In today’s business environment, Project Management Offices (PMOs) are increasingly expected to go beyond traditional project management practices and adopt innovative approaches. This post summarizes key insights from a recent conversation with Mike Frenette, Manager of I&T PMO at Halifax Water, on the evolution of PMOs and the value of embracing Agile and Hybrid strategies.
Mike’s journey, from an “accidental” project manager to a PMO leader and recipient of PMI’s Excellence Distinction Award, provides valuable lessons on building a PMO that aligns with business needs, delivers measurable value, and adopts flexible methodologies tailored to the organization.
From Accidental PMO Manager to Strategic Leader: Mike’s Career Journey
Mike shared the story of his evolution as a project manager, beginning his career as a computer operator and systems analyst before becoming a project manager by chance. His transition to project management happened when he was asked to manage a system implementation for Nova Scotia’s court system. Mike embraced the role, quickly realizing the importance of combining technical expertise with strong project management practices.
His involvement with PMI, where he became a certified PMP and long-time volunteer, was pivotal. He described how the structured framework provided by PMI’s PMBOK guide gave him direction early in his career:
“I fell in love with the PMBOK. I said, ‘Where have you been all my life?’”
Mike’s career eventually brought him full circle when he joined Halifax Water, where he took on the challenge of setting up a PMO to deliver a five-year strategic roadmap of over $50 million in projects.
The Structure of Halifax Water’s PMO: Building a Foundation for Success
Mike emphasized that the success of Halifax Water’s PMO stemmed from a clear structure and alignment with business needs. Initially, the PMO started with just two employees, including Mike, but grew to a team of over 35 people. The projects were aligned with themes such as customer service, operational excellence, and infrastructure improvement.
Halifax Water’s PMO operates with a functional structure, featuring specialized leads for business analysis, change management, technical oversight, and project management. Each lead manages a community of practice, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing. This setup ensures that the PMO maintains a strong focus on both execution and continuous improvement.
While many utilities traditionally adopt predictive project management, Mike noted that Halifax Water gradually embraced Agile practices. Though the PMO initially focused on predictive methodologies, the organization’s first software development project—a customer portal—led them to explore Agile methods. The project team adopted Scrum practices such as sprint planning and retrospectives, which proved effective.
Mike shared that the transition to Agile was organic:
“We didn’t force Agile on anyone; it evolved naturally as project managers saw its value.”
He explained how tools like Trello were introduced for managing workflows, with project managers conducting daily stand-ups and using card walls to track progress.
Despite starting with a predictive focus, Halifax Water’s projects are now mostly hybrid, with only a couple being purely Agile. The team adopts Agile ceremonies that suit each project, demonstrating the flexibility of the hybrid model. Mike’s advice to PMO leaders was clear:
“Do what’s right for your project and stakeholders. Methodologies almost don’t matter.”
Overcoming Challenges in Introducing Agile Practices
One of the key challenges Mike highlighted was aligning Agile practices with the utility’s operational environment, which typically favors more structured processes. However, the PMO overcame these challenges by focusing on stakeholder needs and ensuring that Agile practices were only adopted when they added value.
Mike shared that the PMO’s success lay in not forcing methodologies on teams:
“If people don’t see the value in what you’re asking them to do, they won’t do it. You need to explain the value first.”
This pragmatic approach fostered buy-in and helped the PMO embed Agile practices naturally.
The Role of Executive Engagement in PMO Success
Mike underscored the importance of engaging the executive team throughout the PMO’s journey. Halifax Water’s executives were actively involved from the outset, helping shape the five-year strategic roadmap. The PMO provided regular updates through dashboards with traffic-light indicators, ensuring transparency. If a project indicator turned red, the PMO and executives would immediately discuss corrective actions.
“We delivered almost everything in the first five-year plan,”
The PMO’s success led to the development of a second five-year roadmap, valued at over $60 million, further solidifying the PMO’s value within the organization.
Measuring Value and Ensuring Benefits Realization
Mike highlighted that the key to a successful PMO lies in delivering measurable value. He stressed the importance of identifying project benefits early and assigning benefits owners within the business to ensure accountability.
“The project team may deliver the product, but the benefits often accrue after the project ends,”
The PMO sets up checkpoints with benefits owners and stakeholders to track progress even after project completion. Mike also emphasized the importance of aligning project outcomes with business objectives, using a benefits register to monitor progress.
Lessons Learned: Aligning PMO Value with Business Needs
One of Mike’s key takeaways was the importance of aligning the PMO’s value with the expectations of the executive team. He cautioned against focusing too much on methodologies or setting up PMOs that deliver outputs the business doesn’t need. Instead, PMO leaders should focus on understanding what value the business expects and designing the PMO accordingly.
“Delivering something in an excellent way that nobody wants is useless,”
He encouraged PMO leaders to ask executives what top values they expect from the PMO and to focus on delivering those first.
Mike’s Top Tips for PMO Leaders: How to Set Up a Successful PMO
Mike shared his top recommendations for PMO leaders setting up or revamping their PMOs:
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Identify Executive Priorities: Start by asking the executive team what value they expect from the PMO. Keep the scope small initially and expand gradually.
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Choose Your Way of Working: Whether it’s Agile, predictive, or hybrid, select the methodology that best fits your projects and stakeholders’ needs. Avoid rigidly following a methodology for its own sake.
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Build the Right Team: Hire the best talent available and invest in their development through training, coaching, and mentoring.
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Foster Autonomy: Trust your team to deliver. Micromanaging stifles creativity and innovation.
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Track Value Continuously: Use dashboards and metrics to keep executives informed and ensure the PMO delivers on its promises.
A Flexible, Value-Driven PMO is the Future
Mike Frenette’s journey with Halifax Water demonstrates that PMOs can thrive by adopting a flexible, value-driven approach. By balancing predictive and Agile practices, engaging executives effectively, and focusing on delivering measurable value, PMOs can become strategic partners to the business.
For PMO leaders looking to embark on a similar journey, Mike’s advice is clear: focus on value, not methodologies. Design your PMO around the needs of the business, build a capable team, and empower them to succeed. With the right approach, any PMO can become a catalyst for growth and innovation.
