Learn how shifting from PMO maturity to OPD capability drives real business value and strategic success
Do you realize that even with well-established PMO processes, up to 70% of projects still fail to deliver real business value? This is because focusing on processes alone is not enough. Organizations need real OPD capability.
In the first webinar of our series, Joe Pusz, the Founder and CEO of the PMO Squad, discusses how to move from just managing projects to creating value that makes a difference.
PMO Maturity vs. OPD Capability: What’s the Difference?
PMO (Project Management Office) maturity refers to how well a company's project management processes are structured, while OPD (Organizational Project Delivery) capability focuses on the organization's overall ability to deliver projects that achieve business goals. It's easy to get PMO maturity and OPD capability mixed up, but they’re not the same thing. Both matter, but they affect project success in different ways.
PMO maturity means having clear processes to keep projects running smoothly. But just having these processes doesn’t always lead to real business results.
OPD capability is about the whole organization working together to deliver projects that meet business goals. It's about more than the PMO. Everyone plays a role in making it happen.
To really succeed, you need to focus on OPD capability. It’s not just about processes—it’s about making sure everyone is equipped to drive business results.
Moving from Project Delivery to Value Delivery
Too often, PMOs get caught up in the details of timelines, budgets, and resources. But that’s not enough. It’s time to shift to value delivery.
Rather than just completing projects, we need to ensure every single one brings real business value. Whether that’s improving customer satisfaction, boosting revenue, or driving innovation. When we focus on value, the PMO becomes a true strategic partner, not just an administrative function.
Symptoms vs. Root Causes: Digging Deeper
In the webinar, it’s discussed how recognizing symptoms vs. root causes is critical. Too often, when organizations face problems like resource management or stakeholder engagement, they focus on fixing the symptoms rather than the real issue.
For example, if resource management is a challenge, the root cause might be a lack of OPD capability across the organization, not just a flawed process. Until we address that, the same issues will keep popping up. We need to go beyond the symptoms and dig into the root cause to create lasting change.
Where Are You in the OPD Journey?
To make real change, you first need to know where your organization stands. Here are the five stages, from ad hoc delivery to creating value:
Ad Hoc – Projects are done with little structure, causing confusion and inefficiency.
Standardization – Basic processes are in place, but they’re not yet fully connected across the organization.
Acceptance – The organization starts to adopt standardized project management practices.
Utilization – Project management becomes more effective and spreads to more teams.
Generating Value – Projects align with business goals and consistently deliver results.
Once you understand where you are, you can take steps to move to the next stage and improve both PMO maturity and OPD capability.
Creating Change Across Your Organization
Change isn’t easy, but it starts with building a culture where everyone is on the same page and works toward common goals. Here’s how to start.
Align leadership on the importance of delivering value through projects.
Encourage cross-functional collaboration so everyone sees how their work fits into the bigger picture.
Use data to make decisions and measure projects by the value they create, not just how well they follow processes.
When everyone pulls in the same direction, real change can happen.
The Next Step in Your OPD Journey
The key is to make sure your projects deliver real value to the business. Take a moment to assess your own organization. Where are you on the OPD journey? Identify one step you can take this week to move forward.
Click here to watch the replay of Uncovering PMO Blind Spots Part 1: Shifting from Maturity to Capability
Click here to watch the replay of Uncovering PMO Blind Spots Part 2: Cultivating an Adaptable Organization.
