The assignment:
A family-run industrial company was struggling to manage its growing volume of projects efficiently and transparently. Project work had been decentralised, heavily bogged down by day-to-day operations, and lacked any overarching project structure or consistent standards. With roles, responsibilities, and decision-making pathways left undefined, it was incredibly difficult to maintain visibility, prioritise tasks, and effectively steer the project portfolio.
The goal of this project was to establish a central Project Management Office (PMO). This would embed project management within the company's culture for the long term, build clear governance structures, and enable professional management of the entire project portfolio.
The approach:
Working closely with the management board and specialised departments, we first established the organisational foundations for company-wide project management. This included defining roles, responsibilities, and governance structures, as well as setting up clear coordination and decision-making processes between the project teams and senior management.
Next, we structured, consolidated, and migrated all ongoing projects into the newly created PMO structures. We also introduced standardised processes, reporting mechanisms, and templates to ensure consistent management and full transparency. In parallel, we helped foster a strong project management culture across the company and supported the rollout of professional project management standards.
Furthermore, we guided the client through selecting and implementing a suitable project management tool – from defining functional requirements and evaluating potential solutions to embedding the tool within the organisation.
Following the initial setup, we managed the PMO's transition into the wider business, ensuring the new structures and processes were successfully adopted into day-to-day operations.
The result
Setting up the central PMO has created a solid, lasting foundation for professional project management across the business. For the first time, the client benefits from transparent project structures, clearly defined responsibilities, and standardised management and reporting processes.
Today, the PMO is firmly established as a core business unit and has been successfully managing the client's project portfolio for over six years. This allows projects to be prioritised, managed, and aligned with the corporate strategy far more transparently. At the same time, decision-making has been professionalised, senior management involvement has improved, and project work is now effectively separated from day-to-day operations.
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Dr. Matthias Walter
Managing Partner
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