Abstract:
A key concern of business is capability to implement strategy and deliver results. Aligned with this concern is
increasing recognition that corporate delivery capability is highly dependent upon the governance and
management of projects and programs. Organisations that recognize this connection between ability to
deliver on their strategy and corporate project management capability have looked at various ways in which
that capability can be developed and supported.
Development and support of corporate project management capability must be tailored to the current needs,
structure and culture of each organization but a typical response is setting up of some form of project support
function, often in association with a corporate project improvement program.
Various approaches are taken to the management of initiatives aimed at developing and supporting
corporate project management or delivery capability and a common response is to establish some form of
project and program support function typically referred to as a Project or Program Office, Project
Management Office (PMO) or Project Support Office (PSO). Interest in project and program support
functions is evidenced by a number of books and articles appearing that provide guidance to organisations in
their establishment. Such books and articles tend to agree that there is no one model for a project support
office, instead providing information on the different forms, structure and functions that they might perform.
Although recognizing that there is no "one size fits all" model for the project support function, practitioners
are interested in seeing what forms such functions are taking in organisations, what works and what doesn't
and how the role is evolving. This paper provides answers to some of these questions. It reports on a study
of the project support function as it exists in over forty major organisations, casting light on the many faces
assumed by project support including: the most commonly used names for the function, the nature of
governance and resourcing, responsibility and accountability, the number of projects supported, common
functions performed including those that are seen as of most and least value by the project management
community, success and acceptance of the function, as well as information on the estimated cost of project
management and the project support function to the organization. Survey data is supported by experience of
the author in working with major corporations to improve their corporate delivery capability.
