PMO/P3O

You know how to deliver change.

The frustration is how little control you have over what matters.

You run portfolios.
You manage programmes.
You deliver projects.

You understand prioritisation, governance, and delivery discipline. And yet –

You’re still asked to justify how projects align to strategy – rather than being able to see it clearly from the strategy itself.

• Projects are approved that don’t quite fit.
• Dependencies outside your programmes remain invisible.
• Resources are pulled away into operational firefighting.
• Governance happens – but often feels layered on, not embedded.

You are expected to deliver change. But not always enabled to shape it.

Why this keeps happening

Most organisations haven’t designed how change fits into the whole. Project and programme governance is often applied on top of the organisation – not integrated within it.

The result:

• Portfolios become collections of projects, not expressions of strategy
• Strategic alignment is checked after the fact, not designed in
• Dependencies beyond project boundaries are hard to see or manage
• BAU, value creation, and change compete for the same resources
• PMOs are asked to report, not to influence decisions

Even strong P3 capability cannot overcome a disconnected system. Organisations must balance change with ongoing performance and growth – not treat it in isolation .

The missed opportunity for PMO and P3 leaders

Many PMO and P3 leaders feel they should be closer to strategy. They are right.

But the step up is not about attending more strategy meetings. It is about shifting from:

Managing a portfolio of projects
to
Supporting a portfolio of objectives

That changes everything. Instead of asking:

“Which projects align to strategy?”

You can work from:

“What are the objectives – and what combination of activity will deliver them?”

Where Business Integrated Governance (BIG) fits

BIG provides the structure that P3 professionals are often missing. It connects:

• Strategy and objectives
• Accountability and ownership
• Portfolio, programme and project delivery
• Business-as-usual and value creation
• Performance, risk and decision-making

This creates a joined-up environment where change is not separate – but part of how the organisation operates.

Within BIG:

• PMOs and P3 functions are recognised as supporting accountability and decision-making, not just delivery tracking
• Dependencies between projects, products, teams and functions become visible through an accountability map
• Governance bodies make decisions based on objectives, trade-offs and outcomes – not just status reporting

This is not about replacing P3 disciplines. It is about placing them where they can add real value.

What changes when this works

When P3 capability is integrated into the wider organisation:

• Portfolios reflect strategic intent, not historical commitments
• Dependencies across projects, BAU and products are visible and managed
• Resource decisions are made in the context of organisational priorities
• Governance shifts from reporting to decision-making
• PMOs become central to how the organisation prioritises and adapts

Most importantly:

You move from being a delivery function to being a strategic ser

The role of information and visibility

One of the biggest constraints on P3 influence is visibility.

If strategy, objectives, performance and delivery are not connected through data:

• Alignment has to be interpreted
• Dependencies are discovered late
• Decisions are made with partial information

BIG introduces an information backbone where:

• Objectives, work, performance and risk are connected
• Information is consistent across governance and delivery
• Leaders can see the impact of decisions across the system

This enables PMOs to move beyond reporting – into insight.

A practical first step

If you recognise this, start here:

Can we clearly see how our portfolio supports our mission-critical objectives?

Then test:

• Are objectives explicitly defined and owned?
• Can each major initiative be traced to those objectives?
• Can we see dependencies beyond project boundaries?
• Are resource decisions made across BAU, change and value creation together?

If not, the issue is not delivery capability. It is how the system is connected.

From there, typical steps are:

1. Clarify objectives and strategic responses
2. Map accountability across projects, functions and governance
3. Reframe the portfolio around objectives, not just initiatives
4. Connect information across strategy, delivery and performance

Let’s be clear – if strategy isn’t being delivered today, the problem is rarely the strategy itself. It sits in the ecosystem around it. Culture and organisational machinery both play a part. If those aren’t working, taking a different approach to strategy alone won’t fix the issue. What’s needed is a better-connected environment for decision-making and delivery. That is what BIG is designed to provide.

Where to go next

If you want to explore this further:

• BIG Knowledge Outline – understand how PMO/P3 fits into the wider BIG model
• Blogs and conference sessions – practical examples of integrating strategy and delivery
• Information and Data theme – how to enable visibility across the organisation

A different way to position yourself

PMO and P3 professionals already have many of the capabilities needed:

• prioritisation
• governance
• delivery oversight
• performance tracking

BIG provides the context to apply these at the next level.

Not just:

“Are projects on track?”

But:

“Are we doing the right things – and how do we know?”

Join the conversation

Business Integrated Governance is being developed openly – bringing together strategy, governance, change, risk, and data professionals.

If this reflects your experience:

Explore the material. Challenge the thinking.

Please join the conversation here:

• LinkedIn Group Page –https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13651399/
• Become a Member – Membership
• Simply subscribe to our mailing list
• Contact us – for pointers to experts and partners

Share your experiences, your frustrations, or what you’ve seen work.