Project Management Office
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Project Management Office



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DEFINITION - A Project Management Office (PMO) is a group or department within a business, agency or enterprise that defines and maintains standards for project management within the organization. The primary goal of a PMO is to achieve benefits from standardizing and following project management policies, processes, and methods. Over time, a PMO generally will become the source for guidance, documentation, and metrics related to the practices involved in managing and implementing projects within the organization.

A PMO generally bases its project management principles, practices and processes on some kind of industry standard methodology such as PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge) or PRINCE2 (Project in Controlled Environments). Such approaches are consistent with the requirements related to ISO9000 and to government regulatory requirements such as the US Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) program.

A PMO may also get involved in project-related tasks and follow up on project activities through completion. The office may report on project activities, problems, and requirements to executive management as a strategic tool in keeping implementers and decision makers moving toward consistent, business- or mission-focused goals and objectives.

LAST UPDATED: 01 Feb 2008

Read more about Project Management Office:
- SearchCIO.com offers a Special Report on implementing a Project Management Office.
- CIO.com explains 'Why You Need a Project Management Office.'


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