Building a PMO from Scratch: A Practical Governance Framework for Organizations Without Project Management Maturity
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63282/3050-9416.IJAIBDCMS-V7I2P138Keywords:
Project Management Office (PMO), Project Governance, Organizational Maturity, PMO Implementation, Governance Framework, Strategic Alignment, Organizational Change, Capability Development, Governance Challenges, Performance ManagementAbstract
Given the increasingly dynamic nature of organizational environments in contemporary times, the adoption of projects as tools for driving organizational transformation, innovation, and competitive advantage has gained momentum. Nevertheless, organizations that exhibit low levels of maturity in project management face various issues because they do not have effective governance processes, standardized project management practices, and even PMOs that can help them undertake projects successfully. The current research seeks to explore the issues surrounding the establishment of a PMO within such organizations. In particular, through the use of systematic literature review and conceptual synthesis, the study seeks to analyze different governance models for PMOs, project maturity models, and implementation approaches in order to identify key obstacles to PMO establishment. With these results, the research proposes a phased model of governance that organizations can adopt progressively based on their readiness, maturity levels, and strategic considerations. The model underscores the importance of executive sponsorship, capability building, adaptive governance approaches, and maturity progression as key facilitators for PMO success. Through the provision of a practical and realistic approach for moving from informal to more formal project governance practices, the research makes a valuable contribution to academic discussions and practical applications. It offers an alternative approach to existing models of PMO implementation that are too complex and unrealistic.
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