To create a PMO that delivers real value consistently, organisations must reimagine the PMO’s role, structure, and practices. A thriving PMO in today’s environment is strategically aligned, agile in operation, backed by leadership, and laser-focused on outcomes and continuous improvement.
In this article, we break down what it really means for a PMO to be agile in practice.
Embrace agile practices and flexibility
In a fast-changing world, agility is non-negotiable. A thriving PMO must shed the image of being a rigid taskmaster and instead become an enabler of adaptable, responsive project management approaches. This does not mean abandoning all governance; it means tailoring oversight to different modes of work and being open to new methodologies.
Key ways to embrace agility include:
1. Adopt an Agile/Hybrid PMO model
Many organisations are moving towards an Agile PMO or Agile Management Office (AMO) concept, wherein the PMO supports agile teams with the right level of coordination and metrics, rather than imposing waterfall metrics on them.
The PMO can maintain overall portfolio visibility (e.g., via agile portfolio tools and release roadmaps) without forcing each agile team into a waterfall mould. For projects that are a mix, hybrid approaches (combining predictive and adaptive elements) may be used. The PMO should therefore be competent in both.
2. Streamline governance with “just enough process”
Evaluate all PMO processes and eliminate bureaucracy that does not add value. For each template or report, ask how it contributes to decisions or outcomes.
Many high-performing PMOs implement a lean governance framework: minimal checkpoints, shorter status reports, especially for smaller or low-risk projects. They reserve detailed oversight for only the most critical or troubled projects. This flexible governance ensures that control exists without smothering agility.
3. Enable decentralised decision-making
Traditional PMOs often centralised all approvals, which slowed things down. A thriving PMO pushes decisions to where the knowledge is, empowering project managers and teams with guidelines to make many decisions on their own.
For example, threshold-based governance means only variances beyond certain limits escalate to the PMO or executive level. This approach, coupled with trust in skilled teams, speeds up delivery while keeping leadership informed of exceptions.
4. Support agile teams with training and tools
The PMO can offer agile coaching, Scrum Master training, or Kanban tools to teams new to these methodologies, facilitating adoption rather than resisting it.
PMO staff themselves should obtain agile certifications or hands-on experience to interface effectively with agile teams. According to PMI, the use of hybrid project approaches has increased significantly (over 57% growth from 2020 to 2023). An agile-aware PMO is better positioned to harness this trend.
5. Iterative PMO improvement
Apply agile principles to the PMO’s own development. Continuously gather feedback from project teams and stakeholders, then iteratively improve services.
The PMO can run in sprints or improvement cycles, trying new approaches on a small scale (pilots) and scaling what works. For instance, pilot a new dashboard with one department, gather feedback, refine it, then roll it out enterprise-wide.
Conclusion
The PMO should embody agility in both mindset and operations. When done well, the PMO can actually increase enterprise-level agility by coordinating multiple agile teams (avoiding the “Agile chaos” scenario).
Deloitte’s concept of an Agile PMO emphasises focusing on outcomes (working product) rather than mere process compliance. With adaptability, the PMO stays relevant and helps the organisation navigate change swiftly.
