Portfolio Governance sits at the intersection of business strategy and IT execution. When it is fragmented, organizations struggle to prioritize initiatives, manage risks, and maintain alignment. A major Belgian public service provider faced exactly this challenge: its Information Systems PMO needed to shift from an operational support role to a true driver of governance and decision-making.
Challenges
The PMO encountered five recurring obstacles that prevented it from fulfilling this strategic role:
- Lack of strategic alignment:
Initiatives were often disconnected from long-term objectives.
- Fragmented governance:
Decision-making processes were inconsistent across departments.
- Urgency-driven prioritization:
Short-term demands frequently overshadowed strategic priorities.
- Immature risk and resource management:
Risk practices were underdeveloped, and resource allocation lacked transparency.
- Cultural and collaboration barriers:
Business and IT struggled to work as one, leading to missed opportunities.
These challenges limited the PMO’s ability to establish itself as a backbone of Portfolio Governance.
Our Approach
We applied a structured, evidence-based approach that allowed the PMO to diagnose its current state and define a realistic roadmap. The work unfolded in several stages:
1. Structured maturity assessment
Thirteen interviews were conducted with key stakeholders across both business and IT functions. Their insights were mapped against fifty predefined questions covering areas such as governance, prioritization, risk, and resource management. To give context, the results were benchmarked against TOGAF portfolio management capabilities, providing a market-based reference point.
2. Identification of recurring challenges
Rather than treating each comment in isolation, CBTW synthesized stakeholder feedback into a fact-based list of recurring pain points. Strategic alignment gaps, fragmented governance, and urgency-driven decision-making all emerged as consistent barriers across the organization.
3. Capability-based analysis
Each pain point was translated into a maturity score along TOGAF capability dimensions. This gave the PMO a clear picture of its strengths and weaknesses compared to established benchmarks. It also highlighted where improvement would have the greatest impact, from risk frameworks to collaboration practices.
4. Sequenced improvement roadmap
Instead of proposing a long wish list, CBTW designed a phased roadmap that respected dependencies:
- Governance foundations — establishing clear decision rights and integrating business and IT governance.
- Process improvements — building structured demand and capacity management, and implementing a risk framework.
- Continuous optimization — adopting data-driven prioritization practices and embedding cultural change to sustain results.
This structure provided the PMO with both direction and pragmatism: knowing what to do first, and how each step supported the next.
5. Actionable recommendations
To translate analysis into action, CBTW delivered concrete measures: integrated governance across business and IT, formalized demand and capacity planning, data-based decision criteria, and cultural initiatives to strengthen collaboration. These recommendations were practical, not theoretical, making them directly usable by the PMO in its daily operations.
Benefits
The project gave the organization a stronger, more strategic governance model with long-term impact.
- Clear fact-based assessment:
The maturity analysis provided an objective view of the PMO, replacing assumptions with concrete data and benchmarks. This clarity allowed executives to align their expectations and define realistic next steps.
- Shared alignment across stakeholders:
Leaders and IT teams gained a common understanding of priorities, risks, and resource constraints. This new alignment reduced tensions and created a platform for joint decision-making.
- Actionable roadmap with measurable priorities:
Instead of generic recommendations, the client received a sequenced plan that detailed what to implement, in which order, and why. This roadmap is now the reference point for the PMO’s evolution toward Lean Portfolio Management.
- Strategic repositioning of the PMO:
The PMO is no longer perceived only as a cost-control unit. It now acts as a backbone for governance, providing structured data and insights to support investment decisions.
- Long-term impact on decision-making:
With governance foundations in place, the organization can prioritize initiatives based on value, manage risks with transparency, and align its IT portfolio with business strategy more effectively.
The result is a PMO that not only supports operations but also strengthens the organization’s ability to deliver on its strategic ambitions.
Our Expertise in Corporate Transformation
We helps organizations bridge the gap between business and IT, assess maturity with clarity, and design actionable roadmaps that drive results.
Discover more about our services and how we can strengthen your governance and align your portfolios with strategy.