Four Reasons Why We Have a PMO (Project Management Office)

July 9, 2013 by Taylor Studios in Professional & Industry Tips

In the early days of Taylor Studios, many of us acted as project managers or, at least, as central coordinator of projects. Often this was frustrating and inefficient. So, several years ago we decided to establish a PMO for these reasons:

Play to People’s Strengths

Did you know often artists don’t like doing paperwork or budgets? I know this is surprising. So, why would you have a designer, interpreter, sculptor or art director be responsible for things which are not their strengths? Sometimes you figure these things out over time. We assign project managers to projects because project management is what they do well.

Centralized Communication

We encourage, and sometimes demand, that our clients assign one person on their end who all communication flows through. Have you ever had a project with a large group of people and spent hours and hours trying to find out who had the information you needed or who was the decision maker? Having a central point of communication brings efficiency and better communication to all parties.

Continuity

A project manager who follows a project from start to finish increases the efficiency and knowledge on a project. Experienced project managers also reuse knowledge from one project to the next. They can implement best practices on all projects along the way.

Process

If you have a PMO then you have some standardized processes. These tools can be reused from project to project to enhance success. This saves times by not reinventing the wheel for every project which allows projects to start up quickly. Process brings a common language to the project team and helps analyze risks and catches them early. It helps maintain control over resources and capital, too. You will have someone consistently watching the budget and the schedule. It allows for a proactive approach to project issues. Process adds accountability for everyone involved and streamlines projects. I would say it makes projects more fun because it eliminates some worries.

Do you have a PMO or have you worked with a company that does? What are some other reasons you see for creating a PMO?