The Sofis Solutions Project Management Office

Montevideo, January 18, 2021.

Projects create value for organizations and are essential for the development of new products or services in the market. Many of them are focused on continuous improvement through the implementation of management standards and methodologies that ensure quality, with the aim of achieving set objectives.

Achieving and fulfilling project objectives is key to obtaining results. This can be accomplished through the incorporation of best practices in project management. For this reason, Sofis Solutions has established a Project Management Office (PMO), whose mission is to ensure the fulfillment of project objectives through professional management processes, continuous improvement, monitoring and evaluation, and human resource training.

According to the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), developed by the Project Management Institute (PMI), a Project Management Office (PMO) is defined as: "a management structure that standardizes the processes related to the governance of projects within an organization, aiming to facilitate the sharing of resources, methodologies, tools, and techniques for project management."

An essential aspect of project management is the use of tools that allow for recording, measuring, analyzing, and controlling the work carried out in projects and portfolios. This enables a cycle of continuous improvement through resource optimization and efficiency. Key management tools include:

• Portfolio and Project Management System (SIGES): A system for registering and tracking programs and project portfolios within one or more organizations. It supports project management by handling key knowledge areas such as schedule management, procurement, risk, stakeholders, quality, documentation, methodology, among others.
• Comprehensive Service Administration Platform (PIAS): A solution designed and developed by Sofis Solutions that allows for administration, management, monitoring, registration, and control of projects, processes, and organizational procedures.
• Microsoft Project: A project management software designed to help develop schedules, allocate resources, manage budgets, analyze workloads, and track progress.

Video about the Project Management Office of Sofis Solutions – YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/qDWx9j2a6Ww?t=1

Some of the main activities of the Project Management Office at Sofis Solutions include:

• Defining standards and methodologies for project management processes.
• Managing and professionalizing the human talent involved with the PMO.
• Defining and managing institutional project management tools.
• Managing and optimizing resources allocated to each project.
• Carrying out process improvement initiatives.
• Innovating in project management methodologies and processes.
• Sharing methodologies, lessons learned, best practices, and results internally and with the broader project management community.

In the following interview, Ms. Cecilia Martínez, Project Manager at Sofis Solutions, discusses the importance of a PMO, the value it adds to project management within organizations, and her experience in establishing the Project Management Office at Sofis Solutions.

What is the Project Management Office at Sofis Solutions?

It is the area within Sofis Solutions responsible for defining standards, methodologies, and processes for project management. Its goal is to ensure the achievement of project objectives through the professionalization of management processes, continuous improvement, and the development of individual competencies. Our methodology is based on industry best practice frameworks. Over the years, this methodology has been gradually incorporated until it covered all organizational projects, allowing us to reach a maturity level in processes, tools, and templates. Together, they form a structured repository of strategic knowledge and organizational maturity, which is reflected in the results of the projects we manage.

What value does a PMO provide to an organization or institution?

Having a PMO within the organization helps provide methodological standards, which in turn create a culture, a common language, and shared practices in project management. This fosters efficiency in portfolio management and project execution. It is well known that successful projects are those that are well managed. Most projects fail—not meeting objectives, budgets, deadlines, or client satisfaction—when they focus solely on technical aspects.

Why is it important for Sofis Solutions to implement a Project Management Office?

Sofis Solutions, a company dedicated to the execution of multiple projects mainly related to public administration, has implemented a PMO to define methodologies based on best practices, providing our clients with the value of professional project management and ensuring the achievement of desired outcomes.

What is the impact of a PMO on an organization?

The PMO contributes to improving processes that produce the deliverables resulting from project execution. This leads to a higher percentage of successfully completed projects and has a direct influence on meeting cost, time, and quality goals.

PMOs act as change agents within organizations, due to their ability to influence results through project leadership while ensuring strategic alignment in project management. This delivers the greatest value to the organization and helps it achieve its strategic and operational goals.

To date, Sofis Solutions has participated in the management of more than 150 projects, provided over 8,000 hours of consultancy services, and delivered more than 1,000 hours of training. Therefore, the Project Management Office at Sofis Solutions plays an important role in strategic planning, monitoring, and evaluation during project execution, and in providing feedback on the outcomes of each project. For more information, you may contact us at: pmo@sofis.lat.