Planning the Project Office Approach

Plan Approach to Execution

The approach to execution, or, more precisely, approach to planning and execution, is a section of the charter that specifies the way the PMO will address some of the decisions that lie ahead in planning and executing the PMO. It is best for the PMO manager and PMO sponsor to address these four issues:

1. PMO Service Types

2. Buy or Develop Solutions

3. Driver for Decisions

4. Key Constraints

PMO Service Types. Review the PMO Types page of the Learning section. Decide when and how to deploy general, supportive, controlling, and directive services. Document that approach now, including a timeline for implementation if possible.

Buy or Develop Solutions. Some organizations have an pre-existing preference for purchasing outside solutions, others have a preference for developing custom in-house solutions. In addition, there may be existing solutions that could be grown across the organization, and these may be either purchased or custom-developed. This issue applies not only to software, but also to methodologies and standards. If the organization already has a preferred approach in the "buy vs. build" decision, it can be stated here.

Driver for Decisions. A driver is a single focus with a direction. For example, a company focused on being best in the market will have a driver for maximum quality. In contrast, a company focused on getting its product first to market will have a driver of schedule reduction. The driver is usually one of these five items: increase quality; reduce short-term costs; reduce long-term costs; shorten schedule; reduce risk. The driver for decisions related to PMO planning and execution should align with the organization's strategic focus and goals. 

Key Constraints. A constraint is the opposite of a driver. It is a limit that is imposed on a decision, process, or project. For example, a publicly-traded company with a focus on quality might have short-term costs as a constraint, because the company must show profit each quarter. Another example of a constraint might be that a construction company that has a driver of low costs so that it can win bids will have a constraint that the legal requirements for worker safety are met on every construction project. Define key constraints that limit the PMO's function.