Page 12 - Organizational Project Management

■ Identifies the Best Practices which support the implementation of orga-
nizational strategy through successful projects
■ Identifies the specific Capabilities which make up the Best Practices, and
the dependencies among these Capabilities and Best Practices
■ Places Best Practices and Capabilities within the context of not only
Project Management, but also Program Management and Portfolio Man-
agement processes
■ Provides a means to assess an organization’s maturity relative to a body
of identified Best Practices and Capabilities
■ Provides a basis from which organizations can make improvements in
project management maturity
■ Provides guidance and flexibility in applying the model to each organi-
zation’s unique set of needs
®
■ Is based on the PMBOK Guide, the de facto Standard for project man-
agement
■ Incorporates the expertise of hundreds of project management practi-
tioners and consultants from a wide spectrum of industries and geo-
graphic areas.

It is important to keep in mind that OPM3 is in its first public iteration.
For the very first time, organizational project management and organiza-
tional project management maturity have been defined in a PMI Standard.
In addition, PMI has opened a dialogue regarding Program and Portfolio
Management, postulating these as essential domains within organizational
project management.
Bringing the Standard to this point has involved an enormous, broad-
based commitment and effort over time, which has naturally tended to gen-
erate enthusiasm and anticipation in the project management community.
Much of the work on OPM3, however, has involved navigating uncharted
territories, and the results of this work are offered with a measure of
humility, as well as pride.
The journey that lies ahead—as organizations study the Standard, assess
themselves against it, and consider plans for improvement—will test the
ideas on which OPM3 is built and will, no doubt, produce a wealth of feed-
back. This feedback will pave the way for adjustments and/or refinements
that will further develop the next edition of OPM3. Those who now apply
OPM3 within their organizations will not only be receiving its immediate
benefits, they will also be joining in a groundbreaking endeavor. They will
build on the pioneering work that has brought the Standard this far, and
will contribute immeasurably to the value of future iterations.

xii ©2003 Project Management Institute, Four Campus Boulevard, Newtown Square, PA 19073-3299 USA