This time, we’re speaking with Hussain Bandukwala, Founder & CEO of Parwaaz Consulting, a boutique consulting firm focused on helping organizations set up and optimize their project management offices.
Tell us a bit about your business.
Every organization focuses on strategy, but oftentimes they struggle to figure out how to successfully execute that strategy. We believe that project management, when done well, can bridge this gap. That’s where we come in. We work with organizations to establish or optimize their project management offices (PMOs).
Do you specialize in certain types of business?
We don’t specialize in specific types of businesses in terms of size or industry but the clients we’ve worked with are some of the largest and fastest-growing companies in North America—one of our clients was even featured in the top 10 of Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 awards program. Besides helping organizations, I work with individuals to develop their project management (PM) skillset.
Can you tell me about the different PMO considerations from start-up to say 100 staff?
There’s a difference between product management and project management. Lots of organizations with a headcount of 10-30 people focus on product management and think they don’t need project management. In reality, they need both. I’ve seen people doing both roles—project and product manager—and it becomes very challenging. Product managers need to take a 50,000 foot-view whereas project managers are the stewards of projects. They make sure the i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed. They have different responsibilities and it becomes difficult to constantly shift focus between the two. There’s a great likelihood that something will fall through the cracks.
Lots of organizations with a headcount of 10-30 people focus on product management and think they don’t need project management. In reality, they need both
When we look at a small organization, the PMO doesn’t necessarily need to exist on its own, but there does need to be someone in place with the ability to understand what’s going on in the organization and to keep tabs on the various different projects. In smaller organizations, this role is usually filled by the COO, Chief of Staff or someone else from the C-Suite.
As the company starts evolving and growing into an entity of 50+ people, you start to realize that all of your old processes and procedures may no longer work. At this point, companies start to get in the way of their own efficient and scalable growth. Companies of this size need to make sure that they are putting a flexible structure in place that complements the culture, nature, and personality of the organization. They need to be sure they can control things—make sure processes are standardized and that those standards are being respected. Organizations need to ensure there’s accountability in place. The last thing you want is to have a Wild West situation where everybody’s doing their own thing. Providing that kind of accountability is one of the biggest things that a PMO can do for an organization.
In addition to providing accountability, a PMO can ensure the consistency and predictability of projects, allowing companies to close the gap between strategy development and execution and to make informed decisions on critical issues. PMOs allow organizations to operate more efficiently, saving the company a lot of money and maintaining their reputation with the customer base. Alongside this, a PMO helps to create a highly-productive environment, which is more enjoyable for your organization and everyone in it, therefore helping improve your employee-retention rate and further enhancing the culture of the organization. PMOs are the master facilitator and grand collaborator — they are the Switzerland of the company.
PMOs are the master facilitator and grand collaborator — they are the Switzerland of the company
Are there specific moments in a business lifecycle where project management should be a priority?
There are so many aspects to project management—managing schedules, making sure projects are done on time and on budget, managing people and resources, quality and scope management, risk assessment, keeping tabs on vendors, and collaborating with partners. I think that project management should be a priority at every point of a business’s lifecycle, but I have seen that companies tend to focus on different aspects depending on what point of the lifecycle they’ve reached. For example, when a company is small, focusing on communications management isn’t a priority because everyone works so closely and typically know everything that’s going on.
The bottom line is, project management should be happening all the time for your business, but which area you should be focusing on and when you need to shift priorities and start introducing other elements will depend entirely on where your company is in its lifecycle.
Are there special PMO considerations for the tech sector?
I don’t believe there are special considerations. Regardless of the industry, a good PMO should fit the organization like a glove. To do this, the PMO needs to understand where the organization currently stands, where it wants to go and its unique cultural nuances and it should mould itself accordingly. Tech or otherwise, organizations need to focus on why the PMO should exist and understand what challenges they face around optimization.
Regardless of the industry, a good PMO should fit the organization like a glove
A PMO is one of those operational things that founders tend to neglect. What is the downside of this?
A lot of founders, especially in smaller organizations, have realized that they don’t understand the concept of a PMO and what it can mean for an organization. I was speaking to someone whose view of PMO was synonymous with Monday.com—i.e., just schedule stuff in, follow that schedule, and that’s about it. But a PMO is so much more. As I mentioned earlier, there are so many aspects and facets of project management that can be scaled up or down as needed.
As your organization starts to grow, ensuring the right things happen at the right time and that they align with strategy becomes vital. If that isn’t happening, it’s tough for the organization to advance. The lines of reporting start to blur and employees begin to feel like they’re lacking direction. This affects productivity and morale and can lead to attrition. Neglecting a PMO at this point can cause a lot of unnecessary headaches for an organization.
What’s involved in getting the right PMO for your business?
For small-to-medium businesses, it’s about understanding whether you have the right skills in-house to make changes happen. If not, you might want to enable someone to get extra training in project management and PMO set-up or connect them with a mentor who can coach them through the process. Another option is to bring in an outside consultant who has done the same thing for other organizations. They should be able to assess where your organization is at in terms of project management and develop a roadmap to help get your organization where it needs to be.
In terms of time investment, 30-45 days is enough time for companies to get a fair assessment of where they currently stand, and to highlight a few ‘quick wins’ or areas where you can make improvements right away. Even just identifying a list of projects and who works on them can make a huge difference to your organization. In general, most of the organizations that I work with have three core issues that need fixing—1) Schedule management, i.e. making sure things are getting done on time; 2) Work intake process, i.e., understanding how new initiatives are coming into the project pipeline; and 3) Prioritization of initiatives, i.e. how to reduce the gap between strategy and execution.
By the 90-100 day mark, you should have a process in place that may not be complete, but which includes some of the most important aspects to make a phenomenal difference in your company’s project management.
What are the most important considerations in building the right PMO? What trends are you seeing?
There is a lot of focus now on Agile PM and digital transformation—those resonate with larger enterprises. For SMBs, I think the focus should be on ensuring the PMO is not just seen as an administrative body. It needs to have a seat at the strategy table.
PMOs that are successful at making a difference within an organization are those that are actively contributing to and engaging with strategic discussions and direction. If the PMO just focuses on execution, it might work nicely for 6-12 months but eventually it begins to be seen as a babysitter instead of a business-driver. When that happens, employees begin to bypass the gatekeeper and create their own processes. If the PMO evolves along with the organization and helps build the strategy it will continue to be successful.
Project managers have to showcase their relevance in a productive way to ensure people understand their value. They need to be transparent, let people know what’s happening and make sure they are managing change and that all stakeholders are as informed and engaged as they need to be.
If the PMO evolves along with the organization and helps build the strategy it will continue to be successful
What should founders and business leaders be looking for in a consultant?
For small-to-medium-sized businesses, look for a clear understanding of the project management process, check out who they have worked with before, and, importantly, whether they are familiar with the culture and mindset a rapidly-growing organization. Can they quantify what the PMO can do for the organization and what it means to put a PM in place?
Don’t go for a consultant who can do it all for you, look for a partner who can help build the PMO up with you.
Is there anything else you would like the reader to know?
Having a PMO in place leads to long-term cost savings, helps ensure you’re hitting all your important strategic and funding milestones and helps the organization make informed, data-driven decisions. This, in turn, leads to a rise in efficiency and productivity and a drop in employee attrition. These are the core benefits of a great PMO.
Learn more about Parwaaz Consulting on their website — https://www.parwaazcc.com/
You can get in touch with Hussain via LinkedIn, email: hussain@parwaazcc.com and/or phone: 647-571 5303
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