According to PMI Organizational Project Management (OPM) is the systematic management of projects, programs, and portfolios in alignment with the organization’s strategic business goals.

PMI has project, program, and portfolio standards. Next, project managers need to explore how to practically integrate that with the management infrastructure of an organization. Why? Our organizations have stovepipes. We appropriately look to optimize project management practices and inadvertently not always link that to how it improves the organizations we serve.

PMI defines tools and techniques for each project, program, and portfolio areas. We have an opportunity to next define interfaces that bind project, program and portfolio process with the general management process areas of planning, organizing, staffing, leading, controlling and motivating. Why? The budget spent on projects is just one area of spend that is in the control of senior leadership. We are spending the organizations money but how relevant are we to improving organizational results vs. other organizational change projects or sales enablement efforts. I could name other examples but projects are just part of the system of management efforts. Let’s define how we rate vs. other initiatives that can improve results that are important to management or our customers.

Most importantly, Organizational Project Management aims to improve maturity and effectiveness of the organizations we serve not just to deliver projects. We want to measure, and improve internal processes and external linkages to the general management and operations of our organizations.

In your experience, are these concerns that matter to your management or your next promotion? Would love to hear.

Do you want to write a chapter in the premiere book on Organizational Project Management?

Project Management Institute (PMI) is currently reviewing a business case to start a new Virtual Community (VC) on Organizational Project Management. It is anticipated that PMI(r) will launch this VC in the fall of ’09. This community will provide information to project management practitioners. This VC will also target organizational business management leaders on topics of specific interest to them. It provides a forum for topics on Organizational Project Management (OPM) and aims to create knowledge about the interfaces among projects, programs and portfolios, how projects benefit the ongoing operations in organizations and how strategic objectives are attained through projects.

There is a conference call to introduce the goals, time line and participation requirements. I’m holding two calls; Thursday 7/23 at 5pm PT and 7/24 Friday at 6am PT as we have global interest in this project. The call will also be recorded if you are not able to attend:

Again the conference call information is:

Thursday 7/23 at 5pm PT 8pm ET and Friday 7/24 at 6am PT //9amET

The conference call phone number is:

1-218-862-7200 Bridge #: 684904

Feel free to contact me before the call if you have any questions.