Welcome to the Spring edition of the APM PMO SIG newsletter 2018

Welcome to the latest edition of the APM PMO SIG newsletter!

In our first newsletter of 2018 you can read about how busy we have been spreading the PMO word far and wide. Also you can check out our upcoming events, and the latest from our #PMOWisdom series.

If you have any comments on the newsletter or would like to contribute an article to a future edition, please contact us.

1. A word from the PMO SIG Chair

This quarter we have been able to lock down our plan for the 2018-19 year and are waiting on our research results to provide our members with a theme for the year. We expect this year to be full of firsts, the first time we have been invited by some of the bigger branches to introduce PMO into their area, the first time we are attending the main APM and WiPM conferences and the first time we are building a guidance document.

We believe that 2018 is the year for PMO. The industry is changing, with lots of opportunities for learning, expanding, and developing PMOs popping up all over the place. Recently APM have even accredited the first external PMO Practitioner course which you can read about, and the PMO methodology that PMO SIG brought to the UK last year has had its official launch!

The latest version of the Body of Knowledge consultation period has just closed, gathering ideas and thoughts on the current structure. We hope lots of PMO people responded to the 7th edition consultation to make sure that PMO is changed from the current header ‘Infrastructure’; so, thank you for all those that provided your thoughts to this important refresh.

Our SIG committee election will be coming up in the coming months, so if you want to get more involved and work beside us to drive our industry forward, you can read on to find out how you can do so. I look forward to hearing from you.

2. First accredited PMO Practitioner course hits our industry

Following a successful pilot and independent review, APM recently accredited the Wellingtone PMO Practitioner course. The APM Professional Course Accreditation is designed to help learners choose the best course in support of their professional project management career. A successful application and receipt of a Professional Course Accreditation identifies those courses which are aligned to the APM Body of Knowledge 6th edition, but do not lead to or cover the syllabus of formal APM professional qualifications.

The Wellingtone PMO Practitioner course syllabus covers the PMO industry context, the process for defining, developing, implementing, and sustaining a PMO, as well as introducing delegates to the Wellingtone PMO Competence Framework and Maturity Model.

3. What we have been up to

Midlands branch evening event: Everything You Wanted to Know About PMOs
Emma-Ruth Arnaz-Pemberton
This event took place thanks to the Midlands branch and MK College. The discussions covered all sorts of topics around PMO’s, and as always the perception surrounding our industry. It still surprises me to hear some of the negative experiences that people have working alongside PMOs.
You can read all about the discussions and see the slides on the event write up page.

Northern Ireland branch evening event: Everything You Wanted to Know About PMOs
Marisa Silva
As part of our UK tour, Marisa took the roadshow to Northern Ireland with thanks to the Northern Ireland branch and Riddel Hall. The discussion afterwards covered some good questions and answers from the audience.
You can read all about it and see the slides on the event write up page.

4. Lessons Learned guidance day

21 March, London
For some time now we have been co-ordinating PMO knowledge, creating a Lessons Learned guidance booklet in conjunction with Knowledge SIG. We followed our conference in October 2017 and our Lessons Learned roadshows, with a workshop on 21 March where a bunch of enthusiasts got together to define the bones of this guidance document.

Following this very successful workshop with lots of ideas and discussions, we have now created a working space for the tasks outstanding to be completed and the publishing process to begin.

5. Our upcoming events

PMOs and transformational change
23 May, London
PMOs inherently bring change to organisations, but what happens when they are both effecting change and affected by the change themselves? This event will explore this juxtaposition and help build confidence in dealing with transformational change that affects entire organisations.

6. Marketing

LinkedIn hot topics
Been out of the LinkedIn loop recently?
Here are some of the conversations we felt would be valuable, please give your opinions/experiences.

PMO versus PPM Maturity
Knowledge and ideas requested around P3M3 and maturity of organisations and PMO.

PM for Today Webinar: How to Move Your PMO to the Next Level
Through the PMO Officers group on LinkedIn, this webinar has been shared and is proving quite popular.

7. Social

Are you a tweeter?

This year we have hit our 4,000th follower on Twitter! This is a huge milestone and we wanted to thank our new, and our long-standing loyal followers. Lots more content to come for you to enjoy!

8. PMO Wisdom Series

Our latest #PMOWisdom interview comes all the way from Canada. Hussain Bandukwala gave us some insights into unlocking the value of PMO.

Alongside this seasons interview, our latest #PMOWisdom poster comes with thanks to Northumbrian Water.

Get in touch with us and let us know what advice you would give to others starting out in our industry.

9. Book review

Book: How to be a productivity ninja
Author: Graham Allcott
Publisher: Icon Books
Reviewer: Emma-Ruth Arnaz-Pemberton

Summary:
Being productive gives everyone a sense of achievement each day. This book delves into the ways in which we work; mindset, toolset, and toolkit, and provides some interesting ways to be more productive during your work day.

The book talks about having a productivity ninja mindset which includes; zen-like calm, weapon savviness, stealth and camouflage, ruthlessness, unorthodoxy, agility, mindfulness, and preparedness.

Unless you really like ninjas, you will be asking what this has to do with your day to day! But the book is broken down into a number of chapters that surprisingly will help you to feel more in control of all those things you have to get done all of the time (if you embrace the approach).

The book is interspersed with exercises that force you to think differently, act differently, and look at your own ways of working. Some of the exercises can be a bit scary, but I recommend you jump right in and have a go at them. This book can literally change your life, and your inbox chaos…

10. Events and dates for your diary

Other events we are loving right now

APM Conference
25 April, London
This year’s conference, Future Proof, will aim to inspire the profession of today for the challenges of tomorrow and will feature a number of exceptional and influential speakers.

Women in Project Management Conference
25 September, London
The conference, which this year explores the theme ‘Empowerment’, aims to give women who work in all areas of project management the tools to develop a highly rewarding career, create a powerful profile, and empower their teams as respected leaders.

11. Volunteering

PMO SIG Volunteers
Want to join the SIG as a volunteer? Get in touch!

Alternatively, you can join as a member to receive news and information on PMO SIG.
Use the link on the APM SIG microsite page and click on the "Join this Group" button.