Last week’s PMO Conference in Edinburgh carried the familiar energy that emerges when a room is filled with PMO professionals who are committed to developing their capability. We attended and exhibited throughout the event, and from the moment the doors opened, conversations began and continued throughout the day. Many of these discussions reflected similar recurring themes.
Conversations About Individual Growth
A significant number of attendees were considering their own professional growth. Some were identifying the next step in their PMO career path. Others were working through the wide range of training options available and evaluating which choices would genuinely support their development. We directed many participants to resources already accessible to them, including our free eBooks, webinars and the public course schedule, which many had already explored in advance.
The P3 Governance course was mentioned frequently. It is clearly recognised as an essential area although not always one that people feel confident approaching immediately. Given the influence governance has on PMO activity, the increasing interest in this course was entirely expected.
Explore our free resources and upcoming courses to support the next stage of your professional development.
Team Development as a Consistent Priority
Alongside personal development, team capability emerged as a major theme. We spoke with organisations establishing new PMOs and others with established teams working to improve maturity or consistency. Many people commented that their teams contained highly capable individuals who were not yet aligned around shared competences or standardised working practices.
Budget considerations were also highlighted. Organisations want to ensure that their investment in development is targeted and effective. There was a clear emphasis on prioritising the right training rather than simply increasing the volume of training.
Speak with us about structured development options that help teams build consistency and capability with measurable impact.
Why the TNA Conversation Kept Coming Up
Conversations naturally moved toward the structured support we provide, including In-House training, Bespoke programmes and Consultancy for PMO setup or transformation. Increasingly, however, discussions shifted to an earlier and often overlooked stage, the Training Needs Analysis service.
Many PMO teams do not struggle due to a lack of available training. Instead, they struggle to determine where to begin. A Training Needs Analysis helps by assessing current team capability and comparing it with the skills, behaviours and knowledge required for the PMO to deliver value. The model guides teams through five stages which include goal setting, assessment, action planning, development and evaluation.
This approach provides structure rather than intuition and replaces assumptions with evidence. Most importantly, it aligns development activity with organisational objectives so that teams can clearly see the rationale behind each priority skill area.
Learn more about how a Training Needs Analysis can bring clarity and direction to your PMO’s development plans.
How the TNA Helps PMO Teams Focus
Attendees responded strongly to the idea that a Training Needs Analysis reduces unnecessary noise. Rather than producing extensive lists of potential training, it identifies the essential capabilities required for PMO performance. By using the House of PMO Competency Framework, it highlights gaps in knowledge, skills and behaviours and presents a clear and prioritised development path.
This supports more intentional investment. Teams can determine an appropriate balance of formal training, coaching, workplace learning and development activities that will genuinely strengthen capability. As we can support any stage of the Training Needs Analysis process, organisations can involve us at the point where they need assistance. Some request workshops, others assessments and some require reporting and guidance. The approach is flexible and designed to meet the needs of each organisation.
Contact us to discuss how we can support your organisation at any stage of the Training Needs Analysis process.
A Clear Direction for PMO Development
Overall, the most encouraging aspect of the conference was the number of PMO professionals who are approaching development, both personal and team based, with increased structure and intent. Development planning is now recognised as a central part of how PMOs demonstrate value and maturity.
The Edinburgh event was filled with insightful discussions and many will continue in the coming weeks. Most importantly, the event highlighted that PMOs are ready to adopt more deliberate and evidence based approaches to building capability.
Contact us to begin shaping a clear and structured development pathway for your PMO.
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