Infrastructure (Project Office)

Question 1

What are the 3 key aspects of a Project Support Office (PSO)

Answer 1

1. typically assigned to a single project
2. provides admin support to sponsor and PM
3. can include maintenance of project logs/registers, project plan, create/circulate reports

Question 2

What are the 2 key aspects of a Project Office (PO)

Answer 2

1. provides admin support to a number of discrete projects

2. efficiencies gained by single systems and consistent approach

Question 3

What are the 5 key aspects of a Project Management Office (PMO)

Answer 3

1. assigned to a programme to support programme and associated projects
2. provides admin support
3. ensures governance and processes are adhered to
4. manages resource allocation across programme
5. enables adoption of lessons learned / best practice across programme

Question 4

What are the 3 key aspects of a Programme and Project Support Office (PPSO)

Answer 4

1. supports programmes and projects across a whole organisation, or department/division
2. provides a central repository for all project and programme information
3. owns the project delivery methods and tools

Question 5

What are the 5 key aspects of a Enterprise Programme Management Office (EPMO)

Answer 5

1. works across a full organisation
2. maintains programme/project register
3. provides information to senior management to support decisions
4. enable organisation to identify, select/deselect projects/programmes to be undertaken

Question 6

What are the 4 main roles of the Project Office (PO)

Answer 6

1. admin support to PMs - planning, risk management, change control, sharing lessons
2. logistical support - meeting minutes, travel, filing
3. technical support - collection, analysis, reporting and presentation of project information
4. assurance of governance structures and PM practices - audits, check & reviews

Question 7

What are the 6 Project management disadvantages of not implementing a formal PMO

Answer 7

1. no firm PM methodology - steps may be missed - projects not repeatable - likely to be late & over-budget
2. staff may be PM along with other duties
3. no central repository
4. may not have proper close down - lessons learned
5. not full time PMs may lead to lack of knowledge transfer
6. inconsistency between different PM

Question 8

What are the 7 project management benefits of a formal PMO

Answer 8

1. rigorous method, templates, full-time PMs, knowledge base, metrics and standard tools will provide consistency
2. PMs assigned full time and dedicated 100% to project - unlike Matrix
3. mentoring and handoff to junior staff
4. can accommodate new members & leavers with history and methodology
5. PM resources can be better deployed
6. knowledge sharing between projects
7. project have complete sets of documents

Question 9

What are 5 characteristics of a sophisticated project infrastructure

Answer 9

1. provision of subject matter experts
2. training, coaching, mentoring
3. maintaining infrastructure to support communities of practice
4. improving, embedding and measuring capabilities
5. owning and deploying standard tools and techniques

Question 10

What are the 3 Metrics and Processes disadvantages of not implementing a formal PMO

Answer 10

1. no metrics on project performance
2. difficulty comparing performance of dissimilar projects
3. no templates creating variance in documentation

Question 11

What are the 3 organisation disadvantages of not implementing a formal PMO

Answer 11

1. no central repository
2. projects done but results and lessons learned not repeatable
3. no standardised tools

Question 12

What are the 3 Metrics and Processes benefits of a formal PMO

Answer 12

1. metrics allow comparison of dissimilar projects
2. templates are available - consistent look & feel
3. standardised tools

Question 13

What are the 3 organisation benefits of a formal PMO

Answer 13

1. all phases completed and lessons learned captured
2. important lessons learned will be captured
3. knowledge based project repository maintained