Central Washington University Board of Trustees July 26, 2018
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY – Project Management Office Changing market dynamics, aspirations, and the need for growth are driving a period of rapid transformation of CWU academic and operational systems and facilities. In order to ensure the efficient and thorough implementation of nearly 35 projects, CWU has developed an organizational unit specifically for the purpose of managing project execution. The enhanced capacity and capabilities of CWU data systems provides a more detailed view of the university’s past and a clearer vision of the future. The administration, faculty and staff have started embracing the changing landscape with innovative and creative solutions which in turn result in more change efforts, initiatives and projects. Strategic planning & governance is the most important function of a PMO. They assist in the scoring of projects using predefined criteria in the strategic selection of potential projects and their planning according to the business goals of the university. The PMO will advise senior management to select candidate projects that best align with the strategic goals of the university. With regards to project governance, the PMO set policies, functions, process, and procedures and responsibilities that define the establishment, management and control of projects, programs or portfolios. The PMO helps to establish a common language, culture and mindset by disseminating a common project culture and mindset by informing, communicating and training employees about the different techniques, methodologies and best practices. The office also helps develop a common project language by defining milestones, metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) so that everyone is on the same wave length. The office also establishes best practices & processes , standardizing the project management process across all departments and services. A PMO can implement a repeatable project delivery process so that the university can readily manage and deliver projects. It provides consistent project management guidance, methods, systems, tools and metrics for consistent project outcomes. Thus, maintaining consistency between project managers working for different projects and departments. The PMO manages and allocates resources across projects. It also manages priorities based on timelines, budgets, resource loads and what-if analysis information and accordingly provides the right resources at the right time. They also define roles and responsibilities. The PMO trains, mentors and coaches employees in general and in particular project managers, and organizes regular workshops and training programs about project management.
Creating & maintaining project artifacts, archives and tool sets also is a responsibility of the PMO. The office provides templates, tools and software to manage project efforts. They invest in tools for
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