Project management is a complex undertaking that requires coordination, communication, and collaboration among different stakeholders. The success of any project depends on the efficiency and effectiveness of the project office, which serves as the backbone of the project team. The project office is responsible for ensuring that all activities are integrated across the functional lines of the organization and that all work required is documented, authorized, and funded by contractual documentation.

The project office is a combination of project office personnel and functional employees. Although project office personnel are usually identified as assistant project managers, they may not have such a title. However, this title entitles the employee to speak directly to the customer and represent the company, whereas the functional employee represents himself.

The project office is developed to support the project manager in carrying out his duties. Project office personnel must have the same dedication to the project as the project manager and must have good working relationships with both the project and functional managers. The responsibilities of the project office include acting as the focal point of information for both in-house control and customer reporting, controlling time, cost, and performance to adhere to contractual requirements, ensuring that all work required is documented and distributed to all key personnel, and ensuring that all work performed is both authorized and funded by contractual documentation.

One of the biggest challenges facing project managers is determining the size of the project office. The optimal size is determined by a trade-off between the maximum number of members necessary to assure compliance with requirements and the maximum number for keeping the total administrative costs under control. Membership is determined by factors such as project size, internal support requirements, type of project (i.e., R&D, qualification, production), level of technical competency required, and customer support requirements. Membership size is also influenced by how strategic management views the project to be.

On large projects, and even on some smaller efforts, it is often impossible to achieve project success without permanently assigned personnel. The four major activities of the project office that require continuous monitoring by trained project personnel are integration of activities, in-house and out-of-house communication, scheduling with risk and uncertainty, and effective control.

In conclusion, project management is an essential aspect of any organization, and the success of any project depends on the efficiency and effectiveness of the project office. Project office personnel must have the same dedication to the project as the project manager, and they must have good working relationships with both the project and functional managers. The size of the project office is determined by several factors, and the optimal size is a trade-off between the maximum number of members necessary to assure compliance with requirements and the maximum number for keeping the total administrative costs under control. The project office is an integral part of project management and is essential for the success of any project.