Knowledge management strategy for enhancing project management capability in a PMO

Abstract

The primary objective of this project is to study the role of Knowledge management in improving the overall effectiveness of a PMO (project management office). In a typical MO, tacit knowledge plays a critical role for the basic performance itself. We have studied a sample organisation which has a PMO and is an Indian subsidiary (in the software products space) of an MNC organization. Our initial research on the field indicated the strong need for reusing knowledge and best practices gained from experiences to help improve the effectiveness of the PMO and thereby the overall organization. Based on this, further research was conceived to probe and understand the existing knowledge sharing practices within the organization, and to study industry practices and theoretical constructs/frameworks on knowledge management that help us to analyse the underlying issues in detail. The underlying theme is the need for a KM solution that is truly integrative in nature, and seamlessly connects strategy to operations. Given the strategic relevance of managing the learning that the PMO is doing on a continuous basis, we are proposing institutionalization of knowledge management as a discipline within the organization as a whole. The PMO can be the best candidate to pilot this within itself, simultaneously start creating and defining the linkages to all the important organizational entities and workflows. That will help to build the supporting hard and soft organizational infrastructure to transform the organization into a learning organization. The KM initiative has to be nurtured and rolled out in stages with the feedbacks from them continuously incorporated and grow into a full blown KM solution. We also suggest deploying industry practices like the KMMM framework, the Learning and Growth perspective of balanced scorecard, Theories of Knowledge Creation etc as support mechanisms in steering a complete and holistic KM solution.