Programme Management in context
They are profoundly different and to illustrate the point let us examine typical activities that organisations undertake, these may be classified into three broad streams:
- Programmes:
- Delivery of a vision rather than specific outputs;
- No defined path – manage complex change in a dynamic and uncertain environment;
- Benefits are realised during and after the programme;
- Includes transition management and maintaining business as usual;
- Closed when outcomes achieved and benefits are self-sustaining.
Programme Management includes management of all the transition activities to ensure these deliverables are fully exploited. This is closely linked to ensuring that the benefits promised by any of the projects are actually realised. The emphasis on benefits is a core programme management activity, with detailed descriptions of benefits created at initiation and constantly reviewed as each project closes.
- Projects
- Delivery of specific outputs or deliverables;
- Have fixed duration;
- Involves different people and different resources, who may not have worked together before;
- The outcome of the project is concerned with change;
- Completion of the project must lead to specific outcomes.
Projects deal with outputs and are usually discrete activities, with defined deliverables and deadlines Project management stops at the creation of the intended deliverables. Whereas project management sometimes has an advantage because of its defined deliverables and deadlines, project managers often need to use borrowed resources and keep project staff motivated when the final deadlines approach.
- Business as Usual
- Day to day work;
- Keeps the department running;
- Based on a line management structure;
- People are clear about their roles and perform them every day;
- Certainty and stability over the tasks;
- Limited changes.
As well as the programmes and projects an organisation will also have the normal day to day business which will require oversight by the Management
