Creating an Effective Project Management Organization

When you take on a new project and commit to a delivery date, how often are you able to meet that demand? As organizations grow and services/technologies get more complex, the task becomes even more difficult. Major project and service plans require a substantial amount of planning and painstaking attention to timelines, and the right people in charge to properly fulfill contract stipulations. These are the areas Michael Johnson of Insight Technology Solutions covered in his keynote at the CompTIA IT Services and Support Executive Forum meeting in Tampa.

Johnson’s presentation, IT Project Management- Key Services Performance Indicators, highlighted the need for effective structure and leadership in this critical business process. Companies need to build repeatable processes, when possible, and be able to monitor the progress at each step of a plan. Johnson introduced the concept of a PMO (project management organization), which is the infrastructure required for a company to succeed in building the processes, checks and balances. A mature PMO will ensure projects succeed, and allow the organization to grow the number of projects managed without a substantial increase in resources.

Project management is invaluable to the services group assembled, including service providers, vendors, and consultants. The discussion was very interactive and an informal survey (large show of hands) demonstrated a high level of interest on the topic. Based on the response, I expect CompTIA Project +, (a certification in project management) that is currently in beta to be a “hot commodity.”

– Brian Sherman, CompTIA Roving Reporter