What is the PPSOSIG?

The Programme and Project Support Office Specialist Interest Group (PPSO SIG) is a not for profit organisation which is owned by its members - It is not aligned with any methodology or industry. Membership is free and open to anyone employed or interested in Programme and Project Support Offices in any industry.

Its aim and objectives are to provide a forum for PPSO professionals to meet and discuss matters of mutual importance. The PPSOSIG has gone from strength to strength over the last five years and events are planned with its members needs in mind. The PPSO is an excellent event which makes sure there is enough time to network with other like minded people.

If you're a project support /programme management office professional - join up today, membership is free and these are some of the benefits joining the group provides:

• Networking opportunities with other like-minded professionals, enabling you to swap ideas and information in the area of project support offices
• Attend conferences and events which allow you to gain industry news in the area that most interests you - programme management offices (Project Management Office, PMO's, PSO's, PPSO's, Centres of Excellence...)
• An excellent line in your CV and performance appraisal KRA, becoming a member shows you're totally committed to advancing your career in the field of PMO
• Have fun - each event allows you to meet other people who understand exactly about the challenges you face in your role within the PSO

Arras People actively supports and maintains the PPSO SIG (press help, logistics and creation of the website) along with other PPSO enthusiasts - see the site for more details and sign up: www.ppsosig.co.uk

The Next Event - Wednesday 18th March 2009

Spring 2009 Conference
P3O – (Portfolio, Programmes and Project Office)
“P3O Examined – What does it mean for your PPSO?”

Guidance on how to implement a PMO, dozens of checklists on the services your PMO could offer, pointers on how to make your PMO successful and an insight into the different models of PMOs in existence are just some of the latest guidance from the OGC in the form of “Portfolio, Programme and Project Offices (P3O)©

So what will the new P3O guidance mean to your role, your PMO and your organisation?

In the Spring 2009 PPSOSIG (Programme and Project Support Office Specialist Interest Group) conference, being held on the 18th March 2009, delegates are invited to learn more about the P3O guidance; the practicalities of using the new P3O guidance; the opportunity to understand more about Portfolio Management and its links to P3O; become familiar with the new P3O accreditation and understand more about how P3O will work for you, your PMO and your organisation.

Delegates will hear from Sue Vowler, the lead author for P3O. Sue will be taking delegates through the guidance and taking questions on each area of the guidance

Real life case studies from organisations will cover the practicalities and challenges of setting up and running PMOs and how the P3O guidance will aid and assist in those challenges giving delegates a real insight into how P3O could make a real difference to their own PMO.

There will be an opportunity to hear the latest on portfolio management and how this links to the P3O guidance; this is the latest material on portfolio management not yet published by the OGC. There will be also an overview of the accompanying accreditation for P3O; the Foundation examination will be covered by an accredited training organisation covering what to expect from the course and exam.

There will be planned interactive sessions enabling delegates to further explore elements of the P3O guidance in more depth; concentrating on the areas that matter most to our delegates. Like all PPSOSIG events there will be ample time to network with other likeminded PMO professionals giving delegates the opportunity to exchange ideas and knowledge.

> See the PPSOSIG website for more information on how to book your place

Early Bird rates are currently available and all places receive a P3O Pocket Guide book

The Last Event - Wednesday 17th & Thursday 18th September

The 14th PPSOSIG conference was held on Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th September at Warwick Conferences in Coventry.

Successful PPSOs all have one thing in common – they know what their assets are and they really know how to work them for the benefit of the individuals who work within them, the programme and projects they support and the organisation they’re a part of. So will PPSOs continue to sweat their assets to extract the best possible service offerings in these belt tightening, credit crunch, recession fearing times?

In this 14th conference, delegates were taken through the most valuable assets their PPSO has and learnt more about how they can get the most value out of what they already have without the need for extra spend and resources.

Presentations, workshops, networking and Q&As concentrated on the four main assets of infrastructure, skillsets/knowledge, personal skills and information, gave delegates a whole host of new ideas to take away and implement.

The full agenda included;

1. Physical Assets - PPSO Physical Resources and Infrastructure
2. Personal Assets - Personal Skills Inventory
3. Skills and Knowledge Assets – Risk Identification and Management, Earned Value and Configuration &  Change Management
4. Information Assets – Managing Information – Sink or Swim
5. Future Assets – What’s on the horizon for PPSOs

Presentations by Andy Murray, lead author for the PRINCE2 refresh, Adrian Wilson, lead trainer for CITI his specialisms include PRINCE2 and APM, John Zachar, Principal Consultant, years of experience in delivering consultancy and training in PPSOs and Graham Shreeve, Target Practice, professional training and experienced coach.

> See further details and copies of the presentations on the PPSOSIG website

The Last Event - Thursday 10th April 2008

All Aboard the PPSO – Knowing the Value of your PPSO and Getting your Organisation on Board

The Spring 2008 PPSO SIG Conference looked at how to identify the type of PPSO you work in, and what your organisation needs, concentrating on helping you to determine your own business case, and identifying and working with your stakeholders to ensure that the PPSO's value is properly understood and appreciated across the business

Getting everyone onboard the PPSO ship and repelling the unwanted boarders!

This one day conference in Aston, Birmingham was well attended and presentations and workshops well received. Full outputs are available on the website now

> See the full conference materials

Previous Events - 26th - 27th September 2007

“PPSO Tools, Techniques & Approaches”

Tools, techniques and approaches are the lifeblood of the PPSO, without these we are unable to support, advise or assess our organisations programmes and projects. Feedback from previous conferences had shown that delegates wanted to see a more focused conference in the areas of tools, techniques and approaches and have the opportunity to see what other organisations and PPSO's are doing in this area.

The "Tools, techniques & approaches ... why bother?" conference over two days looked at the outcome when we said - we bothered! > See the website for more details on the outcome of the conference

Previous Events:

Wednesday 14th March 2007

Friday 24th November 2006

The September 2006 Event

The March 2006 Event

The September 2005 Event

The March 2005 Event

The September 2004 Event

Wednesday 14th March 2007

"It's all about you - developing yourself aligned to your PPSO"

That's right, the next event is all about you - the PPSO professional and in particular your skills, personal development and profile and ultimately ensuring your development is aligned with your PPSO

The event, on Wednesday 14th March 2007, promises to be our best yet, with plenty of interaction, presentations, and PPSO food for thought!

Kicking off with pre-conference homework, yes that's right - to get the best out of the conference we need to know more about you and your PSO. The results - all confidential - will be analysed and delegates will receive an individual analysis of their questionnaire responses to take away. We have guest speakers Kevin Moir and Sheilina Somani, PPSO qualifications, mentoring and coaching of PSO staff, development and research into the PPSOs and of course the opportunity to network with other PPSO'ers - a packed day!

> See the website for more details

Friday 24th November 2006

Setting Up a Centre of Excellence for PPM

Tuesday 27th June and Friday 29th September saw the bringing together of David Marsh and David Wilkin of MMP Consulting Ltd with John Elliott of OGC and Graham Hawkins of Serco Solutions in promoting the concepts of the Project and Programme Management Centre Of Excellence (PPM COE).

This event will cover key areas and questions;

• What is a PPM COE and why do you need one?
• Designing a PPM COE – The Business Case and Terms of Reference
• Doing the right Programmes and Projects
• Assurance of Programmes and Projects
• Effective development, deployment and operation of Programme Management

> See the website for more details

> See the feedback on our project management blog

September 2006

"Close the Gap" PPSOs Role in Portfolio, Programmes and Projects

On the 20/21st of September the Programme and Project Support Office - Specialist Interest Group held their fifth annual conference at the Aston University Business School. The conference like the others was well attended and chose as its theme looking at how the PPSO could help organisations ensure they were doing the right programmes and project as well as doing them right!

The conference opened with a presentation from David Wilkin of MMP consulting who described how the PSO could support the definition of the portfolio of programmes and project that they commission to meet its strategic goals. John Zachar of CITI further developed the theme by looking at the various definitions for and types of portfolio, programme and projects typically found in organisations and the need for the PPSO to report not just on the progress to the plan but more importantly progress in delivering the reason for the portfolio, programme and projects. The conference continued examining this theme through a series of workshops organised on the speed dating principle. This format proved to be great for developing the vital network connections that the PPSO SIG seeks to foster. The first day finished with a Question Time panel who attempted to answer the many interesting questions and queries raised by the delegates.

The evening dinner concluded with John Zachar donning his quiz master guise and running the PPSO Pub Quiz.

On the final day the delegates were challenged by David Marsh and John Zachar to identify ways in which the could provide progress reports that provided really useful knowledge for the senior managers of the organisation to help then ensure the business strategy was being delivered by the portfolio, programmes and projects. The delegates came up with some interesting and innovative ideas which will be made available on the group web site.

The conference concluded with a taster session of the next conference due in March 2007 which will look how the PPSO could develop its staff and their capabilities further.

> See the website for full sets of presentations from the conference

Previous Events

March 2006

"Benefits - From Fantasy to Reality"

This event looked at benefits realisation and making the changes stick. With presentations and opportunities to network with other likeminded Project Support Office professionals the event was a great success,

Visit the PPSOSIG website

28th and 29th September 2005 PPSO SIG Conference, "To Boldly Go Where No PPSO Has Gone Before"

The Agenda

The last PPSOSIG event was held on the above date with over 40 delegates

The output. presentations and slides are available on the PPSOSIG website.

Agenda

Session One - PPSO Audit - David Marsh

Auditing your Project Management Office (PPSO) and identifying where you may need to go in the future

Session Two - Speed Dating - Chris Walters / Terri Hinton

You've told us that you value the networking opportunities that the PPSO SIG can offer - well, here is an opportunity to share your ideas and pick the brains of your fellow PPSO SIG members on a one-to-one basis.

Delegates deemed this part of the conference has a great success - we'll be looking to improve the format so you get more out of an activity like this

Session Three - Making the Business Case Real - John Zachar

The Project Management Office (PPSO) supporting the benefits definition and measurement process - making the Business Case - Real.

Session Four - Corporate Support PPSO - Gez Keating from Serco

The corporate support function: are we doing (and how do we know) the right programme and project - and how are programme and project risks that impact the organisation dealt with - where does the Programme and Project Support Office contribute to or lead the in emerging topic of Portfolio Management, and how can it support "business as usual"? [suggested - open to change!].

Gez gave an excellent overview and insight into the corporate PPSO - a real life example

Evening Meal - including entertainment

Day Two
Session Five - Workshop - Taking the Programme and Project Support Office Forward - Chris Walters

Three strands looking at how we might take a PMO into uncharted territory through process definition, supporting toolsets (infrastructure) and skills and training. The workshop was kicked off

Session Six - Workshop Reports
The delegates were split into three teams to discuss the three strands

Session Seven - Promoting the PSO - David Marsh

How to sell the PPSO within your organisation >presentation< and the diagrams from the presentation

Conference Review and Close - Terri Kinton

March 2nd 2005 PPSO SIG Conference, "Politics and the PPSO"

In this conference a variety of workshops and presentations covered the hot topic of Politics & The Programme & Project Support Office.

Politics & The PPSO

PSOs are frequently at the receiving end of a political environment. Over the years, I’ve asked a number of associates, “Do you live in a politically ‘free’ zone?” You all know what the answer is. “NO!”

Organisational politics exist! We will never live in an environment that is not influenced by politics! Working in or being responsible for a Project or Programme Management Office. how do we recognise the political impact that we not only create, but experience?

Politics, and the PMO! How do we make it work? What needs to be considered?

Stakeholder Analysis and Expectations Management

Stakeholders - you can't live without them - can you live with them?

Finding out and knowing who your Stakeholders are, followed by having an idea of how to manage them, can be the making of whatever it is you are trying to do. Not doing so can spell disaster. A workshop to brainstorm all the various types of stakeholders and what might be their individual foibles

Quantitative and Qualitative Benefits the PPSO Provides

It is a question of survival. How can you justify the existence of your PPSO? Can you present the value of your PPSO to the key stakeholders? Can you start to think in terms of your PPSO starting to provide higher value than it does today?

This workshop will critically evaluate the benefits your PPSO provides and of course trigger thought starters on what next?

The Relationships - PPSO and the Project Manager/s

"One of the key relationships for the PSO is with the Project Manager.
We'll have a look at types of PSO and Project Manager and identify some possibilities for harmony and friction."

See the PPSOSIG - PMO website for more information

September 29th-30th 2004 PPSO SIG Convention, "When good projects turn bad"

The September Convention

September 29th-30th 2004 PPSO SIG Convention, "When good projects turn bad"

"When Good Projects Go Bad... and what the PPSO can do to prevent it... or recover from the consequences"

This two day event was packed with lectures, workshops, networking opportunities and a major crisis! And that was just during the day.

Kicking off at 2pm with "Starting The Programme Or Project Off On The Right Foot" from guest speaker John Zacher, it's not long before a stressed out Project Manager with a problem project breaks onto the scene. Can the PMO-ers save the day? Through workshops and further presentations from David Marsh, we learnt more over the two day period about the role of PPSO in problem programmes and projects.

> See the PPSO SIG site for the full two days outline and outputs