Socializing PMO Metrics — What is “socializing” anyway

Before I get into socializing metrics, it makes some sense to talk about what “socialization” means.  Let’s leverage the basic definition from Wikipedia:

…the process of learning one’s culture and how to live within it.

In this context, “socializing’ refers to informing stakeholders about an initiative, how it fits with their “culture,” and listening to their feedback about what attitudes, prejudices, and substantive issues are raised (or solved) by one’s initiatives.

The following socialization concepts — again from Wikipedia — are useful when considering how to socialize initiatives:

Primary socialization — Primary socialization is the process whereby people learn the attitudes, values, and actions appropriate to individuals as members of a particular culture.

Secondary socialization —  Secondary socialization refers to process of learning what is appropriate behavior as a member of a smaller group within the larger society.

Developmental socialization — Developmental socialization is the process of learning behavior in a social institution or developing your social skills.

Anticipatory socialization — Anticipatory socialization refers to the processes of socialization in which a person “rehearses” for future positions, occupations, and social relationships.

Resocialization — Resocialization refers to the process of discarding former behavior patterns and accepting new ones as part of a transition in one’s life.