Page 16 - Organizational Project Management

What kind of commitment is required to launch OPM3 in my
organization?
The process of applying OPM3 in an organization is difficult to quantify.
It depends on factors such as the size, complexity, and initial maturity of
the organization. The thoroughness of the assessment, the nature of the
organization’s strategic objectives, and the level of resources available also
impact any estimate. However, the assessment portion of such an initiative
is most likely to take from several weeks to several months. Should an orga-
nization decide to embark upon improvements, the planning and imple-
mentation steps are likely to take longer, depending on how many Best
Practices and related Capabilities an organization decides to work on at one
time.

Are there new terms and concepts to learn?
Every effort has been made to build the Standard on familiar ground, and
to present it in an easily understandable and usable form. However, the sub-
ject matter is—by nature—highly detailed, and this is the first time some
of these concepts have been formally articulated. As a result, some new ter-
minology was needed to explain the new concepts. All such terms are
explained within the text of the Standard and collected in a Glossary, and
many are illustrated through diagrams, as well.
Given the scope of the subject matter and the potential implications to
an organization, users may find that going beyond a single reading of the
Standard enhances their understanding of OPM3.

How is OPM3 important to the project management profession?
OPM3 is the natural next step in the sequence of Standards published by
®
PMI in recent years. The PMBOK Guide is the standard for individual proj-
ects; The Project Manager Competency Development Framework is the stan-
dard to guide the professional development of project managers and those
aspiring to be project managers. OPM3 is the first iteration of a standard
for organizations. It has the potential to create a new environment for those
working in the project management profession, by illuminating the impor-
tant link between projects and organizational strategy and the importance
of organizational support to project management practices.
The information in OPM3 is based on very broad-based input from
project management practitioners and consultants, and is consistent with
®
the PMBOK Guide. OPM3 was developed over a period of nearly six years,
and twenty-seven contemporary maturity models were reviewed. Over 800
volunteer project management practitioners, from virtually all industries
and disciplines, in 35 countries, were actively involved in researching and
constructing OPM3. This new model is a major step forward in advancing
professionalism and organizational maturity in project management.

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