technology to positively impact the utilities, telecom, and construction industries. For more, visit thinkpowersolutions.com.
Modern Contractor Solutions, September 2021
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