A N N UA L R E P O RT

THE STATE OF 

2021
PROJECT MANAGEMENT

wellingtone.co.uk
 W E L L I N G TO N E

Contents
Introduction3
Headlines4
About the Participants 6
The Project Management Basics 7
PPM Processes; Value vs Difficulty 8
PPM Maturity 9
PPM Software Tools 11
Project Performance 13
The PMO 15
Benchmark your PMO  16
The Future PMO 17
The Future of Work 18
About this Report 19
About Us 20

#WORKSMARTER 2
 W E L L I N G TO N E

Introduction
The State of Project Management is an As work becomes more project-centric,
annual report created, owned and published with distributed teams, the benefits of PPM
by Wellingtone with contribution from become more and more valuable.
hundreds of project & portfolio practitioners
from the UK and internationally. In writing this report I was keen to provide
short focused commentary on the data
Now in its sixth year, we invited colleagues rather than making you wade through pages
from across our project management of text. As a minor point of clarification
industry to participate and share their insight where I have used the term “project
into our industry. The response was amazing management” I have done so as a generic
with hundreds of participants from 214 catch-all and am referring to project,
organisations. programme & portfolio management. The
data should speak for itself and although it
We asked questions across a number highlights the great successes achieved by
of important topics including; project some it clearly shows there is much work
management maturity, tools & techniques, to be done. There remains a significant
project success rates and PMO maturity. opportunity for improvement. I hope this
report provides the catalyst for you to
You are very welcome to share this report consider how you can increase your PPM
with colleagues across our industry. It maturity and therefore project successes.
provides a fantastic insight into the state of
project management. Most importantly we Thank you to all those professionals who
hope this report provides food for thought. contributed to this important and invaluable
Efficient & effective project & portfolio research data. Please do contact me with
management (PPM) has a significant positive your thoughts on the survey and this report.
impact on any organisation.

Vince Hines
Managing Director
[email protected]

wellingtone.co.uk
#WORKSMARTER wellingtone.es 3
 W E L L I N G TO N E

Headlines
The tools and techniques of best practice project
management are a critical contributor to project and
therefore organisational success.

Work takes many forms and now many locations. It is becoming more project-centric, whether this
is organised around formal or informal teams. The tools and techniques of best practice project
management are a critical contributor to project and therefore organisational success. Many people
will perform the role of project manager during their career, whatever their job title. Respondents
said they worked on average 68% of their time on formal projects, 23% informal. These averages
increase each year (2019: 47% & 20% respectively).

47% stated projects were mostly or always run by professional project managers, which means
more than half are not. Project management should be a core competence, championed by the PMO
(82% of organisations have at least one) and L&D. We found that only 45% of respondents said
their organisation provided Accredited training. If projects are critical to organisational success,
why is there no formal training or a defined PPM methodology to lean on? There is much room for
improvement with significant productivity gains a realistic ambition for those organisations that get
this right.

Those organisations looking to make a transformational change to their project management

maturity should reflect on the PPM Process Value vs. Difficulty chart later in this report. Stakeholder
engagement, risk management and planning are seen to add the most value, with the least amount
of difficulty to embed. Benefits management, resource management and project prioritisation are
the perennial tough nuts to crack. Start with the easier processes, and work your way up.

One-third of respondents cited being satisfied with the current level of project maturity in their
organisation. With so many people, therefore, recognising their organisation could be better there
will be an appetite for change, with fewer obstacles than you might perhaps expect. Approximately
50% of respondents cited they did not have access to real-time project KPIs, yet spent 1 day or more
each month generating reports. This represents another significant opportunity for improvement.
Organisations should embrace the latest PPM technology to automate reporting and enable
informed decision making, at any time, from anywhere, using any device.

#WORKSMARTER 4
 W E L L I N G TO N E

PMO Academy
Dedicated to the needs of PMO practitioners at every level, our exclusive PMO Academy delivers a pick and mix
of learning opportunities. Globally, our groundbreaking core courses are the only PMO professional courses
independently Accredited by APM, The Chartered Body for the Project Profession.

The PMO Academy supports your journey through the PMO career ladder which is aligned to the Wellingtone
Competence Framework. It provides an opportunity to select training courses to get the most out of you and
your PMO’s development. Be inspired and create a practical toolbox to support your organisation. These
courses can be delivered as live remote training for both public and client-specific.

Core PMO Training Courses

PMO Practitioner PMO Leader Assurance Practitioner

Designed for Practitioners of Groundbreaking course for Specialist course provides a
all levels who are delivering, those leading the PMO in their comprehensive and practical view
managing, implementing or organisation. It will push the of the strategies, competencies
transforming a PMO. It will develop boundaries of PMO learning with required, and tools & techniques
skills and help you to bring your Project Based Learning at its core available to design, set up and
unique & best-in-class PMO to the supported by regular mentoring deliver effective and integrated
forefront of the organisation. sessions with our PMO Specialists. project assurance.

#WORKSMARTER 5

www.wellingtone.co.uk - [email protected] - +44 (0) 1753 621 200

 WELLINGTONE

About
the participants
214 organisations

HOW MANY YEARS OF PM EXPERIENCE DO YOU HAVE? YOUR CURRENT ROLE

Project Manager
Programme
32%
5 Years or Less Manager
12% 15%

PMO PMO Specialist

11 Years or Manager 12% 6%
More
65% 6-10 Years
19%
Other
Portfolio
26%
Manager 9%

WHICH QUALIFICATIONS HAVE YOU ACHIEVED? YOUR EMPLOYMENT STATUS

Employee
63%

Other (retired,
2 SP P P) O (IC
) R P student, etc)
CE P3 NE hP
R
NE

M M M IO

I-P FQ
TIT
P O
N TI -C
AC

RI (A
-P TI CE
PR
13% Contractor
P PM Q
AC AP
M
M M AN 24%
-P AP PR R
PM O SU
A PM AS

SIZE OF CURRENT ORGANISATION PARTICIPANTS MOST COMMON SECTORS

10 Employees or Less IT & Related Services
Health
11 - 49 Employees Consultancy
Financial Services
50 - 249 Employees
Central Government
Local Government
250 - 999 Employees
Manufacturing
Education
1,000 - 4,999 Employees
Aerospace & Defence
5,000 Employees or more Telecomms
Professional Services
Utilities
Constuction
Transport & Logistics
Retail
Oil & Gas
Charity

Over 11% of participants

Thank you to all those who participated
have undertaken at from across our profession.
least one of our unique
training courses. Respondents tended to be highly
experienced, professionally qualified project
management practitioners from across a
Wellingtone has wide spread of industries and geographic
authored more regions. The average participant is a Project
Manager employed by a large organisation
courses that have with at least one professional qualification.
been Accredited by the
APM than any other
organisation.
#WORKSMARTER 6
 WELLINGTONE

The Project
Management Basics
HOW OFTEN IS A DEFINED METHODOLOGY HOW OFTEN IS A SCOPING DOCUMENT CREATED
APPLIED TO PROJECTS? AS PART OF THE PLANNING STAGE?

Never Sometimes About half Most of the Always Never Sometimes About half Most of the Always
the time time the time time

58 % Mostly or always apply

a defined project
methodology 52 % Mostly or always create
a scoping document as
part of planning

ARE PROJECT SCHEDULES BASELINED SO THAT HOW OFTEN DO PMS ENGAGE IN SOME FORM OF
PERFORMANCE CAN BE TRACKED? PROJECT RISK MANAGEMENT?

Never Sometimes About half Most of the Always Never Sometimes About half Most of the Always
the time time the time time

48 % Mostly or always
baseline their project
schedules 64 % of Project Managers
always or mostly
engage in risk
management

52% of projects mostly or always

have a scoping document
with 58% following a defined
methodology. This leaves many
projects being run in potentially a
very ad-hoc fashion, reducing the
chances of success significantly.

One-third of Project Managers

do not regularly engage in risk
management. There is much
room for improvement. #WORKSMARTER 7
 W E L L I N G TO N E

PPM Processes
Value vs. Difficulty to Embed
HIGH

Best Targets
Stakeholder Engagement

Risk Management

Planning
VALUE

Change Control

Benefits Realisation
Project Sponsorship
Resource Management

Project Status Reporting Lifecycle Governance Lessons Learned Project Prioritisation

Cost Management
Progress Measurement Document Management
LOW

Portfolio Reporting
Most Challenging

LOW DIFFICULTY HIGH

Respondents were asked which PPM

Processes added the most value when
undertaken properly, and which were most
difficult to embed.

This chart combines difficulty versus

benefit data. Those PPM processes in the
top left quadrant should be tackled first.
Build consensus & deliver these before
then taking on those with higher difficulty
ratings.

#WORKSMARTER 8
 W E L L I N G TO N E

PPM
Maturity

ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE CURRENT LEVEL OF WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF MATURITY IN YOUR
PM MATURITY IN YOUR ORGANISATION? DEPARTMENT?

Very Somewhat Neither satisfied Somewhat Very Don’t Level Level Level Level Level
dissatisfied dissatisfied or dissatisfied satisfied satisfied know 1 2 3 4 5

37 % satisfied
are somewhat or very
with the current
level of PM maturity 70 % believe the current
level of maturity in
their department is 3 or
more

WHAT LEVEL OF MATURITY ACROSS YOUR

ORGANISATION?

45% of respondents are

somewhat or very dissatisfied
with the current level of PM
Don’t Level Level Level Level Level
know 1 2 3 4 5

55 % believe the current

level of maturity across
their organisation is 3
or more
maturity. This is a significant
figure and demonstrates the
growing recognition of what
“good” PPM looks like.

An organisation should recognise

stakeholders have an appetite
for change if this brings about
#WORKSMARTERimproved PPM methods, 9
processes, tools & training.
 W E L L I N G TO N E

Enabling YOU to make a

step-change in your
PPM Maturity

PMO & P3M3 & Project Management Maturity Assessment

To achieve a new vision for Project, Portfolio and Work Management you first need to understand where you are. Our PPM
and PMO Maturity Assessment combines our expertise as an Axelos P3M3 Consulting Partner with our in-depth data
analysis and expertise.

3. STANDARDISED
All processes are detailed, educated and repeatable; there is a PMO
in place providing guidance and limited education; there is some 5. OPTIMISING
measurement of high-level KPIs which are communicated to direct
Processes are continuously
1. INITIAL management.
reviewed and improved; the
There are no defined
PMO is respected as a centre
processes; there is no
of excellence and provides
PMO team in place or
a career path to project
any measures.
professional: the performance
of both projects and the PMO
is measured and informs
decision-making.

4. MANAGED
2. DEFINED All processes are embedded
and utilised consistently:
There are pockets of excellence there is a dedicated PMO
and some processes but the function that enables
application is largely down to the communication, learning
individual. There are defined skills and a culture of change;
xxx within the organisation, not there is a consistent method
necessarily within a dedicated to measure both projects
PMO function; there are no and the PMO to senior
measures in place. management.

PMO MATURITY RADAR

Our independent maturity Project Management
assessment and benchmarking PMO Management Programme Management
provides: Tools and Technology Portfolio Management

Data informed by best practice

Change Management and
Comparison against extensive benchmark data Professionalism and Career
Communication
Development
Areas of strength
Areas to develop Organisational Benefits Realisation
Practical recommendations and a Governance Management

PPM/PMO Maturity Roadmap

Reporting Knowledge Management
A case for change
A baseline from which to assess improvements over Resource Management
Training and Facilitation
time
Project and Programme Recovery Audit and Assurance 10
 W E L L I N G TO N E

PPM Software Tools

I HAVE EFFECTIVE TECHNOLOGY TO COLLABORATE ON
INFORMATION PROJECTS

47 % do not have access to

real-time project KPIs
with 50% spending 1
or more days manually collating
project reports.
Strongly Somewhat Neither Somewhat Strongly
Agree Agree Agree Agree Disagree Disagree Disagree
no Disagree

Decision-makers need access to accurate

and up to date project KPIs they can rely
HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU SPEND EACH MONTH on. Project Managers and PMO’s need to
MANUALLY COLLATING PROJECT STATUS INFO?
eliminate reporting burdens.
4 hours to 1 day

One of the most significant benefits of

Less than 4 hours
deploying a PPM solution is the automation
More than 2 days of reporting. Data is also available at any
1 - 2 days
time, not just at the end of a monthly
manual reporting cycle. This alone can
N/A
often provide the business case for the
implementation of Microsoft Project Online
or Microsoft Project for the Web.

PPM dashboard
reporting with
Microsoft Project
and Power BI
Anytime, anywhere,
any device.
#WORKSMARTER 11
 We Transform…
YOUR PRACTICE YOUR PEOPLE YOUR TECHNOLOGY

Our core mission is to help clients to

improve their PPM maturity and to
achieve more.
We work with clients across all sectors, industries and
geographies. Client success is our goal and is best demonstrated
through tangible real-world benefits as illustrated by our
customer stories.

Through our joined-up specialist services, we can help you determine

where you are, define where you should be and help you to get there.

Consultancy Services Training Services Technology Services

We work in partnership with you Enable your colleagues to succeed Discover why the Microsoft PPM
ensuring you benefit from forward- with our groundbreaking public and Platform & Office365 provide best in
thinking best practice with our customised in-house APM Accredited class solutions for Project, Portfolio &
practical & cost-effective approach. training courses. Work Management.

Learn More Book Now Learn More

 W E L L I N G TO N E

Project
Performance

HOW OFTEN ARE PROJECTS COMPLETED HOW OFTEN ARE PROJECTS COMPLETED
ON TIME? ON BUDGET?

Never Sometimes About Half Most Always Never Sometimes About Half Most Always
the Time of the Time the Time of the Time

34 % of organisations mostly
or always complete
projects on time 34 % of organisations mostly
or always complete
projects on budget

HOW OFTEN DO PROJECTS DELIVER WOULD YOU SAY YOUR ORGANISATION HAS A
THEIR FULL BENEFITS? TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESS?

Never Sometimes About Half Most Always Never Sometimes About Half Most of Always
the Time of the Time the Time the Time

36 % of organisations mostly
or always deliver the
full benefits of their
projects
45 % say their organisation
has a track record of
project success

#WORKSMARTER 13
 W E L L I N G TO N E

Project
Performance
These challenges might look familiar. Is your organisation running the right projects in the
right way?

Poorly trained Project Managers and poorly trained Project Sponsors as well as defining a
consistency approach are challenges that can be easily corrected.

WHAT ARE THE LARGEST PROJECT MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES

IN YOUR ORGANISATION?
Poorly trained Project Managers

Attempting to run too many projects

Poor resource management

Inconsistency in approach

A lack of project funding

Frecuent changes to scope

Doing the wrong projects (lack of strategic

alignment)

Ineffectively implement PPM Solution

Poorly trained Project Sponsors

Lack of appropriate software

Lack of planning skills

Lack of governance

Lack of senior management support

Poor risk management

Poor project selection process

Lack of visibility of project status

“Let’s focus on the priority “Let’s train our PMs & “Let’s implement a PPM
projects. We’re trying to do Sponsors to give them a solution properly to enable
too many!” fighting chance!” resource management!”

#WORKSMARTER 14
 W E L L I N G TO N E

The PMO
DOES YOUR ORGANISATION HAVE HOW LONG HAS YOUR PMO BEEN ESTABLISHED?
A PMO OR PMOs?

Less than 2-4 5-6 7-10 +10

2 years years years years years

82 % of organisations have 1
or more PMOs
1/4 of these are less than 2
years old

WHICH ACTIVITIES ARE UNDERTAKEN BY YOUR PMO?

Project Status reporting

Maintaining the project list / portfolio Which

of these
Maintaining the PM methodology & document templates
activities
Facilitating project approval processes are in your
Project Assurance PMO Service
Catalogue?
Ownership of enterprise project management tools

Resource management / planning

Facilitating gate reviews for in-flight projects

Providing Project Management expertise

Facilitating Lessons Learned

Provision of Project Managers

Facilitating cross-project dependency management

Facilitating priority scoring of proposed projects

Mentoring project porfessionals

Training Project Professionals

Facilitating post project beneficts tracking

86% of organisations now report PMO activities that have

having one or more PMO’s, increased the most in last 5
increasing steadily from 71% years:
reported in 2016.
> Project Assurance
Once again we see benefits
> Ownership of an enterprise
tracking as the least likely to form PPM solution
part of PMO scope and status
reporting once again claiming the > Cross-project dependency
top spot. management

#WORKSMARTER 15
 W E L L I N G TO N E

Benchmark
your PMO
PMO REMIT & OBJECTIVES ARE SUFFICIENTLY CLEAR PMO HAS CATALOGUE OF SERVICES, WHERE VALUE OF
WITHIN THE ORGANISATION? EACH SERVICE IS DESCRIBED?

Totally Tend to Neither Agree or Tend to Totally Totally Tend to Neither Agree or Tend to Totally
Disagree Disagree Disagree Agree Agree Disagree Disagree Disagree Agree Agree

THE PMO CHAMPIONS A CULTURE OF PROJECT THE PMO IS RECOGNISED AS A STRATEGIC BUSINESS
MANAGEMENT IN THE ORGANISATION PARTNER

Totally Tend to Neither Agree or Tend to Totally Totally Tend to Neither Agree or Tend to Totally
Disagree Disagree Disagree Agree Agree Disagree Disagree Disagree Agree Agree

PMO HAS A COMMITED & AVAILABLE SPONSOR TO ROLES AND RESPONSABILITIES WITHIN THE PMO TEAM
GUIDE FUTURE DIRECTION ARE CLEARLY DEFINED

Totally Tend to Neither Agree or Tend to Totally Totally Tend to Neither Agree or Tend to Totally
Disagree Disagree Disagree Agree Agree Disagree Disagree Disagree Agree Agree

PMO HAS A DEFINED STRATEGY WITH AN AGREED THE PMO PERIODICALLY ASSESSES THEIR OWN
ROADMAP MATURITY LEVEL

Totally Tend to Neither Agree or Tend to Totally Totally Tend to Neither Agree or Tend to Totally
Disagree Disagree Disagree Agree Agree Disagree Disagree Disagree Agree Agree

#WORKSMARTER 16
 W E L L I N G TO N E

THE FUTURE
PMO
THE FUTURE PMO: SIZE (PEOPLE) THE FUTURE PMO: SCOPE & RESPONSIBILITIES

38 % PMO will increase in headcount,

a significant drop from last year
at 57% 57 % PMO will increase in scope &
responsibilities, a significant
drop from the 72% reported last
year

THE FUTURE PMO: PERCEIVED VALUE

Views on the future PMO reflect a
much more cautious outlook in
comparison to last year.

Unsurprising given the impact

of COVID-19. Only 38% see
a headcount increase, but
57% seeing greater scope &
responsibilities. This suggests a
real need to increase productivity.
Automation through PPM
technology can play a key role in
bridging this productivity gap.
54 % PMO will increase in perceived
value, a significant drop from
71% reported last year

#WORKSMARTER 17
 WELLINGTONE

THE FUTURE
OF WORK

Percent of respondents that Percent of respondents that

believe that project work believe that more work will
will increase be organised around small
informal teams

62% 53%

Percent of respondents that Percent of respondents that

believe people will need believe the use of team
more project management collaboration tools will increase
skills

71% 72%

Respondents believe the future

of work is much more project-
based, whether that is large
formal projects or small informal
teams.

71% believe people will need more

project management skills and a
similar number see increases in
the use of collaboration tools.

#WORKSMARTER 18
 WELLINGTONE

About this Report

We asked a series of 46 questions relating to
project and work management.

Project Management professionals

from across all industries were invited
to participate by completing the online
questionnaire. This was publicised
internationally and was open for
participation through the end of Q4 2020.

Vince Hines, Managing Director,

Wellingtone is the author of this report,
created based on the data collected from the
questionnaire. Respondent specific survey
data is kept in the strictest confidence. This
report has been anonymised and includes
trends, averages and totals data.

Wellingtone does not share respondent

specific data with any third parties.
Wellingtone Limited is registered in
accordance with the Data Protection Act
1998: Z9727037.

wellingtone.co.uk #WORKSMARTER wellingtone.es 19

 Taking you to the Future of
Work Management
wellingtone.co.uk
wellingtone.es

Established in 2001, we work with organisations of all sizes and

industries enabling them to make a step-change in PPM maturity.

Globally we are the only organisation that is both a Microsoft Gold

Partner with the PPM specialisation and an Accredited Training
Provider with the Chartered Body for Project Management, the
Association for Project Management.

We have developed more specialist PPM training courses that

have been independently Accredited by the APM than any other
organisation

Our groundbreaking courses, industry-leading publications and

reputation set us apart. Contact us, we would love to hear from
you.

Our Locations
Our corporate head office is in the historic Royal town of Windsor.

Our clients are global; beyond our European home, as far afield as Dubai, Hong Kong & Costa Rica. We are a multi-cultural,
multi-language consultancy with native speakers in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

United Kingdom Ireland Spain

Wellingtone Limited Wellingtone Limited Wellingtone Project Management S.L.

St Stephens House 20 Harcourt Street C/Henri Dunant 17
Arthur Road Suite #116 28036
Windsor, SL4 1RU Dublin, D02 H364 Madrid
 Turbocharge
YOUR PMO
October 14
th
- 2021
Use the
coupon code
TSOPM2021
BOOK TICKETS at checkout to
save 10% on
your tickets
Why should you attend FuturePMO?
Spending time with your PMO peers is always valuable. Spending that time in an environment
tailored to the challenges and opportunities you not only face today but tomorrow; will enable
both your personal development and that of your PMO. You will return to your day job focused
on your PMO future, empowered with tools and techniques, and passionate about your journey.
 WELLINGTONE

All trademarks are acknowledged as the property of their respective owners.

© 2021 Wellingtone Limited. Reproduction of data from this report is permitted provided the source: “The State of Project Management Survey 2021,
by Wellingtone” is clearly referenced.

Contact
Information
Wellingtone Limited
St Stephen’s House
Arthur Road
Windsor
Berkshire
SL4 1RY

+44 (0) 1753 621 200

+34 91 133 14 62
wellingtone.co.uk
[email protected]
[email protected] #WORKSMARTER wellingtone.es 22