Next in our introduction to project management series, we delve into program management. Program management encompasses multiple related projects.
Program Management
To effectively manage a program, we must first understand the focus and goals of a program. A program is focused on long-term business objectives. It has governance and oversight over multiple, related, short-term projects that complement and build off one another to achieve the program’s goals. The program should have well-defined goals and achievable objectives. These goals and objectives should be measurable, enabling the benefits and return on investment to be realized.
A successful program offers efficiency and effectiveness rather than chaos. netlogx utilizes methodology and tools to create consistency, organization, and transparency surrounding the following areas:
Finances: Every program has a budget and expenditures that should be carefully monitored to ensure all budget areas are on track.
Communications: Consistent status reports should be collected regularly from the project level to analyze and implement changes as needed. Status reports from the program level should be sent to stakeholders regularly to aid in transparency and assist in disseminating the same information to all involved in the program.
Accountability: Every person and area involved in the program is accountable and responsible for the items assigned. Accountability affects the quality of the work performed, as well as timelines and deliverables.
Flexibility: Flexibility is needed when unforeseen forces affect the program, for example, a change in regulations, system updates, or mechanical breakdowns.
Structure: The structure of the organization and the program’s structure can impact the program’s success. The more complex the structure, the more places there are for the project to break down or have a bottleneck.
Resources: Resources include people, equipment, and supplies. Resources can be shared between projects, both internal and external to the program. They need to be available at the right time and place.
Business Process Consistency: Ensure the same tasks are being performed efficiently and consistently throughout the various projects within the program.
Questions regarding your team’s program management or better yet, ready to let netlogx help you take the next step with redefining your business’s internal processes. Click here to learn more!
