P3O ® Support Offices Courses

What is P3O?

P3O ('pee three oh') is an acronym of Portfolio Programme and Project Offices.

P3O guidance, which includes principles, processes and techniques, provides a model for support structures for projects, programmes and enterprise project portfolios. Having an effective P3O model will provide an organisation with decision enabling information as well as structures for delivering change. The relatively new guidance for P3O pools together all current information on support offices for projects, programs and portfolios. It also explains how benefits are achieved from efficient P3O offices, how to establish a new temporary or permanent support office, or revitalise an existing office. P3O describes the functions and tools that may be useful in the context of current organisational maturity, and how to operate multiple support offices in the same organisation.

There are many kinds of support offices ranging from those termed 'Project Management Offices' or PMOs in the PMBoK, 'Project Support' in PRINCE2 and 'Programme Offices' in MSP, through to complex 'Portfolio Offices' and 'Centres of Excellence' managing an organisation’s overall delivery of change initiatives. The aim of P3O is to provide a single point of reference for setting up and running effective delivery support in any kind of organisation in an environment aligned with best practice approaches.

Our courses

We offer three MoV courses, each with a range of delivery modes - in-house classroom, self study and eLearning:

What our courses cover

Our P3O courses equip individuals with knowledge of:

Introduction to P3O: Understanding the purpose, principles, and definitions of P3O, including the different types of offices (Portfolio, Programme, and Project Offices) and their roles within an organisation.
P3O models and structures: Exploring various P3O models, their design considerations, and how to tailor them to fit the organisation's needs. This includes centralised vs. decentralised models and permanent vs. temporary offices.
Governance and functions: Learning about the governance structures, functions, and services provided by P3O, such as risk management, resource optimisation, and decision support.
Implementation and re-energising: Strategies for implementing or revitalising a P3O, including stakeholder identification, business case development, and overcoming common barriers.
Roles and responsibilities: Identifying the roles and responsibilities within a P3O, including the skills and competencies required for various positions, such as P3O Sponsor, Head of P3O, and Programme/Project Officer.
Benefits and value: Understanding the value that a P3O brings to an organisation, including how to measure and demonstrate its benefits, and aligning it with strategic objectives.

Why you should take our courses

The purpose of our courses is to provide a robust foundation of knowledge for anyone involved in supporting projects, programmes and portfolios. Successful candidates will have the knowledge and understanding necessary to contribute constructively to teams supporting their organisation's projects, programmes and portfolios.

Benefits for individuals

Enhanced knowledge and skills: Gain a comprehensive understanding of project, programme, and portfolio management offices, and develop valuable skills in governance, risk management, and resource optimisation.
Career advancement: Enhance your professional credentials and increase your potential for career growth in roles such as PMO Analyst, PMO Manager, or Head of P3O.
Strategic insight: Learn how to align projects and programmes with organisational strategy, contributing to more effective decision-making and greater organisational success.
Networking opportunities: Connect with other professionals in the field, share best practices, and expand your professional network.
Increased value to employers: Become a more valuable asset to your organisation by being able to set up, manage, and optimise P3Os, leading to improved efficiency and effectiveness in project delivery.

Benefits for organisations

Improved alignment with strategic objectives: Ensures that projects, programmes, and portfolios are aligned with the organisation's strategic goals, leading to better prioritisation and resource allocation.
Enhanced decision-making: Provides a structured framework for governance, risk management, and performance monitoring, enabling more informed and timely decision-making.
Increased efficiency and effectiveness: Standardises processes and methodologies across projects and programmes, resulting in streamlined operations, reduced duplication of efforts, and improved productivity.
Better resource management: Optimises the use of resources by providing a clear view of resource availability, demand, and utilisation, leading to more effective resource planning and allocation.
Demonstrable value and benefits: Helps to measure and demonstrate the value and benefits of the organisation's investments in projects, programmes, and portfolios, ensuring that they contribute to the overall success and growth of the organisation.

Why we are the best value

Our P3O courses cover the breadth and depth of the structure and function of support offices at all levels. They are presented in a clear, predictable manner with key concepts reinforced and broken down into manageable sections, making them enjoyable courses.

We recognise that studying and sitting exams can be a stressful time on top of the day-to-day commitments of our lives. Therefore the structure and flow of the course provides predictability and confidence that the learner will be able to plan and manage their own learning experience and to grasp key concepts quickly. This results in being confident in your ability to pass the certification exams and to be able to apply what has been learnt to work practice.

And we are able to offer one-on-one tutor support to those taking our Self Study and eLearning courses, so you won't feel isolated, and can clear up any aspects of the course content or its application in your organisation that may be causing concern.

Our courses were developed by Geoff Rankins, our Lead Trainer and Instructional Designer. He has worked in project management for more than 40 years, and has been a Practitioner of P3O since 2011 when it was first released. His systematic approach to courseware and eLearning development is recognised by many Accredited Training Organisations and fellow trainers globally. Our Self Study and eLearning courses are based on our classroom courses; the eLearning format allows us to add content to most sessions that increases the value and clarity of what is being covered.

Choose the course that suits your needs ...