Want to become a successful PMO practitioner?

FootprintI always wondered where you would find a PMO practitioner?  The width and breadth of a PMO covers many distinct and different components designed to meet the strategic needs of that enterprise.  The scope of each PMO may begin differently but with maturity and support over time, can be expected to evolve into a contributing unit, providing a broad set of services filling the needs of any successful organization.  You can’t just buy a PMO practitioner at Walmart…or on ebay.

 For many project team members, you were “tapped on the shoulder” and assigned to work in the PMO.  Life, as you knew it, had changed and you were faced with a whole new set of rules in how to manage projects, programs, and portfolios.  This life-changing scenario has happened to many where the PMO we were joining was either not yet in existence, already started, or under extreme pressure to grow and/or re-identify itself.
 
How do you prepare yourself to be successful?
An ideal solution is for you to have the opportunity to expose yourself to selected in-depth topics by industry experts and listen to their discussion on the focused components of a PMO.  It would also be even better to have the ability to discuss and network with these experts and others who share a similar interest in a specific topic.  Finally, this ideal solution would allow you to fill a few days of cost effective time and walk away with a much better appreciation for how to handle your new duties.
 
Where can you find this almost perfect solution?
By attending the premier PMO Symposium 2008, November 9-11, 2008 in San Antonio, Texas, sponsored by the PMI PMOSIG and filled with over 20 different sessions led by industry experts.  You will also become engaged in your important PMO issues, share insights and participate in Q&A forums.  This sounds a little commercial for this blog, but when you think about it, where else can you learn about all of these subjects in one program?  The symposium will be held right on the “Riverwalk” and just across the street from the “Alamo” in San Antonio, Texas.
 
Program Management Specific Interest Group (PMOSIG) Executive Chairman, Art Drake, announced “: the symposium will fill an important void for all program management office professionals to engage in many sessions by industry focused practitioners: and different levels of maturity.”  He also concluded this symposium to be the #1 PMO symposium offered: anywhere.  The symposium is hosted by the PMI PMOSIG.
 
Sessions you can attend at the PMO Symposium 2008
All of this and the ability to earn up to 19 PDU’s while you attend sessions in symposium tracks covering PMO Adoption, Establishment, Maturity, Operational Tools, Strategic, Governance, Current PMO’s and others.  These sessions cut at the heart of what PMO practitioners needs to have in their knowledge base.

* Managing Resistance to PMO and PM Maturity with Open Minded Mindfulness: George Pitagorsky

* High Strung, Under Water, in the Sewer and Oh Yes, ITIL Compatible: A PMO success story: Jim Furfari

* The 5-5-5 Approach to Building a World Class Project Management Office: Andrea Nicholas

* PMO and Training An Integrated Approach: Andrea Giantelli and Robert Maiale

* A Portfolio Scorecard and Aligning Projects with Organizational Strategy: Prasd Kodukula

* Merging Globally Diverse PMO’s: Rich Maltzman

* From Support to Leadership: Lessons from a Maturing PMO: Brandon Manus

* How Project Management Supported Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare from Near Collapse to #1: A Case Study: Lisa DiTullio

* Linking PMO Performance to Strategic Goals: John Kocon

* The State of the PMO: Priorities for Advancing Maturity: James Pennypacker

* Aligning PMO Foundations for Maximum Value: David Burr

* Death of the PMO As We Know It: Birth of the PMO: The Value of a Project Performance Office: David Sides

* The 4 Ps: Ingredients for a PMO Evolution: A Case Study: Kelly Russell

* A Comprehensive Approach to Resource Management: David Blumhorst

* PMO Program Governance Model: Julie Johnson

* PMO’s: One Size or Shape Does NOT Fit All: Janet Burns

* Growing Up: The Information Technology Project Management Office’s Journey from Infancy to Maturity: Bruce Woerner

* Khvostism and Portfolio Management: Dave Davis

How Do I Register?This is a “must attend” symposium and will be limited to the first 250 registrations.  It’s easy to register at the symposium website http://www.pmosymposium.org/ and is open to both PMI and non-PMI members. 

Expose others on your Management Team!

The PMO Symposium 2008 will allow you to gain important insights into your key issues. There are always a few individuals in each PMO that would benefit from a better understanding of how a PMO is suppose to work.  This is also the time to ask members of your management team who are not PMO Professionals but are involved in PMO governance to attend with you to help improve their appreciation and understanding for managing PMO’s.  I know each of you know exactly who these people are: so now you can engage them to attend the symposium and become more aware of the finer points of PMO management.
 
You can save even more by taking advantage of early registration with a reduced price if you register before August 1st, 2008.  Receive a corporate discount of 10% for three or more registrations from your company at one time.  Take this opportunity to ask others from your organization who need to be exposed to these components to join you to attend the symposium.
 
The PMO Symposium will allow you to gain important insights facing PMO’s in a broad spectrum of sectors and industries.  You will learn from sessions focusing on advancing existing PMO’s as well as establishing a new PMO.  Attending the PMO Symposium 2008 will provide you the opportunity to participate in practical, practitioner-oriented sessions and to network with speakers, panelists and fellow attendees…and have fun on the San Antonio Riverwalk.
 
You won’t find a better value for your money: anywhere.  Register today or read more details at http://www.pmosymposium.org/ .
 
Jim Carras
PMI PMOSIG 
dir_km@pmosig.org

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1 thought on “Want to become a successful PMO practitioner?”

  1. I just finished reading your fantastic article on becoming a successful PMO practitioner, and I couldn’t help but reach out to you. Your insights and tips are truly invaluable, and I wanted to express my gratitude for sharing such valuable knowledge.

    Your emphasis on the importance of adaptability in the PMO role really resonated with me. In today’s ever-evolving business landscape, being able to pivot and respond to change is absolutely crucial, and your practical advice on how to develop this skill is incredibly helpful. I especially loved your suggestion to actively seek out opportunities for cross-functional collaboration within the organization – it’s something I’ve started implementing, and I’ve already seen positive results. Your article has provided me with a fresh perspective and actionable takeaways that I can apply to my own career as a PMO practitioner. Thank you for shedding light on this often overlooked aspect of project management!

    Additionally, your mention of the importance of continuous learning and staying updated with industry trends was spot on. I appreciate your recommendations for books and courses that can help us stay at the top of our game. Your article has inspired me to invest more in my professional development and strive for excellence in my PMO role. Keep up the fantastic work, [Author’s Name], and I look forward to reading more of your insightful articles in the future!

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