Practitioner's Guide to Program Management

Book description

Programs serve as a crucial link between strategy and the execution of business results and organizations implement them to achieve strategic goals. Although the practice of program management has evolved in lockstep with the project management profession, the root causes of program failure remain. In this step-by-step guide, Irene Didinsky offers a standardized approach to program management, closing the knowledge gaps and variations that currently exist across organizations and industries. For the first time, Practitioner's Guide to Program Management walks the reader through all the key components of effective program management. Using a case study example of an actual process improvement program, Didinsky discusses the qualities of excellence in program leadership, the importance of organizational strategy alignment throughout the program life cycle, how a program realizes benefits, and how to manage conflicting priorities of stakeholders. This comprehensive resource also includes an historical overview of the professionalization of the field, outlines the logistics of forming a program management community of practice, and concludes with a glossary of terms. With this desktop manual in their hands, practitioners can expect to thrive and guarantee the success of their programs.

Table of contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Dedication Page
  5. Contents
  6. Executive Summary
  7. 1. What is Program Management?
    1. Program Management Industry History and Current State
      1. Program Management Industry Growth
      2. Program Strategy Alignment
      3. Program Management Industry Standardization
    2. Program, Project, and Portfolio Definitions
    3. Why do Organizations Deploy Programs?
      1. Program Strategy Alignment
      2. Program Benefits Realization
    4. Program Management Performance Domains
    5. Program Life Cycle
  8. 2. What Makes a Successful Program Manager?
    1. Organizational Structure Empowers a Program Manager to Lead
    2. Program Manager Role
    3. Program Infrastructure Enables a Program Manager to Lead
    4. Proficiency Framework Makes a Successful Program Manager
      1. Program Leadership Proficiency
      2. Program Operational Management Proficiency
      3. Interpersonal Skills
    5. Comparison of Program, Project, and Portfolio Manager Roles
  9. 3. Program Strategy Alignment
    1. Organizational Strategy and Program Alignment
    2. Business Case
    3. Road Map
    4. Environmental Analysis
    5. Phase-Gate Review
  10. 4. Program Benefits Realization and Management
    1. Benefits Realization
      1. Business Value
      2. Business Results
    2. Benefits Management
  11. 5. Stakeholder Engagement
    1. Stakeholder Identification
    2. Stakeholder Engagement and Conflicting Priorities Management
      1. Stakeholder Engagement Planning
      2. Stakeholder Engagement
      3. Stakeholder Conflicting Priorities Management
  12. 6. Program Governance and Team Management
    1. Governance Structure
    2. Governance Roles and Functions
    3. Team Responsibilities
    4. Build, Lead, and Off-Board a Program Team
  13. 7. Program Life Cycle Management
    1. Program Life Cycle Phases
    2. Definition Phase
    3. Benefits Delivery Phase
      1. Component Planning and Authorization
      2. Component Oversight and Integration
      3. Component Transition and Closure
    4. Closure Phase
  14. 8. Program Management Infrastructure
    1. Program Procurement Planning and Execution
      1. Program Procurement Planning, Administration, and Closure
    2. Infrastructure Overview
    3. System Requirements for Effective Program Execution
      1. Program Definition Phase
      2. Program Benefits Delivery Phase
      3. Program Closure Phase
    4. Program Management Plan
      1. Program Definition Phase
      2. Program Benefits Delivery Phase
      3. Program Closure Phase
    5. Program Monitoring and Periodic Evaluation
      1. Program Definition Phase
      2. Program Benefits Delivery Phase
      3. Program Closure Phase
    6. Program Risk Management
      1. Program Risk Management
      2. Escalation Mechanism
    7. Program Change Control Process
      1. Change Control Process
    8. Quality Control Process
    9. Program Communication
  15. 9. Effective Program Management
    1. Mechanisms to Deliver a Program on Time
    2. Mechanisms to Deliver a Program on Budget
    3. Effective Program Resource Management
      1. Resource Forecasting, Estimation, and Actual Tracking
  16. 10. Future of Program Management
    1. Program Management Industry Current State
    2. Program Management Industry Future
  17. 11. Program Management Community of Practice
    1. Program Management Community of Practice Value
    2. Foundation, Benefits, Structure, and Operational Activities of the Program Management Community of Practice
      1. Foundation
      2. Benefits
      3. Costs
      4. Structure
      5. Operational Activities
  18. 12. Glossary
  19. 13. References
  20. 14. About the Author

Product information

  • Title: Practitioner's Guide to Program Management
  • Author(s): Irene Didinsky MBA, PMP
  • Release date: June 2017
  • Publisher(s): Project Management Institute
  • ISBN: None