Ask yourself the following two questions:
- What is the Project Management Maturity level of your company?
- Why is understanding Project Management Maturity and the identification of the areas to improve Project Management Maturity critical to the success of your company?
All you have to do is look around. Companies that have weathered the recent economic downturn are those that among other things, understand the significance of predictable project management and execution. Inadequate project management processes are wasteful and damaging to bottom line performance and employee morale. The extent and importance of project management processes is much larger than originally thought.
The primary benefit of assessing and improving your Project Management Maturity Level is providing consistent and predictable results for all current and future projects. It is vital for executive management to understand the level of maturity within their organization and the role they play in its development.
Such an assessment would encompass a review of project management relevant standards and practices. Key areas of interest include: process integration, process simplicity, overall process effectiveness, degree of management support, data management, and forward-looking capabilities.
Each area would be rated by level of maturity – typically 1 through 5:- Embryonic project management processes
- Visible processes supporting project management
- Acceptance and support by executive and line management
- Growth areas identified and managed
- Measurable performance separation from competition
- Project Management Office (PMO)- structure and roles
- Role of project management in executive business decisions
- Consistency of project management methodology between adjoining organizations
- Dimensions of project management influence and authority
- Executive management’s attitude towards skills training and continuous improvement
- Project Management Information System (PMIS) detail and relevance to project and executive managers.
The extent of any assessment will be dependent upon the size and or location of the Project Management Unit being reviewed and on the availability of project team members, project data, documentation and process details.
