This Slideshare presentation is a partial preview of the full business document. To view and download the full document, please go here: http://flevy.com/browse/business-document/overview-of-program-management-1537 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION This presentation provides an overview to Program Management. It broadly follows the PMI's standard for Program Management. This document describes the context of the program, how to initiate and control projects as a part of program lifecycle, how to manage transitions, and how to obtain outcomes towards benefits realization. It also describes the key roles involved in program management and how Program Governance Board can facilitate program success. Programs are taken up to realize benefits towards achieving organizational strategic objectives. Whereas projects produce discrete outputs, program management focuses on their synergization towards obtaining of outcomes and benefits. Portfolio management is a key linking factor between program management and the organizational strategy. Programs, in turn consist of multiple inter-related projects collectively creating a coherent capability, which are then transitioned to the concerned functional departments to obtain desired outcomes.

1. An Overview of Program Management
This presentation provides an overview to Program Management. It broadly follows the PMI’s standard for
Program Management. This document describes the context of the program, how to initiate and control projects
as a part of program lifecycle, how to manage transitions, and how to obtain outcomes towards benefits
realization. It also describes the key roles involved in program management and how Program Governance Board
can facilitate program success.
This document and more can be downloaded here: http://flevy.com/seller/grtconsulting

2. 2
Executive Summary
Programs are taken up to realize benefits towards achieving organizational strategic
objectives. Whereas projects produce discrete outputs, program management focuses on
their synergization towards obtaining of outcomes and benefits.
Portfolio management is a key linking factor between program management and the
organizational strategy. Programs, in turn consist of multiple inter-related projects
collectively creating a coherent capability, which are then transitioned to the concerned
functional departments to obtain desired outcomes.
The current slide set describes the context of the program, how to initiate and control
projects as a part of program lifecycle, how to manage transitions, and how to obtain
outcomes towards benefits realization.
It also describes the key roles involved in program management and how Program
Governance Board can facilitate program success.
It broadly follows the PMI’s standard for Program Management (Third edition), with
supplementary information as needed.

3. 3
What is a program?
“A Program is a group of related projects, sub-programs, and
program activities managed in a coordinated way to obtain benefits
and control not available from managing them individually.”
• Programs include components, which relate to projects and elements of related
work (e.g. ongoing operations), outside the scope of the discrete projects in a
program.

4. 4
‘Program Management is the centralized management of a program to achieve
strategic benefits and objectives’
Program management for external programs is more vertical / client
organization benefit oriented vis-à-vis project management – which is more
output delivery oriented
Managing multiple projects by means of a program enables optimized/
integrated cost/schedules and efforts towards outcome achievement
How Program Management is different from Project
Management?

5. 9
Program setting in an organization – a conceptual overview
Corporate
Vision and Mission/
Strategic objectives
Program Vision /
Strategy/Benefits
/ Governance
Realised Benefits
Corporate
Strategic Initiatives
(Corporate Portfolio)
Program
Architecture
Delivered outputs/
outcomes
Program components
(Projects/ supporting
operations)

6. 10
Portfolio management in a Balanced Scorecard setting -
example
Vision: Continue to be a market leader in the geographies we operate
Mission: Provide cost-effective solutions
A Strategic objective: Reduce Sales/General/ Admin (SG&A) expenses
Measures: SG&A (as a percentage of revenue collected)
Targets: SG&A reduction by 2% over an year
Strategic initiatives:
– Selling off a costly business premises
– Vendor rationalization
– Improvements in billing and collection
– Internal staff competency enhancement
Initiatives distributed across the four perspectives – Financial, Customer,
Internal process and Learning and Growth, as applicable in a Balanced
Scorecard setting
The set of all initiatives to address various strategic goals form the portfolio

7. 11
Relationship between Portfolio Management and Program
Management
PORTFOLIO
MANAGEMENT
PROGRAM
MANAGEMENT
Strategic goals
Objectives
Benefits to be achieved
Funding allocations
Program Vision
Objectives
Constraints
Program performance reports
Risk escalations
High level change requests
Program closure information
Feedback

8. 12
Relationship between Program Management and Project
Management
PROGRAM
MANAGEMENT
PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
Program desired goals
Linked benefits
Project interdependencies
Project approach
Governance arrangements
Project performance reports
Escalations
Change requests
Risk and issue status
Project closure notifications
Project lessons

9. 13
Most of the programs are initiated and driven to achieve strategic objectives
from the portfolio level
A well managed program maintains close links with corporate strategy and
ensures that projects are not detached or misaligned with the strategy
Programs can be thought of the highest level where work gets directed across
multiple lines of business.
How does the program management gets impacted by
strategic objectives?

10. 14
Program strategy alignment
Program Managers require strategic visioning and planning skills to align the
program goals with the strategic goals of the organization
More mature organizations have a robust initiative selection and closure
process
Portfolio Review Board or an Executive Steering Committee may issue a
program mandate, which defines the strategic benefits to be obtained
Program mandate also confirms that the change initiative needs to be monitored
as a program

11. 15
Program lifecycle
Program typically commences when the funding for the program gets approved
or when the Program Manager gets assigned
Program closes when most of the benefits have been achieved or the program is
no longer viable or valid (due to say – change in strategy)
There are three major phases in the program lifecycle:
Program Definition
Program Benefits Delivery
Program Closure
(as per PMI Standard for Program Management)
1
2
3

12. 16
Program Charter/
Program Roadmap
Program
Governance
structure/
Program
management plan
Overall process map (as per PMI standard)
Program Definition
Phase
Program Benefits
Delivery Phase
Program Closure
Phase
Program
Mandate
Program
Formulation
Program
Preparation
Component
Planning and
Authorization
Component
Oversight and
Integration
Component
Transition
and Closure
Component plan
Authorized
Component status
reports & integration
Program
Transition
Program
Closeout
Closed Component/Transition of
outputs/Component lessons learnt
Final Reports/ Benefits
sustainment arrangements/
Hand over to operations
Lessons
learnt report/
End program
report/
Closure
Acceptance

13. 45
Transition Management
Business Change Managers (functional managers in the areas where outcomes
and benefits occur) are responsible for planning transitions – along with the
Program Manager
While planning for transitions, consideration needs to be given for:
– Business function readiness for transition
– Temporary facilities for those managing transition
– Maintaining business performance stability during transitions
– Fallback options – in case the transition does not go out smoothly
Further factors to be kept in consideration during transition management are
described in following slides.

14. 46
‘To-be’ Target Operating model – Segments impacted
The transitions affect multiple elements – as noted below. Projects in the program will
produce outputs to address the changes needed across all these segments.
‘To-be’
Target
Operating
model
Redeployed technical
support/
IT / Systems and
Infrastructure
Revised Processes/
Business models
Redesigned
information flows/
Mgt dashboards
Revised Org
structure/
Skill-sets/ staffing
levels/ Culture
changes

15. 47
Assess readiness for change
When the project outputs are getting delivered to business, the Business
Change Managers to need to assess the following factors in the impacted
business areas:
– Recent track record of changes
– Availability of resources to conduct transitions
– Current and promised service levels to customers
– Service management’s ability to support the organisation through transition
– Assess the ‘as-is’ baseline values of the benefits to be obtained by the
program

16. 48
Managing the transition
As the projects approach completion, relevant business operations need to be
prepared for implementing the outputs from the projects
The transition plans are activated once all the projects required for this
transition are complete, ready for operational use and the project quality has
verified them as being ‘fit for purpose’/ User Acceptance is completed
Usually the Program Sponsor / Program Governance Board (Including the
Senior Managers) give approval to go ahead for respective transitions

17. 51
Program Lifecycle Management - Themes
Three themes characterize a program:
Benefits
Management
Program
Stakeholder
Engagement
Program
Governance
1 2 3

18. 52
Theme - Benefits Management
Benefits Management assesses the value of the program to the Organization
It involves definition and formalization of expected benefits, a program is
expected to confer
Discrete projects add value to the benefits – which could be tangible or
intangible
The benefits accrual can be staggered or culminating towards the end of the
program
The Program Manager needs to ensure that the benefits are measurable/ time-
bound and accountability thereof is determined
Benefits
Management
Program
Stakeholder
Engagement
Program
Governance

19. 53
Benefit Management Lifecycle
Benefits
Management
Program
Stakeholder
Engagement
Program
Governance
Benefit
Identification
Analysis
Planning
Realization
Transition
Identify and Qualify Business Benefits
Derive and Prioritise Components
Derive Benefits Metrics
Establish Benefits Realization Plan
Establish Benefits Monitoring
Map Benefits into Program Plan
Monitor Components
Maintain and Report Benefits
Consolidate Coordinated Benefits
Transfer the Ongoing responsibility

20. 69
Summing up
Program Management involves more challenges as compared to just managing
disparate projects and enabling technology adoption
Interaction efforts with functional departments efforts towards enabling
outcomes and benefits are much more intensive at the program level
Since many of the programs involve changes to the way an organization
operates, soft skills including stakeholder engagement and change management
are imperative to ensure the success of the program