1. International MBA
IAE Business School
Université Jean Moulin Lyon, September 25th
, 2015
Worldwide
PMO
Survey
Ricardo Naciff
MBA candidate
Gregory D'Hahan
Advisor
Abstract
The following worldwide PMO survey result is
part of the MBA thesis “Evolutionary framework
to describe real world's PMOs”.
Keyword: PMO, Project Management Office,
Program Management Office, cross-functional
management, PMO worldwide survey.

2. Worldwide PMO Survey is part of the MBA thesis “Evolutionary framework to describe real world's PMOs”, by Ricardo Naciff, PMP
Research results
The survey’s aim was to better understand the nature of currents worldwide PMO, and validate
or not the presented hypotheses. The final result is presented with several conclusions.
Responses from all over the continents were received. In total, there were 233 responses from 52
counties1
, in particular 41% from USA and France.
45% of the respondents said to work to companies with
more than 1,000 collaborators. The rest was distributed
between less than 10 collaborators and up to 1,000 of them.
Half of respondents said that their company's
revenue per annum is higher than 100 million
dollars.
1
List of the countries in alphabetic order: Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Colombia,
Costa Rica, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Honduras, Iceland, India, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania,
Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Uganda, UK, Uruguay, USA.
North America
57 responses
Europe
112 responses
South America
26 responses
Asia
19 responses
Oceania
6 responses
Africa
13 responses
22%
19%
5%
4%
3%
3%
3%
3%
3%
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
1%
1%
20%
0 10 20 30 40 50
USA
France
Netherlands
UK
Argentina
Canada
Serbia
Mexico
Switzerland
Australia
Belgium
Brazil
Finland
Germany
Spain
Ghana
India
Others
Country
Quantity of responses
9%
14%
7%
16%
10%
45%
0 25 50 75 100
Less than 10
collaborators
Between 11 and 50
collaborators
Between 51 and
100 collaborators
Between 101 and
500 collaborators
Between 501 and
1000 collaborators
More than 1000
collaborators
Size of
companies
Quantity of responses
10%
9%
5%
7%
18%
50%
0 25 50 75 100125
Less than 1 million
Dollars
Between 1 and 5
million Dollars
Between 5 and 10
million Dollars
Between 10 and 20
million Dollars
Between 20 and
100 million Dollars
More than 100
million Dollars
Revenue by
Company
Quantity of responses
62
coworkers in the
company
12
million Dollars
of revenue
In average, there is one collaborator
working in the PMO each:

3. Worldwide PMO Survey is part of the MBA thesis “Evolutionary framework to describe real world's PMOs”, by Ricardo Naciff, PMP
The respondents said to work for a large spectrum of industries. The top 80% of them from IT &
Software; Consulting & Education; Banking, Insurance & Finance; Aeronautic; Energy,
Oil&Gas, & Nuclear; Telecom; Services; Chemical & Pharma; Health & Hospitals; and
Automotive.
57% of the respondents said to work
with a small PMO team, from 2 to 10
collaborators.
36% of respondents said to be the head of their PMOs, and 35% have the role of Portfolio,
Program or Project Manager. 45% said to have between 1 and 7 years of experience.
36%
35%
18%
3%
1%
6%
0 25 50 75 100
PMO Heads
Portfolio / Program
/ Project Managers
Project / PMO
Administration
Business /
Functional Role
IT specific support
Other
Role
Quantity of responses
7%
21%
24%
18%
17%
13%
0 20 40 60
1 year
Between 1 and 3
years
Between 4 and 7
years
Between 8 and 12
years
Between 13 and 20
years
More than 20 years
Seniority
Quantity of responses
19%
13%
10%
8%
7%
6%
6%
5%
4%
3%
3%
3%
2%
2%
1%
1%
1%
1%
3%
0 15 30 45
Information Technology, Software
Consulting, Education
Banking, Insurance
Aeronautic
Energy, Oil&Gas, Nuclear
Telecom
Services
Chemical, Pharmaceutical,…
Health, Hospitals
Automotive
Logistic, Shipping, Distribution
Public sector
Construction, Mining
Financial, Investing
Non profit
Agricultural, Food
Electronics, Semiconductors
Entertainment, Multimedia,…
Other
Top80%
Industry
Quantity of responses
5%
30%
27%
15%
13%
5%
5%
0 25 50 75
1 collaborator
Between 2 and 5
collaborators
Between 5 and 10
collaborators
Between 11 and 20
collaborators
Between 21 and 50
collaborators
Between 51 and
100 collaborators
More than 100
collaborators
Size of PMOs
Quantity of responses

4. Worldwide PMO Survey is part of the MBA thesis “Evolutionary framework to describe real world's PMOs”, by Ricardo Naciff, PMP
55% said to work in PMOs with less than 25% of their colleagues cerfified with a project
management credential (e.g., PMP, APMP, PRINCE2). And 48% said that less of the 25% of the
project managers report directly to the PMO. The half of respondents said that their PMO reports
directly to the board of directors on its own effectiveness.
A mix of criteria is in the top of the way PMOs measure portfolio, program and project
effectiveness: 56% said to use ROI as criteria of effectiveness, 79% said to use customer
satisfaction, and 90% said to use on-time and/or to-budget project delivery.
The communications channels with others departments is varied. The top 80% is divided by IT
(19%), Finance (18%), Engineering (12%), Human Resources (11%), Quality (11%), and
Communication (8%). Half of PMOs are in contact with at least 5 different departments.
55%
18%
11%
17%
0 25 50 75 100 125
Less than 25%
Between 26% and
50%
Between 51% and
75%
More than 76%
Certifications
Quantity of responses
48%
13%
9%
30%
0 25 50 75 100 125
Less than 25%
Between 26% and
50%
Between 51% and
75%
More than 75%
PMs reporting
to the PMO
Quantity of responses
Yes,
50%
No,
41%
Don’t know,
9%
PMO reporting
to the Board
15%
41%
39%
2%
3%
0 25 50 75 100
Strongly agree
Agree
None
Desagree
Strongly desagree
ROI
Quantity of responses
36%
43%
20%
<1%
<1%
0 25 50 75 100
Strongly agree
Agree
None
Desagree
Strongly desagree
Customer
satisfaction
Quantity of responses
47%
43%
9%
1%
0%
0 25 50 75 100
Strongly agree
Agree
None
Desagree
Strongly desagree
On-time/to-
budget
Quantity of responses
0
40
80
120
160
200
IT
Finance
Engineering
Human
Resources
Quality Control
/ Quality
Assurance
Communication
Department
Supply Chain
Departement
Maintenance
Board of
Directors
Others
Sales
Operations
Marketing
0 2 4 6 8 10
Quantity of departments
in contact with each PMO
5

5. Worldwide PMO Survey is part of the MBA thesis “Evolutionary framework to describe real world's PMOs”, by Ricardo Naciff, PMP
PMO Functionalities
The level of agreement indicated by the respondent with the fulfillment of each of the following
functions in their PMO is represented and grouped according the presented evolutionary model.
Support stage
2.4.5. Gather and report on project progress
and data.
2.4.12. Project management knowledge base
centralization.
2.4.6. Develop and enforce standards,
methods, processes and templates
implementation.
2.4.13. Service and support management.
2.4.10. Training center.
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
None
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
None
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
None
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
None
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
None
Figure 16. Normal distribution according
with the level of agreement for Support stage
functions. (Self-developed according with
survey’s results)

6. Worldwide PMO Survey is part of the MBA thesis “Evolutionary framework to describe real world's PMOs”, by Ricardo Naciff, PMP
Control stage
2.4.1. Project governance. 2.4.9. Track and report on project ROI and
benefits realization.
2.4.3. Change control and issue tracking. 2.4.11. PM coaching and mentoring.
2.4.7. Manage, allocate and control PM
resources.
Direction stage
2.4.2. Portfolio tracking. 2.4.8. Manage dependencies across multiple
projects and/or programs.
2.4.4. Project prioritization.
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
None
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
None
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
None
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
None
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
None
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
None
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
None
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
None
Figure 17. Normal distribution according
with the level of agreement for Control stage
functions. (Self-developed according with
survey’s results)
Figure 18. Normal distribution according
with the level of agreement for Direction
stage functions. (Self-developed according
with survey’s results)

7. Worldwide PMO Survey is part of the MBA thesis “Evolutionary framework to describe real world's PMOs”, by Ricardo Naciff, PMP
About the MBA candidate
Ricardo was born in Argentina in 1975 and study Electromechanical Engineering at
Universidad Tecnológica Nacional (2003, Argentina) and made his practical work
researching Superconductivity at University of Stuttgart (2002, Germany). In 2008
reach his Master in Project Management at ADEN Business School (2008, Argentina).
In 2009, he became Regional Director of Project Management Institute, Inc. in
Argentina, collaborating with the launching of the second chapter in his home country.
Today, Ricardo is the Regional Director of PMI France at Lyon.
As a professional, Ricardo has more than 12 years international experience in Project
Management, Supply Chain Management and PMO developments and implementations
in different industries like Automation for Oil & Gas, Chemical, Nonmetallic Mining
and Aeronautics.