For UK businesses, delivering projects on time and within budget is essential for growth. But consistently achieving this is easier said than done, especially in smaller and medium-sized businesses.ย
Depending on the complexity of the project or speed of turnaround, an organisation might not have the internal skillset or resources needed to deliver it. Which is why many UK businesses choose to outsource to an IT Project Management Office (Often referred to as โPMOโ).ย ย
By leaning on a third-party provider, organisations can ensure critical projects are delivered when needed and within budget. A PMO provider can also help them establish a standardised framework for success that enables teams to deliver projects more consistently in the future. Which can have a real, lasting impact, as businesses are 77% more likely to complete projects successfully when using formal project management practices.ย ย
The main PMO services that UK businesses are usingย ย
IT project management support comes in many different forms, each with their own benefits that are suited to different needs, budgets, and contexts.ย ย
Thereโs Project Management as a Service (or PMaaS), which is an ongoing partnership between a business and a PMO provider. Then thereโs individual, or project-based support, which focuses on a particular project or meeting a specific goal. Thereโs also departmental PMO, which supports a range of projects within a specific function or part of a business.ย ย
And finally, thereโs EMPO (or โEnterprise Project Management Office). This focuses on establishing organisation-wide standards and best practices to enable internal teams. While also supporting the delivery of projects on an ongoing basis.ย
PMaaS is best suited to organisations that have an ongoing need for project management support across multiple teams and functions. Whereas a project-based professional service would be more useful for an organisation that needs to complete a specific project quickly and within budget.ย ย
Departmental PMO sits somewhere in between and is best used in organisations that need ongoing project management support for a specific function.ย ย
Enterprise PMO (EPMO) is somewhat different โ as the provider will work with your business to establish standardised practices that enable internal teams. While also supporting project delivery and even taking full ownership of your project portfolio (if needed).ย ย
The main benefits of outsourcing project management to a PMOย
As with any form of outsourcing, the primary benefit to using a PMO is on-demand access to experienced professionals with specific knowledge and skills (that youโd otherwise have to develop in-house).ย
This is especially useful for organisations with diffuse project types or unique requirements, where the skills or experience needed to deliver each project may not overlap.ย ย
With Phoenix 47โs PMO service, for example, our partners can access PRINCE2, MSP, and PMP-certified professionals with specific industry and project-based experience, whenever needed, which makes achieving digital transformation an achievable reality.ย
Professionals like these are the driving force behind successful delivery and can ensure projects are tailored to meet business goals and processes follow best practice.ย ย
Beyond the ability to access expertise on demand without the need to hire permanently, what other benefits to outsourcing project management are there?ย ย
Itโs a cost-efficient way to ensure quality and meet demandย
Partnering with the right PMO provider is one of the most cost-effective ways to ensure successful project delivery. Especially in businesses with short-term or fluctuating project demands.ย ย
Itโs even more cost-effective when using the right PMaaS provider. A good partner will include an SLA in your agreement that allows you to scale resources up and down as needed, keeping costs manageable even during quiet periods.ย
On the flip side, the ability to scale your support will allow you to deliver on multiple projects or provide services during demand peaks โ without added pressure to hire internal staff. All while benefiting from the same (if not more) expertise than you would have if developing project management skills internally.ย ย
It allows for rapid project turnaround and alleviates the โtime crunchโย
As any business leader or project manager will tell you, time is often the most critical factor when it comes to successful delivery. The more time an internal team has, the more likely theyโll be able to deliver.ย ย
However, theyโll also tell you that time isnโt always a luxury. In businesses that donโt have a robust project management team, limited time can be a real barrier to success.ย ย
Even organisations that have an established and experienced team find it challenging to deliver on projects when time pressure is high, especially when the project has unique requirements or requires specific skills.ย ย
Using a project or department-based PMO service alleviates pressure and ensures successful and timely delivery, as providers can embed experts with the right knowledge and skills needed to quickly build momentum with your project.ย ย
PMOs enable internal teams and align projects with business-wide strategyย ย
PMO support doesnโt have to stop at project delivery, either. A great EPMO service like ours will implement and maintain standards that support internal teams to successfully deliver on future projects.ย ย
Teams like ours will work with you to establish a framework for success, manage risk, and ensure projects are aligned with your wider business goals. This minimises the risk of budget overruns, unaddressed scope creep, or delays with future projects. At the same time, that team will support the delivery of your current project pipeline.ย ย
Using a provider allows you to focus on strategy and growthย ย
Offloading project delivery โ whether thatโs an individual high-value project or your entire portfolio โ allows your internal teams to focus on what they do best. Whether thatโs supporting customers, identifying new opportunities, or simply growing your business.ย ย
As mentioned, it also alleviates the need to hire when considering taking on a new project. So you can provide a service or undergo a transformation without pivoting your hiring strategy or paying for expensive training and certification.ย ย
What a great Project Management Office provider looks likeย ย
A great partner will understand the nuances of IT project delivery and provide you with tailored support that helps you meet your objectives. Whether thatโs:ย
- Completing an individual projectย
- Delivering multiple projects within a specific business functionย
- Managing end-to-end project delivery for your entire organisationย
- Enabling your internal team by implementing standards and best-practice frameworksย
If you need help with any of the above, check out our PMO services to see how we can support your next big initiative.
