The Enterprise Project Management Office is Unnecessary!
The Role of the EPMO Is Unclear to Employees!
The Office Repeatedly Requests Reports!
We often hear such accusations echoing within organizations. This concern is especially prevalent among leaders of
Enterprise Project Management Offices (EPMOs), particularly in the context of the project-heavy environment
of government entities. Many project managers within the same organization question the added value that an EPMO provides.
Some even argue that the current practices and activities of many EPMOs have a negative impact on the project environment,
turning the office into a barrier rather than an enabler of efficient and effective project delivery.
One of the main reasons behind these concerns is that many EPMOs place their primary focus on
project governance—ensuring project teams comply with standardized methodologies and procedures regardless of
project nature. Most of their energy is consumed in continuous communication with project teams, monitoring their activities,
and collecting after-the-fact performance data to prepare reports for senior management. These reporting tasks could easily
be performed by reporting or monitoring units within the organization.
For example, progress reports, completion percentages, non-compliance logs, and methodology adherence reports are often
requested. In some cases, EPMOs have even taken on the role of an auditor, overlapping with internal audit functions,
while overlooking their core mandate and the very reason for their establishment.
In his insightful article published on the PMI website, titled
“The Biggest Mistake PMO Leaders Make”,
Andy Jordan highlights that such an approach reflects an effort to “look busy” through activities that undoubtedly
require time and effort, but fail to deliver real, tangible value that justifies the existence of the PMO.
Key Practices to Enhance EPMO Value
- Improve project performance by monitoring and reporting project outcomes, rather than merely focusing on them.
- Recognize that delivering successful projects with maximum efficiency and effectiveness is the ultimate indicator of PMO success.
- Be proactive by providing project teams with guidance, information, and best practices derived from other projects.
- Facilitate collaboration and communication among project managers to overcome challenges collectively.
- Actively enhance the project environment and support project managers in addressing stakeholder-related challenges.
- Design fit-for-purpose project execution procedures that reflect the unique nature of each project, rather than enforcing a “one-size-fits-all” methodology.
In reality, there is significant value and necessity for EPMOs—if they fulfill their core mission:
guiding organizational initiatives and projects in alignment with strategic objectives, and enhancing the overall
project ecosystem. By leveraging collected project data for evidence-based decision-making, EPMOs can truly transform from being
perceived as a reporting burden into becoming a strategic enabler of organizational success.
