PMOs Private v Public Sector

1. #FuturePMO
Head of PMO
Matt Warren
Capita PLC

2. #FuturePMO
Matt Warren
Matt Warren is currently Head of PMO at Capita PLC. Over the last decade, Matt has worked
in both the Civil Service and private sector in varying PMO and change delivery roles,
including Head Corporate P3MO and Head of Change Delivery for the Health and Safety
Executive, and as Head of Portfolio Office in the Cabinet Office.
Key delivery experience includes leading change delivery teams executing EU Exit Transition
activity, digital and business transformation and multiple PMO implementations.
Prior to working in change and programme delivery, Matt was a commissioned officer in the
Royal Air Force, specialising as an Air Traffic Controller. On leaving the Royal Air Force, Matt
moved to Australia and continued working in aviation, operating as a safety and quality
manager. During this time, he undertook and completed a Master of Business Leadership
with specific focus on Organisational Change and Strategic Project Management.

3. #FuturePMO
PMOs Private v Public
Sector
 Key differences when
implementing PMOs across private
and public sectors
 Key areas of commonality
 How both the private sector and
public sector can learn from each
other
#FuturePMO

4. #FuturePMO
Synopsis
A universal challenge for all PMOs is continuing to demonstrate and add value in what is a
precarious existence for many PMOs
Whilst this challenge is common to all, there are even more specific challenges facing
PMOs largely driven by the sector the PMO is operating within.
In this talk, Matt will be talking through his experiences when implementing PMO
functionality in both the private and public sector. He will draw out common challenges
across both sectors, whilst highlighting the key differences.
Matt will then go on to discuss how the practice and approach deployed by the respective
sectors could enhance the effectiveness of the other

5. #FuturePMO
Introduction
1. PMOs have proliferated across various sectors in the last decade
2. Their coverage, capabilities and value-add is increasingly diverse
3. PMOs are far more technical/practitioner led nowadays
4. The seniority and influence of many PMO is as high as ever

6. #FuturePMO
Aims
1. Provide a view on my experiences of implementing and running PMOs in
both the private and public sectors
2. I will explore the differences and the commonalities and offer a view on
what they could learn from one another
3. Perhaps challenge some assumptions on the strengths and weaknesses
of both sectors too.
4. Facilitate a more open conversation on experiences
• These are my own professional (subjective) views, based on my experiences
• Also, I am using extremes to highlight the points

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Common (mis)perceptions
Public Sector Private Sector

8. #FuturePMO
The Rule of Three!
People
People
Practice
Practice Purpose
Purpose
• Skills and Capabilities - Level of professional
training and capability
• Experience – Level of formal experience working in
PMO environment
• Attitude and behaviours – Attitude, culture and
acceptance of PMO practice
• Design Principles – is the PMO delivery,
supportive/administrative or assurance focused
• Focus/Value– What is important to the PMO,
value to end user or profit/ROI
• Setting – What type of initiatives does the PMO
oversee (transformation, technology etc.)
• Method/Frameworks – What industry
best practice/techniques are used
• Assurance/Governance - Level of
oversight and rigour
• Tools – flexibility in using PPM and delivery
software to aid effective delivery
To break this up, I have broken in the analysis into three themes:

9. #FuturePMO
Good Practice
‘Professionalisation’
Dissimilarities
Similarities
People
People
Public Sector
Private Sector
Scope for change
Tacit and administrative
Attitude and
Behaviours Experience
Level
Experience
Level
Skills and
Capability
Skills and
Capability
• Skills and Capabilities - Level of professional training and capability
• Experience – Level of formal experience working in PMO environment
• Attitude and behaviours – Attitude, culture and acceptance of PMO practice
• Skills and Capabilities - Level of professional training and capability
• Experience – Level of formal experience working in PMO environment
• Attitude and behaviours – Attitude, culture and acceptance of PMO practice
N.B the
anticipated
improvements

10. #FuturePMO
Analysis – People
Attitude and
behaviours
Experience level Skills and capability
Public Sector
• People want to do a good job
• Resistance to control/assurance
and new ways of working
• Challenge of moving from support
to assurance
• Socio-political challenges
• PMO seen as admin and junior
• Similar to Private sector, people
join PMO from other disciplines,
with limited experience in PMO.
This said, this is now changing
with more external recruitment of
SMEs
• Less turnover off staff results in
less diverse experience
• PMO skills and capabilities are
being developed.
• Public Sector now has a huge
drive to ‘professionalise’ the
profession through Project
Delivery Capability Framework
• A government-wide certification
scheme is now being piloted
Private Sector • More varied/external PMO
experience at all levels within the
PMO is more common helping to
improve the capability of the PMO
and upskill the existing team
• Greater turnover of staff and
therefore more cross-pollination
• More direct recruitment of external
PMO capability keeps levels
reasonable.
• More access to suitably qualified
PMO professionals

11. #FuturePMO
Good Practice
Modern Techniques
Dissimilarities
Similarities
Practice
Practice
Public Sector
Private Sector
Scope for change
Traditional techniques
Methods and
Frameworks
Assurance and
Governance
Assurance and
Governance
Tools
Tools
• Method/Frameworks – What industry best practice/techniques are used
• Assurance/Governance - Level of oversight and rigour
• Tools – flexibility in using PPM and delivery software to aid effective delivery
• Method/Frameworks – What industry best practice/techniques are used
• Assurance/Governance - Level of oversight and rigour
• Tools – flexibility in using PPM and delivery software to aid effective delivery
Methods and
Frameworks

12. #FuturePMO
Analysis - Practice
Methods and
Frameworks
Assurance and
Governance
Tools
Public Sector • The Government (through
AXELOS) has developed much of
the frameworks and standards
across programme/change
delivery
• Modern delivery techniques are
being used across digital
transformation, for example GDS
and Tech Code of Practice
• Portfolio Management is emerging
with strong practice
• Third Line assurance mechanisms
are mature – NAO, OGC and IPA.
• Robust business case and
integrated assurance and
procurement strategies in place
• Governance however can be
cumbersome and overzealous and
impact the end result
• Limited scope to implement
bespoke PPM and change
delivery tools due to inflexibility
and digital and tech spending
controls.
• Tools, when implemented are
as effective as Private Sector
Private Sector • Best practice used across delivery,
albeit used more pragmatically
and therefore some
inconsistencies
• Methodologies used more
traditional – shareholder value vs
user value
• Good practice on resource
management and reporting to
ensure value for money
• Better techniques for tracking
programme and project spend
• Less structure around three-layers
of defence in terms of assurance –
limited 2nd Line of assurance
within organisations
• Governance is more focused and
slick –greater risk appetite
• Greater focus on KPIs within PMO
to ensure greater effectiveness
and efficiencies
More scope to use varying tools to
enhance delivery, tools not just
limited to PPM

13. #FuturePMO
Variety
(High)
Dissimilarities
Similarities
Purpose
Purpose
Public Sector
Private Sector
Variety
(Low)
Design
Principles Focus/
Value
Focus/
Value
Setting
Setting
• Design Principles – is the PMO delivery, supportive/administrative or assurance focused
• Focus/Value – What is important to the PMO, value to end user or profit/ROI
• Setting – What type of initiatives does the PMO oversee (Finance, technology, transformation etc.)

14. #FuturePMO
Analysis - Purpose
Design Principles Focus/Funding Setting
Public Sector
• Most PMOs across both Private
and Public Sector offer a similar
range of functions and services,
typically this includes
administrative support, delivery
and assurance/reporting, RAIDS,
finances, resource and scope
management
• PMOs also offer knowledge
management, coaching and centre
of excellence (templates etc.)
• More emphasis on service delivery
and the end user
• Less competition from similar
organisations, less reason to be
agile
• Arguably efficiency and funding is
less of an issue
• Sense of purpose to the cause
• Comply with process rather than
achieve the result
• Programmes are often large and
run for significant durations
diluting accountabilities
• Initiatives generally stay confined
to delivery technology and digital
transformation, regulatory and
policy led change
• Less visibility of the end result
• PMO needs to ensure projects
keep the business competitive
• PMOs needs to demonstrate a
tangible financial value
• PMO needs to stay relevant in a
changing business
• PMOs more versatile can
specialise in less traditional
service offerings, such as AI and
data science
• PMOs operate in transactional
and customer/client environments
• PMO stakeholders are generally
the C-suite and the project’s
clients; they are very easy to
identify
Private Sector

15. #FuturePMO
Conclusion
Whilst there are clear differences between PMOs in the public and private sector, there
are overarching ideas that can apply to both.
As PMO professionals, the perennial challenges we all face aren’t unique to any sector,
but are a result of likeminded professionals valiantly looking to implement appropriate
rigour/structure and value in fast-paced environments. Both the Private and Public Sectors
might have differences in a approaches based upon constraints, but the problems they
encounter are inevitably the same.

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Conclusion
What can the Public Sector learn from the Private Sector?
• Focus on efficiencies and ROI
• Constantly challenge assumptions re value and adapt to meet needs of organisation
• Develop techniques to ensure proportionately across governance and assurance
• Consider using PMOs in less traditional areas to improve structure, skills and capability (and add value)
• Create a stronger line of sight to the end outcome of delivered initiatives
What can the Private Sector learn from the Public Sector?
• Actively start to professionalise the PMO capability/staff. Create career pathways
• Develop proportionate integrated assurance frameworks, including HMT Business case method which can be implemented
organisation-wide
• Explore more user centric delivery techniques/methods to deliver greater benefit to the end user

17. #FuturePMO
Thank You
 Key takeaway points  name
 email
 website
 Linkedin handle