| What is P3O? | | | | applicable guidance that will enable individuals and |
| The acronym is cryptic - the substance is more | | | | organisations to successfully establish, develop and |
| straightforward. This is a new set of Best Practice | | | | maintain appropriate business support structures that |
| guidance from the OGC for Portfolio, Programme and | | | | will allow: |
| Project support functions. The emphasis is on generic | | | | - Informed senior management decision making on |
| approaches applicable to all organisations so the OGC | | | | strategic alignment, prioritisation, risk management, |
| has avoided the more limiting but more familiar | | | | optimisation of resource etc to successfully deliver |
| terminology of Programme & Project Support | | | | their business objectives (portfolio management). |
| Office (PPSO). | | | | - Identification and realisation of business outcomes |
| Why Might it Help Me? | | | | and benefits via programmes. |
| Organisations which run multiple projects to drive | | | | - Successful delivery of project outputs that enable |
| business change usually require a support function | | | | benefits within time, cost and quality restraints. |
| which can provide key expertise and co-ordination. | | | | Course Summary |
| There are different approaches and this is recognised | | | | A P3O model provides a decision enabling/delivery |
| by P3O. These new Guidelines bring together a set of | | | | support structure for all change within an organisation. |
| principles, processes and techniques to facilitate | | | | This may be provided through a single permanent |
| effective portfolio, programme and project | | | | office which may exist under several different names |
| management by proposing proven support structures, | | | | e.g., Portfolio Office, Centre of Excellence, Enterprise |
| roles and responsibilities. | | | | or Corporate Programme Office. It may otherwise be |
| What's New? | | | | provided through a linked set of offices (portfolio office, |
| There are well established approaches to the PPSO | | | | programme offices, project offices), both permanent |
| but this new guidance is specifically formulated to align | | | | (enabling/supporting business objectives and |
| as fully as possible with the other OGC methodologies | | | | consistency of delivery) and temporary (enabling |
| - PRINCE2, MSP, and M_o_R. | | | | supporting specific programmes and projects), |
| When's it Available? | | | | providing a mix of central and localised services. |
| The full Guidance document or manual will publish in | | | | This new guidance - aligned to OGC's PRINCE2, MSP, |
| November 2008. As with PRINCE2 and ITIL there will | | | | and MoR - will bring together in one place a set of |
| be an overview book ("Think P3O") and a pocket | | | | principles, processes and techniques to facilitate |
| book. | | | | effective portfolio, programme and project |
| Training & Certification | | | | management through enablement, challenge and |
| There will be Foundation training to embed core | | | | support structures. These structures also bridge the |
| understanding of the methodologies, and Practitioner | | | | gap between the strategy/policy makers and the |
| training to cover application of P3O to real life | | | | delivery arm of the organisation. |
| situations. The Foundation training and exam will be | | | | Examinations |
| available from November - and can be booked now. It | | | | There will be a Foundation qualification based on an |
| will be run as either a 2 or 3 day course with a multiple | | | | objective test exam along the same lines as the other |
| choice exam taken on the final day. | | | | OGC qualifications. The exam will focus on concepts, |
| Foundation Level Qualification - 2 days | | | | structures and duties of a P3O and is aimed at |
| Target Audience | | | | anyone who works with or in a P3O. The Foundation |
| Those wishing to find guidance or advice on setting up | | | | exam will be available when the guidance is published |
| or running an effective delivery support office in | | | | and a Practitioner qualification will follow after launch. |
| alignment with OGC's Best Practice guidance. | | | | The higher qualification is designed for those |
| Learning Objectives | | | | responsible for setting up, managing, or improving a |
| The purpose of the Portfolio, Programme and Project | | | | P3O. model. |
| Office (P3O) guidance is to provide universally | | | | |