Cashing in on Agile: The One Thing a PMO Can Do to Really Add Value

It is very clear organizations in almost all industry sectors believe that agile, and in particular the Scrum framework, offers great promise in executing their toughest projects.

Yet, as Jeff Sutherland and Ken Schwaber write in their Scrum Guide, “Scrum is simple to understand yet difficult to master.” And, VersionOne’s 10th Annual State of Agile™ report gives us an indication of how difficult it can be.

ACCORDING TO VERSION ONE, THE TOP FIVE BARRIERS TO AGILE ADOPTION ARE: 

• Company culture is inconsistent with agile values
• Lack of agile experience
• Lack of management support
• Lack of cultural transition support
• Inconsistent agile practices and process

Organizations, perhaps yours, who are faced with these challenges, aren’t getting the “bang for the buck” they hoped for or expected from agile; and that’s where the opportunity lies for PMOs.

Look at it this way, if you’re PMO Head or work in a PMO whose organization is in the throes of implementing agile but is struggling, this is a situation that has OPPORTUNITY written all over it.

The question is, how do you “cash in on it?” Or more eruditely phrased, “How can you use this predicament to show your PMO’s value, and fast?

We went in search of that answer.