Business Case and Model Types
What the exam tests
This domain tests the investment logic for a P3O and the choice among the four P3O model types: portfolio office, programme office, project office and Centre of Excellence (CoE). Match the model to the need; do not default to the largest option.
Business case rules
- State the problem and the do-nothing option; compare realistic alternatives such as enhancing an existing office or creating a new one.
- Include costs (staff, tools, training, transition, accommodation), benefits (cashable and non-cashable), dis-benefits and risks.
- Make benefits measurable: faster decisions, fewer duplicate reports, better resource utilisation, assurance actions closed, benefits realised.
- Set success criteria and a review point; revisit the case as maturity changes.
Model types
- Portfolio office: enterprise-wide and usually permanent; supports prioritisation, investment choice, dependencies and performance across the portfolio.
- Programme office: supports one programme or a group of related projects; often temporary; emphasises coordination, benefits and programme governance.
- Project office: supports one project or a small set; planning, reporting, RAID, change and configuration support.
- CoE: permanent standards, methods, tools, training, assurance and knowledge; it does not normally deliver projects.
Worked example
A programme with five projects needs consistent reporting, benefits tracking and standards its parent organization lacks. A programme office provides coordination and benefits tracking; a CoE provides methods and assurance. A portfolio office would be premature if no enterprise portfolio exists.
Traps
Choosing a portfolio office because it sounds strategic; describing the CoE as a delivery office; omitting dis-benefits; treating benefits as activity counts.