Organizational Project Management (OPM) is the systematic management of projects, programs, and portfolios in alignment with the organization’s strategic business goals according to PMI.
PMI has project, program, and portfolio standards. Next, project managers need to explore how to practically integrate that with the management infrastructure of an organization. Why? Our organizations have stovepipes. We appropriately look to optimize project management practices and inadvertently not always link that to how it improves the organizations we serve.
PMI defines tools and techniques for each project, program, and portfolio areas. We have an opportunity to next define interfaces that bind project, program and portfolio process with the general management process areas of planning, organizing, staffing, leading, controlling and motivating. Why? The budget spent on projects is just one area of spend that is in the control of senior leadership. We are spending the organizations money but how relevant are we to improving organizational results vs. other organizational change projects or sales enablement efforts. I could name other examples but projects are just part of the system of management efforts. Let’s define how we rate vs. other initiatives that can improve results that are important to management or our customers.
Most importantly, Organizational Project Management aims to improve maturity and effectiveness of the organizations we serve not just to deliver projects. We want to measure, and improve internal processes and external linkages to the general management and operations of our organizations.
In your experience, are these concerns that matter to your management or your next promotion? Would love to hear.
Copyright ©2009 Rosemary Hossenlopp
