Executive's Guide to Project Management: Organizational Processes and Practices for Supporting Complex Projects

Project Support Office Stages of Growth

The Software Engineering Institute (SEI) at Carnegie Mellon University over the past several years has developed a maturity model for software engineering. It has gained wide support and has become a standard of the software development profession. The model is called the Capability Maturity Model (CMM). It has recently been adapted to project management in the form of a Project Management Maturity Model (PMMM). We are going to use the five maturity levels of the PMMM to answer the questions: Where are you and where are you going?

Level 1: Initial

Level 1 is the level where everyone basically does as they please. There may be some processes and tools for project management and some may be using them on an informal basis. Project management training is non-existent and help may be available on an informal basis at best. There doesn't appear to be any signs of a formal organization for supporting project management.

Level 2: Repeatable

Level 2 is distinguished from Level 1 in that there is a documented project management process available. It is used at the discretion of the project manager. There is some training available for those who are interested. The only sign of a PSO is through some part-time support that will help a project team on an as-requested basis. Establishing Level 2 Maturity can be a 6- to 12-month project.

Level 3: Defined

The transition from Level 2 to Level 3 is dramatic. The project management processes are fully documented ...