Take the Next Steps with Your Virtual PMO
2020 was the year that many PMOs got comfortable with virtual working. And all signs show that virtual work is here to stay: being able to run your PMO with a remote team is a skill we’re all going to have to get used to for the long term.
The virtual PMO may also be a hybrid PMO: some of the team might be in the office from time to time, but perhaps it’s rare that you’ll all get together at once. It’s time to reflect on what being virtual as a PMO means and how we can capitalize on the opportunities it brings as we get used to the new normal of working this way.
In this article we’ll look at four ways the PMO has changed. We’ll give you some next steps for your journey as a virtual/hybrid PMO so you can capitalize on new ways of working and continue to lead a highly performing team, wherever they are based.
PMO as software super user
Many PMOs we know shifted to Teams, Zoom, Slack and other online tools, without much thought to whether they were the best option. We simply needed a fast way of staying in touch, preferably using what the organization already had in place so there was no need to buy additional licences or train people on new software.
The virtual PMO has a role to play in helping people adapt to using new tools to get the best out of them.
Next step: Review the tools in use across the team. Did you actively choose them, or did you rush to use them in the absence of anything else? Perhaps it’s time to take stock of what you are using and consider if there are better options available.
Consider what training you can offer the PMO team and beyond: shortcuts, cheat sheets and quick tutorials will help people get the most out of the tools they are using.
PMO as experimenter
There are new technologies out there and new tools popping up all the time. What could you experiment with to bring something new to the team? Perhaps that’s online retrospective software for your agile teams, or some kind of team engagement activity like a quiz.
Next step: Ask your colleagues what they would like to check out. Build in some time each week for experimenting and research to check out what’s new. Some of it won’t fit with your business but you might just discover something that will radically improve the way you work. Have fun experimenting and stay connected with new developments in the world of online systems.
PMO as team engager
Engaging virtual teams is different to engaging in-person teams. You can’t pop by someone’s desk any longer and check in with them, or spot if a colleague is looking particularly stressed one day so you can offer help.
The PMO has always had a role to play in stakeholder engagement and ensuring people are actively participating in project work the best way they can. Look for ways that you can continue to keep in touch with teams across the organization
Next steps: Consider a team engagement survey or poll the delivery teams to see what suggestions they have for improving engagement in a virtual setting. You could set up drop in call times, an email newsletter, virtual Friday coffee chats or whatever works to bring the team together. Mix up the opportunities for work-based conversation and social chat. If people are in the office, encourage them to take time out of their working day to catch up with each other.
PMO as facilitator
Many PMOs offer facilitation services, running planning workshops or risk workshops for project teams.
Moving to a fully online PMO or even a hybrid PMO model means how you facilitate has to change. Consider group sizes, plan your agenda carefully allowing for screen breaks in long events and make the most of online collaboration tools to switch up how participants interact and contribute during the session.
Next steps: Check out tools to help with virtual facilitation such as whiteboarding options, collaborative document sharing, polls and timers. If these are new to you, practise beforehand so you get comfortable using the tools.
Pay special attention to how to facilitate if you have a hybrid group, as in-room conversations can often be hard to hear online. It’s very easy to make remote participants feel as if they aren’t fully included in the discussion.
It might help to have an additional facilitator from the PMO in the virtual room, so one of you can ‘drive’ the tools and the other can focus on engaging participants, at least until you get comfortable at doing it all.
Where to start
There are many benefits to remote working, and the explosion in tech makes it easier (in principle) than ever before.
If this article has given you some ideas of where to start with embracing the world of the virtual or hybrid PMO, the first thing to do is hold a lessons learned review that covers what your team has taken away from the experience of virtual working over the past 12 months. Talk about what works and what didn’t, what you tried and loved, and what you tried and hated.
You’re the experts in how you are working and what might make it better, so start with a frank and honest discussion about how it was for you. Then go from there: make a plan for how you can incorporate new tools or new ways of working, whatever that might look like for you. We learn and improve; embracing the virtual world of work is no different and presents some exciting opportunities for the future.