PMO, the project management office, is a permanent functional department that guides, coordinates and supports project management, that is, a permanent functional department that manages project management.

The main functions of the project management office are:

1. Responsible for formulating and implementing standardized project management methods. Including project management decisions, methods, guidelines, workflow and rules and regulations;

2. Establish, maintain and manage the project management system. Coordinate the sharing of resources, tools, technologies and methods of all projects under its jurisdiction, and provide guidance, training and support for all departments and employees;

3. Pay attention to the asset accumulation in the process of project management and organization. Collect and sort out the lessons, workflow, work template and work data of the project for reuse in future projects.

These are some common functions of PMO. According to the degree of control of the project, we can divide the project management office into the following three types:

1. PMO supported

Support PMO to only provide administrative support services for the project, such as providing work templates, workflow, project management training and consulting. It has no control over the project and has no right to require the project to adopt a certain process or template.

2. Controlled PMO

On the basis of providing support, the controlling project management office has the right to control the project to a certain extent, and requires the project to comply with the relevant regulations of the project management office.

3. Command Office

Mandatory PMO can directly manage some very important projects and be responsible for the realization of project objectives, and the projects are completely under the control of PMO.

Generally speaking, the higher the degree of project, the more the organization needs to set up PMO. The higher the status of PMO, the more functions it has and the greater its role.