Effective Programme Management

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Effective Programme Management

• Jennifer Stapleton
• Independent Consultant

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What is Programme Management?
The orchestration of a portfolio of projects
effecting organisational change to deliver
business benefits of strategic importance
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The Programme Management Environment
Internal or external business environment
Strategies and initiatives
Programmes
Strategic vision achieved
Projects
Business operations
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Why Programme Management?
The gap between strategies and projects is filled
The wider context of risks is better understood
Formal process for identifying, managing,
realising and measuring benefits
Good management control of costs
Projects are prioritised and integrated to manage
resources better
A management framework that focuses on business
change objectives
Effective management of the Business Case to
achieve the vision
Co-ordination and control of the complex range of
activities
Clear responsibilities for preparing for
implementing business change
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A Programme V-Model
Acceptance Criteria
Requirements
Vision
Change Blueprint
Benefits
Major Changes
Business Impacts
Interventions
Programme Products
Line initiative
Projects
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Project or Programme?
Project
Programme
Single objective
Business strategy
Focus
Scope
Wide-ranging, cross-functional
Narrow
Determined in advance Accrue after completion
Used to make decisions Accrue during the programme
Benefits
Few, clearly defined
Many , many initially undefined
Deliverables
Timescale
Clearly defined
Loosely defined
To be avoided
View of change
Regarded as inevitable
Success measures
Time, budget, specification
Mission, cashflow, ROI
Plan
High-level and evolving
Specific, detailed, bounded
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Change Projects deliver benefits
R
C
D
Current Business
D
Future State Vision
C
D
D
C
D
1st tranche
2nd tranche
3rd tranche
Benefits enabled
Benefits enabled
Benefits enabled
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Change Blueprint
Defines structure and composition of the changed
organisation in terms of

• Business models of the new functions, processes
  and operations
• Organisation structure, staffing levels, roles,
  and skill requirements
• Information systems, tools, equipment and
  buildings
• Data required
• Costs, performance and service levels for support
  of future operations

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Benefit Definitions the first product in
Benefits Management

• dependencies on other activities outside the
  control of the programme
• the business areas and operations expected to be
  affected
• projected changes from the current business
  operations
• current measures of the business operations and
  the target for improvement (e.g. financial
  savings or improved throughput)
• when the benefit is expected to be realised
• financial value of the benefit, if possible

Benefit Definitions define each benefit in terms
of
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Benefits Management Process (OGC diagram)
Identify and structure benefits
Adaptation needed to cope with changing markets
Potential for further benefits?
Realise and track benefits
Review and evaluate results
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Areas to probe in a Benefits Review

• Did the programme achieve more or less benefits
  than planned?
• Have the needs of the business changed?
• Is the solution operating to defined parameters?
• Have all the relevant stakeholders issues been
  addressed?
• What is the scope for improved value for money?
• Can more be done for less?
• Do the chosen measures offer clear evidence of
  success? Are they tracked against an existing
  baseline?

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Risk Hierarchy
Strategic Other programmes, other initiatives,
inter-programme dependencies, political pressures
Programme Changing objectives, programme
definition, management skills, inter-project
dependencies
Project Project risks, third party
Operational Transfer of deliverables to
operations, acceptability within business
operations, acceptability to stakeholders
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List of stakeholders in programmes

• All business areas impacted by the programme,
  both during the programme or after its completion
  
• The governing body of the programme
• The programme management team
• People creating the programmes deliverables
• Providers of support to the programme's
  activities in areas outside the Programme
  Manager's control
• Custodians of standards and policies relating to
  the programme's activities
• Providers/supporters of the technical
  infrastructure used by the programme
• Third-party suppliers
• Providers of support for the programme's
  deliverables
• Regulatory bodies

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Key Roles in the Programme

• Programme Sponsor
• Governing Body
• Programme Manager
• Technical Authority
• Quality Manager
• Business Planners
• Project Managers (includes business change
  managers)
• Change Agents
• Programme Support Office

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Comparison of responsibilities
Programme Manager
Project Manager

• Plans a project given the dependencies and
  interfaces defined by the Programme Manager
• Works within the defined TOR
• Runs a project, reporting to the Programme
  Manager
• Manages project risks and issues, escalating to
  the Programme Manager wherever necessary
• Runs project according to policies and procedures
• Uses assigned resources
• Delivers products to the defined standards

• Plans programme-level activities and schedule of
  projects
• Defines TOR for projects
• Starts, stops and monitors progress of
  constituent projects
• Manages programme-level risks and issues.
  Delegates risks to projects
• Sets policies and procedures for projects
• Resolves resource conflicts
• Determines programme standards

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Programme Manager Key Competencies

• Strong leadership and management skills
• Effective interpersonal and communications skills
• Ability to create a sense of community
• Ability to find ways of solving and pre-empting
  problems
• Marketing and communication skills to sell the
  programme into the business areas
• Good knowledge of techniques for planning,
  monitoring and controlling programmes
• Knowledge of project management approaches
• Good knowledge of budgeting and resource
  allocation procedures
• Knowledge of business change techniques, e.g. BPR
• Knowledge of benefits identification and
  management techniques

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Tangram Programme Management Phases
Identify Programme
Investigate and define approach
Set up programme
Close programme
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Identify programme
Define Case for Action
Identify Governing Body
Appoint Programme Manager
Agree funding
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Investigate and define approach
Create Vision for Change
Define CSFs
Assess readiness For change
Define alternative approaches
Define high-level objectives
Identify stakeholders
Diagnose current strengths and weaknesses
Select approach
Quantify business benefits
Create initial Change Blueprint
Agree overall Business Case
Define programme organisation
Identify programme tranches
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Ongoing processes

• Benefits management
• Risk management
• Dependency management
• Issue and problem management
• Planning
• Reporting
• Communication
• Scope management
• Configuration management

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Communications
Major activities
Tangram Phase
Identify programme
Communicate Case for Action
Investigate define pgm
Create initial Communications Strategy
Launch programme-level communications
Set up programme
Set up tranche
Plan communications for the tranche
Manage tranche
Communicate according to overall strategy and
tranche plan
Communicate achievements of the tranche
Assess benefits of tranche
Communicate overall results
Close programme
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Communications Strategy

• What are the objectives of communications?
• What are the key messages?
• Who are you trying to reach?
• What information will be communicated?
• When will information be disseminated?
• How much information will be provided, and to
  what level of detail?
• What mechanisms will be used to disseminate
  information?
• How will feedback be encouraged, what will be
  done as a result of feedback?

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Questions?

• email jstapleton_at_dial.pipex.com