The Project Management Office (PMO) is a unit that supports and coordinates project management processes within organizations. Defined in international literature as an organizational structure, the PMO standardizes governance processes for projects and facilitates the sharing of resources, methodologies, tools, and techniques. For example, according to the British Project Management Institute (APM), the PMO is an organizational structure that supports project, program, or portfolio management. Similarly, in PMI's PMBOK guide, the PMO 【1】 is defined as “a structure that standardizes project-related governance processes and facilitates the sharing of resources, methods, tools, and techniques.”

The ISO 21500 standard also 【2】 treats the PMO as one of the project stakeholders; this standard states that the PMO can carry out a wide range of activities such as governance, standardization, project training, planning, and monitoring. In this context, the PMO acts as a center for ensuring that projects are carried out in line with corporate goals.

Historical Development

The concept of PMO dates back to the early days of project management practice. Frederick Taylor's scientific management approaches, implemented in the early 20th century, laid the foundations for the modern PMO. In the 1930s, the US Air Force established a “Project Office” to monitor aircraft development projects; this was one of the first recorded uses of the term PMO in literature. In the 1950s, the US military established “system program offices” for complex missile programs; these structures centralized the budgets and resources of different sub-projects, adopted a standardized planning approach, and pioneered the subsequent development of the PMO. By the 1980s, advances in computer technology had spread the PMO concept to many sectors, particularly construction and information technology. In the 1990s, the standardization of the project management profession through international project management associations such as PMI and IPMA, as well as methodologies such as PRINCE2, encouraged organizations to manage projects in a coordinated manner and led to the widespread adoption of PMOs.

Types and Classification of PMOs

PMOs are subject to various classifications based on their scope of influence, function, and position within an organization. According to PMI, PMOs are divided into three main types based on the degree of control they exert over projects: Supportive PMOs provide project managers with templates, application examples, training, and lessons learned while offering a low level of control; Controlling PMOs require projects to comply with specific methodologies, templates, or reporting processes; Directive PMOs take direct control of projects and apply full control. Another dimension is that PMOs can also be classified according to their location within the organization. According to PMI sources, PMOs can be divided into Individual (supporting a single project/program), Department/Business Unit (managing multiple projects of a specific department), and Corporate (creating standards and resource allocation across the entire organization). Additionally, APM categorizes PMOs based on their organizational structure into embedded, central, or hub-and-spoke models. The term PMO can also refer to a management office at the project, program, or portfolio level based on these classifications (e.g., “Program Management Office”).

Basic Functions and Responsibilities

The primary function of the PMO is to ensure that projects are carried out within the framework of established standards and methodologies. In this context, PMOs standardize governance processes to ensure that project management processes are applied consistently across the organization. According to ISO 21500, a PMO can carry out activities such as governance, process and method standardization, organizing project management training, supporting project planning processes, and monitoring project performance. In addition, the literature lists the following among the contributions of a PMO: ensuring that projects progress in line with strategic objectives, providing templates and procedures for project managers, offering training and mentoring, facilitating, and collecting project reports and lessons learned in a single center. As emphasized by the UK APM, a PMO generally provides key benefits such as distribution support, process improvement, and resource flexibility for projects. Within the scope of these functions, PMOs develop tools for monitoring project performance, managing risks, reporting, and increasing project efficiency across the organization.

Position Within the Organizational Structure

The position of the PMO within the organizational structure varies depending on the size and strategies of the organization. According to APM, a PMO is an organizational structure that can be established at the project, program, or portfolio level. PMI resources also define the PMO as a structure that centrally coordinates project management. PMOs may sometimes be directly linked to senior management (e.g., as a corporate PMO), while in some organizations they may be integrated into specific business units (e.g., a departmental PMO) or exist as a separate project management unit. For example, a corporate PMO sets standards across the organization and allocates resources to different projects, while a business unit-level PMO coordinates projects within a specific department. According to PMI data, a 2013 study indicated that more than 70% of organizations have at least one PMO, demonstrating that PMOs are now a common structure within organizations. The function and impact of a PMO can vary depending on its position within the organization; therefore, when establishing a PMO, the department to which it is affiliated and the reporting mechanism should be clearly defined.

Establishing a PMO and Implementation Approaches

When establishing a PMO, the existing project management processes are first analyzed to determine needs and objectives. This process is typically approached as an organizational change project. For example, PMI literature recommends that the design and implementation of a PMO be carried out using a project management approach and that an effective change management strategy be incorporated into this process. In this context, PMO establishment requires comprehensive planning, stakeholder communication, and a continuous evaluation cycle. Appropriate functions are defined, responsibilities and processes are documented, taking into account the organization's project management maturity level. Expectations, success criteria, and performance indicators for an effective PMO must be clearly defined. Additionally, approaches such as maturity model assessments (e.g., PMI OPM3), alignment with corporate strategy, and securing top management support are frequently emphasized in the literature on PMO establishment. A successfully established PMO functions as a value-creating hub at every stage of the project lifecycle.

Conceptual Position

The Project Management Office (PMO) is an executive unit that manages, monitors, and supports projects within an organization. It operates within the internal hierarchy of the organization and ensures that project processes are carried out by standards. PMOs utilize international project management standards; however, they are not directly affiliated with PMI, IPMA, and PRINCE2, which are the organizations that develop these standards.

• PMI (Project Management Institute) is a US-based organization that develops global standards and certifications.
• IPMA (International Project Management Association) is a European-based association that offers competency-based certification.
• PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments – Version 2) is a UK-based, process and role-based methodology.

PMI is a professional organization based in the United States that develops globally recognized project management standards, processes, and certification systems (e.g., PMP®). IPMA, on the other hand, is based in Europe and offers a four-level certification system based on individual competencies (Level A–D) and applies an assessment system based on personal project management skills. PRINCE2 is a UK-based, process- and role-based project management methodology that is particularly popular in the public sector. Although each is based on a different management approach, their common goal is to ensure efficiency, consistency, and strategic alignment in project management.

The PMO is a local organizational structure that applies the principles and tools guided by these frameworks, while PMI, IPMA, and PRINCE2 are international systems that provide knowledge, standards, and methodologies. The fundamental difference between them is that the PMO is an implementer, while the others are reference providers.