Digital transformation and the PMO is nothing new, consumer requirements are constantly evolving, and companies are keeping up with varying degrees of success. Robots, blockchain and smart machines are just part of the digital journey along with the challenge of integration.
Delivery methods are adapting and being customised as the pace of development is accelerating. We need to plan to support this creativity in our own creative way.
Shareholders and Board members maintain more traditional requirements within these disruptive landscapes. ROI and sensible decision making around strategic synergy, risk exposure and asset utilisation still need to be demonstrated. Internal/external audit and governing body requirements continue.
As PMO professionals how do we bring this together?
What does Digital Transformation mean anyway?
Many definitions exist, of course. This is the one we like to work with; ‘Digital transformation is the integration of digital technology into all areas of a business, fundamentally changing how you operate and deliver value to customers. It’s also a cultural change that requires organisations to continually challenge the status quo, experiment, and get comfortable with failure.’
What does Digital Transformation mean for PMO’s? It means things are getting interesting and our roles have the potential to become far more obviously value add.
Why? With Digital Transformation, processes simplify, and resource capacity is released, more people want to do more things in new and exciting ways. New governance models need to be developed that monitor the increasingly alternative methods of achieving the end game. Governance requirements need translation and implementation. PMO’s need to input directly into Digital Transformational strategy and provide thought leadership into the insights vision.
The workforce structures we are working alongside with are changing dramatically. Vendor management and workforce planning is imperative to retaining talent and knowledge. Intelligent approaches to communicate and disseminate knowledge will be highly valued. PMO’s are starting to be seen as an increasingly valuable knowledge and connection hub.
Measurement and monitoring is becoming more self-serve. Integrity over ‘control centres’ needs to be a safe assumption. PMO’s provide this reliability.
Partnering is essential, agile escalation paths and useful exception management. The diversified operating model needs an agile support unit.
Digital transformation and the PMO: how does a PMO keep up or preferably be ahead?
We predict that requirements for insights and service will increase. Success is not guaranteed with technological experimentation, as a result success measures will change.
Service delivery models will change. Teams will comprise, onshore, offshore, geographically dispersed freelancers, business partnerships, anything that delivers the required end result will be the go. This needs to be integrated and managed.
Reporting cycles will become responsive to delivery milestones as opposed to periodic. Planning needs to start now with businesses to prepare for self-service.
New ways of working will become just ways of working. Support teams will need to remain constantly responsive and proactive to facilitate this layered experimentation.
Takeaway
Many think that PMO’s along with other more traditional support functions will vanish as Digital Transformation takes hold. We however feel the opposite. PMO’s will become leaner as they flourish and benefit from the opportunities presented by Digital Transformation. We feel that the requirements from Managers and Delivery Team’s mean that the expectations of PMO’s will become more. No longer will we be trying to fill the gaps of inadequate technology, process and organisation. Instead as businesses become leaner, we will be called on more and more to demonstrate success and provide excellence in business partnership and service.
To learn about PMO transformation, listen to our podcast episode on this, key challenges, and turning the tide, from a PMO Influencer Finalist Keynote Speaker!