Great Delivery, Wrong Diagnosis: The PMO Mistake No One Talks About

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Author:

Americo Pinto, PMI-PMOCP, PMP | PMOGA Managing Director at PMI

Summary: 

This article addresses a critical but overlooked problem: PMOs that deliver excellent services but fail to create value because they're solving the wrong problems. Pinto argues that many PMOs fall into the trap of "prescribing solutions before diagnosing real problems," leading to technically perfect delivery that doesn't resonate with PMO customer needs. The article identifies five common root causes: applying past solutions to new contexts, blindly following PMO types/labels, assuming they already know customer needs, confusing requests with real needs, and treating all customers the same regardless of their awareness level.

Why PMO Leaders Should Read This: 

This article provides a diagnostic framework for PMOs struggling with the "we delivered everything they asked for, but they still don't see value" problem. The insight that "a perfectly delivered service for the wrong need will always fail to generate value" is fundamental to PMO success. The article offers practical guidance on translating customer language ("We're investing in the wrong projects" becomes portfolio management needs) and emphasizes the critical difference between customer requests (symptoms) and underlying needs. The connection to the PMI PMO Practice Guide's Value-Generating PMO Flywheel provides actionable steps for proper diagnosis.

Why It's Worth Discussing:

This article tackles the root cause of many PMO failures - misalignment between PMO services and actual stakeholder needs. The real-world example of a PMO delivering excellent project management training when the actual problem was role clarity and decision governance illustrates how technical competence without proper diagnosis leads to wasted effort. The emphasis on customer-centric diagnosis over solution-centric delivery represents a fundamental mindset shift that many PMOs need to make to survive and thrive.