Introduction
Projects refer to various temporary organizational initiatives or operations which are conducted by different personnel after a thorough planning process for the achievement of some distinguished outcomes. The planning, implementation, and evaluation of most projects are usually limited by inadequate resources such as time and money. Different projects are useful to an organization since they assist organizations to achieve their objectives and goals. Strategy implementation within various levels or units of an organization is facilitated by various projects (Project Management Institute, 2000). The project management office (PMO) is an organizational group or department which oversees and manages different project planning and management processes within an organization. This article discusses project planning within the PMO context.
Project Planning within the PMO Context
A project plan refers to an approved and official document which is utilized to ensure the management and control of a project. Project plans form the foundation for every management process by the PMO which is connected to the execution and evaluation of various projects since they contain all the pertinent facts connected to a project. Therefore, within the context of the Project Management Office, Project Planning describes all the relevant project undertaking or activities and expected outcomes which will be overseen, and it also defines the methods which will be used to ensure the successful accomplishment of these activities. The main aim of project planning is to define all the major activities which will be undertaken, approximate the resources and timeframe needed, and offer control and management review frameworks. The project planning process also includes all the steps which can evaluate the project’s size, its technical scope, required resources, schedule, risk determination and assessment, and relevant commitments. The confirmation of all these steps is very important for the PMO especially since repetition ensures that the project plan is effectively established. In essence, various rehearsals of the planning process are carried out before the completion of a plan.
The Primary Rationale for PMO Project Planning
The project planning process is a very crucial element within the project management offices in different organizations. The main aim of a PMO is to attain maximum benefits which follow relevant project management methods, processes, and policies. Thus, a PMO is seen as a source for metrics, documentation, and guidance associated with all the practices involved in the implementation and management schemes within an organization. Also, PMOs are also involved in follow-up tasks to determine the effectiveness of various projects from initiation to completion. Due to these responsibilities accorded to PMOs, project planning is therefore very crucial to them for many reasons. First and foremost, project planning enables a PMO to determine the steps necessary to accomplishing a project to achieve distinguished services or products. Project planning enables a well-informed planning since it states the approximated time-frame, quantity and type of resources, and necessary commitments (Aubry, Hobbs & Thuillier, 2007).
Project Planning Functions Between Supportive and Controlling PMO Types
Both the controlling PMO and supportive PMO differ in the degree of influence and control they have on various organizational projects. Also, the most suitable controlling and supportive PMO are dependent on the history of project planning and execution in various organizations, organizational culture, and the type of organization. Both the controlling and the supportive PMO have similar objectives which include; standardized terminologies, provision of supporting tools, the improvement of project successes, and the implementation of common and efficient methodologies. The supportive PMO offers support to organizational projects regarding information access, projects' expertise, best practices, templates, and on-demand expertise. Also, supportive PMO ensures that the capabilities of project planning functions and procedures are enhanced, and any necessary limitation or defect is minimized. Supportive PMO is very important in organizations where project planning processes are successful regardless of the absence of very tightly controlled atmospheres (Project Management Institute, 2000). On the other hand, the controlling PMO is necessary for project planning processes where additional and tighter control is necessary or desired to ensure that the planning and execution process is successful. In other words, controlling PMO ensures that all the documentation, processes, procedures, activities and commitments are more reinforced. Controlling PMO also ensures that all the provided support is effectively distributed and utilized for better results. To ensure the accomplishment of their aims, controlling PMO incorporate particular techniques, set of rules, conformation to governance, forms, and templates (Dai & Wells, 2004).
Conclusion
In summary, project planning is a very crucial cornerstone for the realization of PMO success. Project plans enable the relevant PMO to determine the main objectives of a project, all the necessary commitments to be assumed, and all the methodologies or activities which need to be undertaken to ensure a successful realization of the project’s objectives. Project planning is also important to PMOs since all the details necessary for a successful implementation, evaluation, and adjustments of the project are provided. Therefore, it is important that PMOs take into consideration all the relevant factors and expertise which may promote the success of project planning processes.
References
Aubry, M., Hobbs, B., & Thuillier, D. (2007). A new framework for understanding organizational project management through the PMO. International journal of project management, 25(4), 328-336.
Dai, C. X., & Wells, W. G. (2004). An exploration of project management office features and their relationship to project performance. International Journal of Project Management, 22(7), 523-532.
Project Management Institute. (2000). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® guide). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania: Project Management Institute.
