Project Management Office
The case
Project Context: AtekPC founded in 1984, has grown to become a mid-sized U.S PC maker, with 2100 employees, $1.9m revenues in 2006. With the transition of PC industry from a growth market to that of a maturing market, AtekPC was experiencing tremendous cost pressure and changing management urgency. In order to positioning the organization for the future, John Strider, CIO for AtekPC, had strong convictions that the PMO-light model1was the way to go. PMO issues involved at AtekPC included defining the PMO's purpose, mission, structure and governance. The most challenging was how to successfully implement it in what appeared to be a resistant culture. John Strider believed that PMO had to become a part of AtekPC culture. The best way would be moving slowly, cautiously with small changes over a long period of time so as not to violate AteckPC’s culture. Mission: Establish a PMO and to prove its value and make stakeholders realize the benefits derived from consistent project practices. The specific duties of a PMO are typically divided into two categories as the following:
•Project-focused responsibilities included: Consulting, mentoring, and training services that enabled the success of individual projects2
•Enterprise-oriented responsibilities included: PM standards, methods, tools and project performance archives that might improve all projects.3
•
1 POM-light model refers:” All projects operated outside of the PMO under existing organization controls, and the ownership of projects resided within the functional area and IT group charged with execution of the project.”
2 Professor F. Warren McFarlan, Professor Mark Deil of Georgia State University and John Hupp prepared this case The AtekPC Project Management Office. HBS No: 9-308-049. October 11.2007 pp5
3 Ibid
PMO at AtekPC
The purpose and objective of a PMO has been addressed in PMBOK. As said, “PMO is an organizational body or entity assigned various responsibilities related
Project Context: AtekPC founded in 1984, has grown to become a mid-sized U.S PC maker, with 2100 employees, $1.9m revenues in 2006. With the transition of PC industry from a growth market to that of a maturing market, AtekPC was experiencing tremendous cost pressure and changing management urgency. In order to positioning the organization for the future, John Strider, CIO for AtekPC, had strong convictions that the PMO-light model1was the way to go. PMO issues involved at AtekPC included defining the PMO's purpose, mission, structure and governance. The most challenging was how to successfully implement it in what appeared to be a resistant culture. John Strider believed that PMO had to become a part of AtekPC culture. The best way would be moving slowly, cautiously with small changes over a long period of time so as not to violate AteckPC’s culture. Mission: Establish a PMO and to prove its value and make stakeholders realize the benefits derived from consistent project practices. The specific duties of a PMO are typically divided into two categories as the following:
•Project-focused responsibilities included: Consulting, mentoring, and training services that enabled the success of individual projects2
•Enterprise-oriented responsibilities included: PM standards, methods, tools and project performance archives that might improve all projects.3
•
1 POM-light model refers:” All projects operated outside of the PMO under existing organization controls, and the ownership of projects resided within the functional area and IT group charged with execution of the project.”
2 Professor F. Warren McFarlan, Professor Mark Deil of Georgia State University and John Hupp prepared this case The AtekPC Project Management Office. HBS No: 9-308-049. October 11.2007 pp5
3 Ibid
PMO at AtekPC
The purpose and objective of a PMO has been addressed in PMBOK. As said, “PMO is an organizational body or entity assigned various responsibilities related