The problem with one dimension
Traditional maturity models score processes, governance and tooling. They are good at telling you whether a PMO is well organised. They are silent on whether anyone outside the PMO notices.
That is why so many mature PMOs still get cut. Leadership doesn't fund maturity. It funds outcomes.
Two dimensions, one model
PMO-MI® assesses 24 service domains. Seventeen describe Maturity: how consistently and capably the PMO delivers its services. Seven describe Impact: the value stakeholders actually perceive, from strategic alignment to decision support.
Because the two are scored independently, you can place any PMO on a simple map.
- High maturity, high impact — a strategic partner to leadership.
- High maturity, low impact — well run, but invisible. The most at-risk position.
- Low maturity, high impact — valued, but fragile and person-dependent.
- Low maturity, low impact — the starting point for a rebuild.
Why the C-suite listens
Impact is measured through the eyes of stakeholders, not the PMO itself. That shifts the discussion from 'we completed our process roadmap' to 'here is where executives see value, and here is where they don't'.
It also makes investment decisions concrete: improve maturity where it limits impact, and stop polishing capabilities nobody values.
Putting it to work
Start with the free Tier 1 self-assessment to see your baseline across both dimensions. Then use a certified assessor for a deeper Tier 2 - 6 engagement, where stakeholder surveys and interviews validate the picture.