The primary focus of a Portfolio Office is strategic. It is concerned with ensuring that the organization is 'doing the right things' by selecting and prioritizing the programmes and projects that are most aligned with its strategic objectives. This involves making informed investment decisions to optimize the value delivered from the organization's portfolio of change initiatives. The Portfolio Office provides a holistic view, ensuring that the collection of programmes contributes effectively to the overall business strategy, which is best described as ensuring investment is made in the right programmes.

A. Implements a programme correctly: This is the responsibility of the Programme Manager and their team, not the strategic-level Portfolio Office.

B. Provides support to a programme: This is the primary role of a Programme Management Office (PMO), which focuses on supporting a single programme, not the entire portfolio.

C. Defines the standards to be followed by a programme: While a P3O model includes a Centre of Excellence (CoE) function for standards, the Portfolio Office's main focus is strategic selection and prioritization, not just standard-setting.

1. AXELOS. (2013). Portfolio

Programme and Project Offices (P3O). TSO (The Stationery Office).

Section 2.2.1

Page 12: "The Portfolio Office must be able to provide senior management with the information they need to be able to make decisions about which projects and programmes to invest in

which to stop

and how to resolve issues that are impacting on the achievement of the organization’s strategic objectives." This directly supports the concept of investing in the 'right' programmes.

Figure 2.2

Page 13: This diagram explicitly contrasts the focus of different office types. It states the Portfolio Office focus is on "Doing the right programmes and projects

" while the Programme/Project Office focus is on "Doing programmes and projects right." This clearly aligns with option D.

Appendix F

Glossary

Page 159: Defines a Portfolio as "The totality of an organization’s investment (or segment thereof) in the changes required to achieve its strategic objectives." The Portfolio Office manages this

reinforcing its focus on strategic investment.