Models of PMO Functioning in a Multi-project Environment

The article is an in-depth study of functioning of PMO models in four companies from different industries.In the first part of the paper was made a review of available literature on problems of PMO functioning. In the second part of the paper were included descriptions of each PMO function models. Observing the described solutions you can see shift of a range of support functions into separate units, subordinated to PMO, which are program offices or project offices. These units are usually territorially decentralized and their goal is to offer program managers and project managers support functions of an operational nature. The used method of description allows to compare solutions with each other. In the last part of the study was included a comparative analysis of described solutions.Each of the described companies has developed and implemented its own solution, with distinguishing characteristics. Each of the solutions has its own strengths and weaknesses. Analysis of individual solutions in terms of their strengths and weaknesses may be a valuable indicator for organizations that prepare the concept of activities or modify model of PMO functioning. During the analysis of the solutions another very important observation was made. Usually, after a few years of development of PMO structures, there is a crisis resulting in the “erosion” of existing structures and usually return to the solutions previously used.