What is a Lean Program Management Office?

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Lean PMO or Agile Program Management Office (APMO) is part of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) and is based on the concept of Lean Portfolio Management.

Lean Portfolio Management

Lean Portfolio Management aligns strategy and execution and is structured in 3 dimensions:

• Strategy & Investment Funding - Ensures the ‘right work’ is happening at the ‘right time. Continuous and early feedback on current initiatives, coupled with a Lean approach to funding, allows the portfolio to make the necessary adjustments to meet its business targets.

• Agile Portfolio Operations - Facilitates coordination across the value streams within the portfolio, maintaining alignment between strategy and execution, and fostering continued operational excellence.

• Lean Governance - Measures portfolio performance and supports dynamic adjustments to budgets to maximize value.

A SAFe portfolio is made up of Value Streams that each deliver one or more solutions that help a business meet its strategy.

Lean PMO Approach

Some enterprises have abandoned the PMO approach that uses centralized decision-making and traditional mindsets and have distributed all of the responsibilities. Unfortunately, this choice can inhibit the adoption of successful execution patterns, standard program measures, and reporting that can be developed and applied across the portfolio. A traditional PMO can be redesigned to become an APMO that is positioned to successfully define and execute a strategy in a world of increasing uncertainty. This modernized PMO can establish a portfolio organized around value streams that deliver a continuous flow of value through lean portfolio management practices.

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