What is the Project Management Office?

Project Management Office (PMO) is a group or department in an enterprise that establishes and implements best practices and maintains standards related to project management, planning and execution. The PMO also serves as an organization’s central hub for project documentation, guidance and success metrics.

Most PMO processes, methodologies and best practices are based on industry standards, such as A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), which was originally published by the Project Management Institute (PMI), a certification body for project managers (PM). However, many PM processes are learned from experience, research and study, which is why PM approaches and strategies often vary.

A PMO’s main purpose is to facilitate project success by establishing best practices, mitigating risks and ensuring on-time project delivery within a specified budget.