An Executive’s Guide to

OPM3
An Executive’s Guide to

O G
Assistance to organizations who wish to identify

OPM3
 OPM3® ProductSuite
a path for Improvement and decide to embark
What is Organizational Project Summary
Project Management Institute
iven the imminent need for OPM3 products Successfully applying OPM3 depends on the size,
upon improvement to increase its project man-
Management?

rganizational project management is the following the publishing of OPM3, PMI is complexity and initial maturity of the organization.
agement maturity.
systematic management of projects, committed to enabling and encouraging the The thoroughness of the assessment, the nature of
programs, and portfolios to achieve an It is through these three interlocking elements— development of ancillary products to support all the organization's strategic objectives, and the
organization's strategic goals. Knowledge, Assessment and Improvement—that aspects of the model. This led PMI to the creation of amount of resources available also impact any esti-
OPM3 ProductSuite. mate of the time and commitment necessary.
OPM3 can enable an organization to improve its
"Organization" can apply to an entire company or
ability to achieve its strategic goals. Organizations that want bigger and broader The time period for an effective assessment will
organization as well as to specific business units,
capabilities can take advantage of PMI's newest offering vary per organization, depending on the number of
functional groups, departments or sub-groups
in the OPM3 family. OPM3 ProductSuite consists of people completing the assessment and the size of
within the whole. The benefits of OPM3 certifications, tools and services that expand the capabil- what is being assessed. If an organization decides to
Organizational project management focuses on ities of OPM3 so organizations can derive even greater embark upon Improvement, the planning and
Now that you have a brief overview of OPM3, the
the clear correlation between an organization's value in their quest for maturity and improvement. implementation steps are likely to be the areas that
question you could ask is why is OPM3 important
capabilities in the management of projects, require the largest effort. After all, this is the endeav-
to my organization? Simply put, OPM3 provides a To find out more about how OPM3 ProductSuite or of process improvement to create change. The
programs and portfolios and its effective mechanism to advance your organization's strategic takes the Knowledge Foundation to the next level, effort would certainly be dependent on the number
implementation of strategy, which directly impacts interests through the efficient and successful visit www.opm3productsuite.com. of Best Practices and related Capabilities an organi-
financial results. execution of projects. zation decides to work on at one time.
Successful organizational project management can The three interlocking elements of OPM3— OPM3 is designed to be easy to understand and
be a decisive strategic advantage in a competitive Knowledge, Assessment and Improvement—have use. It is also scalable, flexible and customizable to
OPM3 Benchmarking

economy. The degree to which an organization the potential to create a new environment for Both Single-User and Multiple-User Versions of accommodate the wide range of needs and objec-
practices this type of project management is referred organizations involved in project management by OPM3 permit benchmarking of OPM3 Self- tives of organizations of varying types and sizes.
to as its organizational project management maturity. illuminating the important link between projects Assessment data. This allows users to gain insight
and business strategy and the importance of organi- into peer organizations' maturity continuum scores
and Best Practices, achieved with average, mean
zational support to project management practices.
and median reports. Organizations may also track For more OPM3 information,
their performance at present and over time as
visit http://opm3online.pmi.org
What is OPM3?
OPM3 will help organizations utilize project man-
Just as individuals benefit from achieving improvements are executed.
agement to accomplish their goals on time, within
personal maturity, organizations can now benefit from
budget, and most importantly, to improve their or e-mail: [email protected].
achieving organizational project management maturity. OPM3 benchmarking data will be available to
overall effectiveness.
those organizations that participate in the collection
Developed under the stewardship of PMI, OPM3® and sharing of the data.
is an acronym for the Organizational Project
Management Maturity Model. It is a standard
unlike any currently available tool or model and is
Four Campus Boulevard Europe-Middle East-Africa Asia Pacific
Global Operations Center Regional Service Centre Regional Service Centre
delivered through a convenient online database
accompanied by a book.
Newtoan Square, Pennsylvania
19073-3299 USA
(EMEA)
300, Avenue de Tervueren
73 Bukit Timah Road
#03-01 Rex House
A Guide to Strategic Success,
OPM3 provides: Tel: +1-610-356-4600 B-1150 Brussels, Belgium Singapore, 229832
 Knowledge about organizational project
management, organizational project management
Fax: +1-610-356-4647
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: +32-2-743 15 73
Fax: +32-2-743 15 50
Tel: +65 6330 6733
Fax: +65 6336 2263
Business Improvement and
maturity, and what constitutes Best Practices in Internet: www.pmi.org E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]
organizational project management;
 The ability to perform an Assessment of the current
Competitive Advantage
state of organizational project management maturity; Figure 1: Elements of OPM3: Knowledge, Assessment
and Improvement
Project Management Institute
Making Project Management Indispensable®

http://opm3online.pmi.org © 2004 Project Management Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.

"PMI", the PMI logo, "OPM3" and "PMBOK" are marks of Project Management Institute, Inc.
045-008-2003 (rev. 10-05)
 An Executive’s Guide to An Executive’s Guide to
OPM3 OPM3

T O
The OPM3 Single-User and Multiple-User where it stands on the continuum of organizational Capabilities leading to each Best Practice of interest to
Versions both contain OPM3's three interlocking project management maturity. identify the prerequisites for progressing from their
Introduction Why organizations need project What does OPM3 look like?

o fully understand and appreciate the PM3 is an online application and elements—a quality that makes it unique in the current state to an improved level of organizational
management

relevance and importance of OPM3 in With increasing competition within all industries book combination. The OPM3® Knowledge Based upon the results of an assessment and
marketplace. The Knowledge element is presented project management maturity, while at the same time
today's business and organizational and professions, organizations worldwide are assuming an organization desires to achieve higher
Foundation book is intended to afford ease in electronic file format in OPM3 Online conserving limited organizational resources.
environment, and how it can work within your embracing project management as a way of maturity, the organization would reference the
of reading for individuals and knowledge building (http://opm3online.pmi.org) and in the accompa-
organization, it might initially be helpful to recognize successfully completing projects, meeting business Improvement element of OPM3, also accessible Once an improvement plan has been established,
for an organization. Along with a print version of nying OPM3 Knowledge Foundation book, describing
the vital role that projects and project management objectives and achieving organizational goals. through the online database on OPM3 Online. An the organization would implement appropriate
the OPM3 Knowledge Foundation, OPM3 Online organizational project management, organizational
increasingly play within successful companies and Organizations such as IBM, AT&T, the United States serves users through: project management maturity, relevant Best organization may decide to pursue a course for developmental activities to attain the Capabilities
organizations in the global marketplace. Army and the National Aeronautics and Space  A downloadable electronic version of the OPM3 Practices and how to use OPM3, with various improvement and, consequently, determine the Best necessary to increase its organizational project
Administration (NASA) employ project management. Knowledge Foundation; appendices and the full OPM3 Glossary—a wealth Practices it wants to improve. Organizations may management maturity.
The work performed by organizations generally refer to OPM3 Online to view the series of
 Electronic forms that begin new Assessments; of practical information.
involves either operations or projects, although the
 A searchable database of Best Practices;
two may overlap. Operations and projects share a The Assessment element allows organizations to
 Viewable Improvement Paths and Best Practices
number of characteristics in that they are:
The potential benefits of project

for completed Assessments. use the OPM3 Self-Assessment, an interactive online

 Performed by people;
management
Using project management: database. OPM3 provides users with this interactive
Implementing OPM3 within your organization

 Constrained by limited resources; and The Single-User Version, intended for use by one tool to compare the characteristics of their current
 Effectively prioritizes projects to maximize
 Planned, executed and controlled. individual within an organization, includes access to state of organizational project management maturity
efficiency;
 Clarifies project goals, problem areas and project OPM3 Online and one OPM3 Knowledge Foundation with those key traits described by OPM3. Through
Projects are often implemented as a means of
risk to enhance project success; book. The Multiple-User Version will allow several self-assessment in relation to these traits, an organiza-
achieving an organization's strategic plan and a
 Consistently tracks tasks and milestones to users from the same organization to access the tion can quantify its own general maturity relative to
response to requests that cannot be addressed with-
better monitor potential outcomes; OPM3 Self-Assessment and will assist any organiza- the Capabilities that have been achieved. The OPM3
in an organization's normal operational limits.
 Expands communication among stakeholders; tion's assessment champion by furnishing tools to Self-Assessment also helps the organization identify
They are initiated at all levels of an organization.
 Decreases necessary resources to do the work manually compile assessment results. areas of strengths and weaknesses, in addition to
With a definite beginning and end, projects are through better refinement of resource requirements;
undertaken to create a unique product or service  Provides realistic performance measures; and
(according to A Guide to the Project Management Body of  Increases overall project performance, efficiency
Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)). Projects may involve a and effectiveness for better bottom line results.
single person or many thousands, and their duration
can range from just a few short weeks to several
years. They each have their own set of requirements
About PMI
that must be met by effective project management. Established in 1969, the Project Management
Institute (PMI) is the world's leading not-for-profit
project management professional association with
What is project management? over 200,000 members in over 150 countries. PMI
members are individuals who practice and study
According to the PMBOK® Guide, project
project management in many different industry
management provides organizations with the
areas, including aerospace, automotive, business
knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to help
management, construction, engineering, financial
them and their colleagues plan and execute projects
services, information technology, pharmaceuticals
on time and on budget. Project management
and telecommunications. Through a broad range of
is accomplished through the use of processes such
programs, products and services, PMI is the
as Initiating, Planning, Executing, Controlling,
world's premier resource for knowledge and
and Closing.
information about project management.
Figure 1: OPM3 is an online application (OPM3 Online) and book combination that offers a comprehensive approach
to understanding and applying OPM3.

http://opm3online.pmi.org http://opm3online.pmi.org
 An Executive’s Guide to

OPM3
An Executive’s Guide to

O G
Assistance to organizations who wish to identify

OPM3
 OPM3® ProductSuite
a path for Improvement and decide to embark
What is Organizational Project Summary
Project Management Institute
iven the imminent need for OPM3 products Successfully applying OPM3 depends on the size,
upon improvement to increase its project man-
Management?

rganizational project management is the following the publishing of OPM3, PMI is complexity and initial maturity of the organization.
agement maturity.
systematic management of projects, committed to enabling and encouraging the The thoroughness of the assessment, the nature of
programs, and portfolios to achieve an It is through these three interlocking elements— development of ancillary products to support all the organization's strategic objectives, and the
organization's strategic goals. Knowledge, Assessment and Improvement—that aspects of the model. This led PMI to the creation of amount of resources available also impact any esti-
OPM3 ProductSuite. mate of the time and commitment necessary.
OPM3 can enable an organization to improve its
"Organization" can apply to an entire company or
ability to achieve its strategic goals. Organizations that want bigger and broader The time period for an effective assessment will
organization as well as to specific business units,
capabilities can take advantage of PMI's newest offering vary per organization, depending on the number of
functional groups, departments or sub-groups
in the OPM3 family. OPM3 ProductSuite consists of people completing the assessment and the size of
within the whole. The benefits of OPM3 certifications, tools and services that expand the capabil- what is being assessed. If an organization decides to
Organizational project management focuses on ities of OPM3 so organizations can derive even greater embark upon Improvement, the planning and
Now that you have a brief overview of OPM3, the
the clear correlation between an organization's value in their quest for maturity and improvement. implementation steps are likely to be the areas that
question you could ask is why is OPM3 important
capabilities in the management of projects, require the largest effort. After all, this is the endeav-
to my organization? Simply put, OPM3 provides a To find out more about how OPM3 ProductSuite or of process improvement to create change. The
programs and portfolios and its effective mechanism to advance your organization's strategic takes the Knowledge Foundation to the next level, effort would certainly be dependent on the number
implementation of strategy, which directly impacts interests through the efficient and successful visit www.opm3productsuite.com. of Best Practices and related Capabilities an organi-
financial results. execution of projects. zation decides to work on at one time.
Successful organizational project management can The three interlocking elements of OPM3— OPM3 is designed to be easy to understand and
be a decisive strategic advantage in a competitive Knowledge, Assessment and Improvement—have use. It is also scalable, flexible and customizable to
OPM3 Benchmarking

economy. The degree to which an organization the potential to create a new environment for Both Single-User and Multiple-User Versions of accommodate the wide range of needs and objec-
practices this type of project management is referred organizations involved in project management by OPM3 permit benchmarking of OPM3 Self- tives of organizations of varying types and sizes.
to as its organizational project management maturity. illuminating the important link between projects Assessment data. This allows users to gain insight
and business strategy and the importance of organi- into peer organizations' maturity continuum scores
and Best Practices, achieved with average, mean
zational support to project management practices.
and median reports. Organizations may also track For more OPM3 information,
their performance at present and over time as
visit http://opm3online.pmi.org
What is OPM3?
OPM3 will help organizations utilize project man-
Just as individuals benefit from achieving improvements are executed.
agement to accomplish their goals on time, within
personal maturity, organizations can now benefit from
budget, and most importantly, to improve their or e-mail: [email protected].
achieving organizational project management maturity. OPM3 benchmarking data will be available to
overall effectiveness.
those organizations that participate in the collection
Developed under the stewardship of PMI, OPM3® and sharing of the data.
is an acronym for the Organizational Project
Management Maturity Model. It is a standard
unlike any currently available tool or model and is
Four Campus Boulevard Europe-Middle East-Africa Asia Pacific
Global Operations Center Regional Service Centre Regional Service Centre
delivered through a convenient online database
accompanied by a book.
Newtoan Square, Pennsylvania
19073-3299 USA
(EMEA)
300, Avenue de Tervueren
73 Bukit Timah Road
#03-01 Rex House
A Guide to Strategic Success,
OPM3 provides: Tel: +1-610-356-4600 B-1150 Brussels, Belgium Singapore, 229832
 Knowledge about organizational project
management, organizational project management
Fax: +1-610-356-4647
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: +32-2-743 15 73
Fax: +32-2-743 15 50
Tel: +65 6330 6733
Fax: +65 6336 2263
Business Improvement and
maturity, and what constitutes Best Practices in Internet: www.pmi.org E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]
organizational project management;
 The ability to perform an Assessment of the current
Competitive Advantage
state of organizational project management maturity; Figure 1: Elements of OPM3: Knowledge, Assessment
and Improvement
Project Management Institute
Making Project Management Indispensable®

http://opm3online.pmi.org © 2004 Project Management Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.

"PMI", the PMI logo, "OPM3" and "PMBOK" are marks of Project Management Institute, Inc.
045-008-2003 (rev. 10-05)
 An Executive’s Guide to An Executive’s Guide to
OPM3 OPM3

T O
The OPM3 Single-User and Multiple-User where it stands on the continuum of organizational Capabilities leading to each Best Practice of interest to
Versions both contain OPM3's three interlocking project management maturity. identify the prerequisites for progressing from their
Introduction Why organizations need project What does OPM3 look like?

o fully understand and appreciate the PM3 is an online application and elements—a quality that makes it unique in the current state to an improved level of organizational
management

relevance and importance of OPM3 in With increasing competition within all industries book combination. The OPM3® Knowledge Based upon the results of an assessment and
marketplace. The Knowledge element is presented project management maturity, while at the same time
today's business and organizational and professions, organizations worldwide are assuming an organization desires to achieve higher
Foundation book is intended to afford ease in electronic file format in OPM3 Online conserving limited organizational resources.
environment, and how it can work within your embracing project management as a way of maturity, the organization would reference the
of reading for individuals and knowledge building (http://opm3online.pmi.org) and in the accompa-
organization, it might initially be helpful to recognize successfully completing projects, meeting business Improvement element of OPM3, also accessible Once an improvement plan has been established,
for an organization. Along with a print version of nying OPM3 Knowledge Foundation book, describing
the vital role that projects and project management objectives and achieving organizational goals. through the online database on OPM3 Online. An the organization would implement appropriate
the OPM3 Knowledge Foundation, OPM3 Online organizational project management, organizational
increasingly play within successful companies and Organizations such as IBM, AT&T, the United States serves users through: project management maturity, relevant Best organization may decide to pursue a course for developmental activities to attain the Capabilities
organizations in the global marketplace. Army and the National Aeronautics and Space  A downloadable electronic version of the OPM3 Practices and how to use OPM3, with various improvement and, consequently, determine the Best necessary to increase its organizational project
Administration (NASA) employ project management. Knowledge Foundation; appendices and the full OPM3 Glossary—a wealth Practices it wants to improve. Organizations may management maturity.
The work performed by organizations generally refer to OPM3 Online to view the series of
 Electronic forms that begin new Assessments; of practical information.
involves either operations or projects, although the
 A searchable database of Best Practices;
two may overlap. Operations and projects share a The Assessment element allows organizations to
 Viewable Improvement Paths and Best Practices
number of characteristics in that they are:
The potential benefits of project

for completed Assessments. use the OPM3 Self-Assessment, an interactive online

 Performed by people;
management
Using project management: database. OPM3 provides users with this interactive
Implementing OPM3 within your organization

 Constrained by limited resources; and The Single-User Version, intended for use by one tool to compare the characteristics of their current
 Effectively prioritizes projects to maximize
 Planned, executed and controlled. individual within an organization, includes access to state of organizational project management maturity
efficiency;
 Clarifies project goals, problem areas and project OPM3 Online and one OPM3 Knowledge Foundation with those key traits described by OPM3. Through
Projects are often implemented as a means of
risk to enhance project success; book. The Multiple-User Version will allow several self-assessment in relation to these traits, an organiza-
achieving an organization's strategic plan and a
 Consistently tracks tasks and milestones to users from the same organization to access the tion can quantify its own general maturity relative to
response to requests that cannot be addressed with-
better monitor potential outcomes; OPM3 Self-Assessment and will assist any organiza- the Capabilities that have been achieved. The OPM3
in an organization's normal operational limits.
 Expands communication among stakeholders; tion's assessment champion by furnishing tools to Self-Assessment also helps the organization identify
They are initiated at all levels of an organization.
 Decreases necessary resources to do the work manually compile assessment results. areas of strengths and weaknesses, in addition to
With a definite beginning and end, projects are through better refinement of resource requirements;
undertaken to create a unique product or service  Provides realistic performance measures; and
(according to A Guide to the Project Management Body of  Increases overall project performance, efficiency
Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)). Projects may involve a and effectiveness for better bottom line results.
single person or many thousands, and their duration
can range from just a few short weeks to several
years. They each have their own set of requirements
About PMI
that must be met by effective project management. Established in 1969, the Project Management
Institute (PMI) is the world's leading not-for-profit
project management professional association with
What is project management? over 200,000 members in over 150 countries. PMI
members are individuals who practice and study
According to the PMBOK® Guide, project
project management in many different industry
management provides organizations with the
areas, including aerospace, automotive, business
knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to help
management, construction, engineering, financial
them and their colleagues plan and execute projects
services, information technology, pharmaceuticals
on time and on budget. Project management
and telecommunications. Through a broad range of
is accomplished through the use of processes such
programs, products and services, PMI is the
as Initiating, Planning, Executing, Controlling,
world's premier resource for knowledge and
and Closing.
information about project management.
Figure 1: OPM3 is an online application (OPM3 Online) and book combination that offers a comprehensive approach
to understanding and applying OPM3.

http://opm3online.pmi.org http://opm3online.pmi.org
 An Executive’s Guide to

OPM3
An Executive’s Guide to

O G
Assistance to organizations who wish to identify

OPM3
 OPM3® ProductSuite
a path for Improvement and decide to embark
What is Organizational Project Summary
Project Management Institute
iven the imminent need for OPM3 products Successfully applying OPM3 depends on the size,
upon improvement to increase its project man-
Management?

rganizational project management is the following the publishing of OPM3, PMI is complexity and initial maturity of the organization.
agement maturity.
systematic management of projects, committed to enabling and encouraging the The thoroughness of the assessment, the nature of
programs, and portfolios to achieve an It is through these three interlocking elements— development of ancillary products to support all the organization's strategic objectives, and the
organization's strategic goals. Knowledge, Assessment and Improvement—that aspects of the model. This led PMI to the creation of amount of resources available also impact any esti-
OPM3 ProductSuite. mate of the time and commitment necessary.
OPM3 can enable an organization to improve its
"Organization" can apply to an entire company or
ability to achieve its strategic goals. Organizations that want bigger and broader The time period for an effective assessment will
organization as well as to specific business units,
capabilities can take advantage of PMI's newest offering vary per organization, depending on the number of
functional groups, departments or sub-groups
in the OPM3 family. OPM3 ProductSuite consists of people completing the assessment and the size of
within the whole. The benefits of OPM3 certifications, tools and services that expand the capabil- what is being assessed. If an organization decides to
Organizational project management focuses on ities of OPM3 so organizations can derive even greater embark upon Improvement, the planning and
Now that you have a brief overview of OPM3, the
the clear correlation between an organization's value in their quest for maturity and improvement. implementation steps are likely to be the areas that
question you could ask is why is OPM3 important
capabilities in the management of projects, require the largest effort. After all, this is the endeav-
to my organization? Simply put, OPM3 provides a To find out more about how OPM3 ProductSuite or of process improvement to create change. The
programs and portfolios and its effective mechanism to advance your organization's strategic takes the Knowledge Foundation to the next level, effort would certainly be dependent on the number
implementation of strategy, which directly impacts interests through the efficient and successful visit www.opm3productsuite.com. of Best Practices and related Capabilities an organi-
financial results. execution of projects. zation decides to work on at one time.
Successful organizational project management can The three interlocking elements of OPM3— OPM3 is designed to be easy to understand and
be a decisive strategic advantage in a competitive Knowledge, Assessment and Improvement—have use. It is also scalable, flexible and customizable to
OPM3 Benchmarking

economy. The degree to which an organization the potential to create a new environment for Both Single-User and Multiple-User Versions of accommodate the wide range of needs and objec-
practices this type of project management is referred organizations involved in project management by OPM3 permit benchmarking of OPM3 Self- tives of organizations of varying types and sizes.
to as its organizational project management maturity. illuminating the important link between projects Assessment data. This allows users to gain insight
and business strategy and the importance of organi- into peer organizations' maturity continuum scores
and Best Practices, achieved with average, mean
zational support to project management practices.
and median reports. Organizations may also track For more OPM3 information,
their performance at present and over time as
visit http://opm3online.pmi.org
What is OPM3?
OPM3 will help organizations utilize project man-
Just as individuals benefit from achieving improvements are executed.
agement to accomplish their goals on time, within
personal maturity, organizations can now benefit from
budget, and most importantly, to improve their or e-mail: [email protected].
achieving organizational project management maturity. OPM3 benchmarking data will be available to
overall effectiveness.
those organizations that participate in the collection
Developed under the stewardship of PMI, OPM3® and sharing of the data.
is an acronym for the Organizational Project
Management Maturity Model. It is a standard
unlike any currently available tool or model and is
Four Campus Boulevard Europe-Middle East-Africa Asia Pacific
Global Operations Center Regional Service Centre Regional Service Centre
delivered through a convenient online database
accompanied by a book.
Newtoan Square, Pennsylvania
19073-3299 USA
(EMEA)
300, Avenue de Tervueren
73 Bukit Timah Road
#03-01 Rex House
A Guide to Strategic Success,
OPM3 provides: Tel: +1-610-356-4600 B-1150 Brussels, Belgium Singapore, 229832
 Knowledge about organizational project
management, organizational project management
Fax: +1-610-356-4647
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: +32-2-743 15 73
Fax: +32-2-743 15 50
Tel: +65 6330 6733
Fax: +65 6336 2263
Business Improvement and
maturity, and what constitutes Best Practices in Internet: www.pmi.org E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]
organizational project management;
 The ability to perform an Assessment of the current
Competitive Advantage
state of organizational project management maturity; Figure 1: Elements of OPM3: Knowledge, Assessment
and Improvement
Project Management Institute
Making project management indispensable for business results®

http://opm3online.pmi.org © 2004 Project Management Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.

"PMI", the PMI logo, "OPM3" and "PMBOK" and "Making project management indispensable for business results"
are marks of Project Management Institute, Inc.
045-008-2003 (rev. 10-05)