Program Management for Improved Business Results

Chapter 14. Transitioning to Program Management

Organizational transformation is always a challenging endeavor and transitioning to a program management-based organization to developing products, services, or infrastructure capabilities is no different. Implementation of the program management model will change the culture and politics of the organization because it affects all levels of management. Additionally, it changes the rules of engagement, the decision-making hierarchy, roles and responsibilities, core competencies required of some functions, and the political landscape of the organization.

Our experiences in leading organizations through this transformation have revealed several key factors that come in to play and must be appropriately managed. These factors include the following:

• There must be a compelling reason to change.

• Senior management must drive the transformation and have a clear vision and end state in mind.

• Changes to the organizational structure may be required, which may change the culture of the organization.

• People need to understand their new roles and responsibilities and the new power equation.

• New core competencies may be required within the organization.

• Behavior change on the part of individuals affected has to be modeled, monitored, and managed.

This chapter will focus on the management of these factors through a disciplined three-step transition. First, we will address understanding the transition. Some of the drivers that motivate companies to change the ...