Outsourcing Management Strategy and PMO

The first nationally branded provider of electricity and natural gas to residential and small commercial customers in the United States

Business Issue:

As part of its efforts to be a “virtual organization,” this Energy Company chose to outsource several key business functions to an external service provider, including information systems development. As a result, the company found it difficult to manage and monitor the status, costs, and risks of ongoing projects. NewPower felt it could improve cycle times, costs, and decision making by implementing a Program Management Office (PMO) to provide oversight and governance for project teams and external service providers.

Actions:

• Developed a Program Management Strategy to provide the PMO vision and clarify the PMO development approach
• Developed and implemented processes to share information about project activities and enhance management decision making at key checkpoints throughout project life cycles
• Created communication materials to educate the organization on the Program Management Strategy, share project information across the organization, and help facilitate project-related meetings
• Coordinated the process improvement efforts of external service providers to ensure they are aligned with and support the business objectives of NewPower