The AtekPC Project Management Office

AtekPC's John Strider had concerns about what might happen if they tried to push too hard with their Project Management Office (PMO) initiative. If it were implemented right, this PMO could be a big help to AtekPC, but Strider feared it could become another item on his growing list of problems. How much PM is enough PM? When do you get to the point that the PMO structure and process is enabling productivity and. contribute to a more successful outcome with fewer mistakes?

Strider knew that his people who were working on the PMO were frustrated that they could not move faster. The PMO had to become a part of the AtekPC culture, and that required small changes over a long period of time. He couldn't let things drop just to build up this new PMO. It all had to be done together. The PC industry was experiencing tremendous cost pressure and was undergoing a period of consolidation.

PC makers were launching cost reduction strategies aimed atfurther improving the efficiency of their supply chains, while lowering the cost of distribution. In the boom days of the PC, the market was boundless, but growth has slowed considerably. AtekPC employed 2100 full-time workers and an additional 200 part-time staff in 2006. The PC industry is going through some consolidation as larger players acquire smaller players in order to achieve greater scale. AtekPC recognized that they would have to be able to manage projects more efficiently and effectively.

AtekPC's new PMO was being introduced to provide standardization in managing these projects and to gain improvements in the planning and performance of the initiatives. AtekPC had undertaken a few large projects in the past that had employed some formal practices, but these projects had not resulted in lasting formalization of practices. Architectural integration of these application systems was only moderately achieved, so that functional areas often provided discrete services with little cross-functional integration. In 2007, IT projects were typically managed by adding PM responsibilities to specific functional areas. Lead Analysts supervised workgroups of analysts and programmers of varying skill levels.

Using an informal project initiation process, users requested IT services through the Lead Analyst. The Lead Analyst then managed the project with the support of the resources within their workgroup.

AtekPC's new chief information officer, Nelson Strider, sought to find the right organizational model for AtekPC as part of his tenure at the company. With more resources, Nelson believed that his team could provide more support faster and move more rapidly ahead with critical projects and standards. Finding the right place for the PMO along the spectrum between heavy and light organizational models was not an easy decision. AtekPC's new project management officer (PMO) Strider Field describes the cultural challenge of implementing a PMO in an organization that is unaccustomed to formal project management practices. Many within AtekPC viewed project management as administrative overhead, something that would get in the way of doing "real work" The functional areas enjoyed working with IT people who were responsive to their needs and made things happen quickly.

Harvard Case Study Background

AtekPC, a key player in the PC industry, is challenged in transforming itself as the PC industry is rapidly changing and is encountering stiffer competition. AtekPC decides to implement a Strategy Planning Office and a Project Management Office (PMO) to aid in overcoming the business challenges. Historically, AtekPC has used an informal approach in planning and executing business and IT projects.

Team Project Challenge

John Strider, AtekPC CIO, has hired your technology management consulting company, Golden Gate Consulting, to advise AtekPC. You are the team from Golden Gate Consulting. Your team's job is to understand the situation at AtekPC, perform external research, conduct analysis, develop findings and recommendations, and create an action plan.

Team Discussion and Analysis Topics

1. What do we know about AtekPC's PMO so far?
2. What issues did AtekPC's PMO implementation initiative surface?
3. What do you see as the purpose and responsibilities of a PMO?
4. What cultural barriers did the AtekPC PMO implementation team has to overcome?
5. What organizational components are critical to effective PMO implementation?
6. How could the level of sponsorship for AtekPC's PMO be enhanced?
7. What governance mechanisms need to be taken into consideration in implementing a PMO?
8. What is your assessment of AtekPC's PMO implementation strategy?
9. How much Project Management (PM) is enough PM?How much PMO support is enough PMO support?
10. How AtekPC could evolve its PMO into the future and why?

Assignment:

CREEAAATTEEE the High-level outline - final paper (The AtekPC Project Management Office)

In MS Word, do a high-level outline that has your key thesis at the top and then highlights the key points that you will cover in your paper (and follows a standard outline format). If you are stuck on what an outline should look like, think of the table of contents at the front of the book and also use the MS Word outline format.

Expectations:

• There should be a thesis statement (or statements) that should outline the team's summary of the problem and approach.
• Outline should clearly show the flow of the paper. It should be delineated enough that it is clear how the paper will be populated, but not too granular in detail. In other words, don't start writing your paper just yet.
• You should indicate for which topics you expect to draw on outside research or experience.