Programme management: a conductor’s guide

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Programme management

Transcript

Welcome aboard the Knowledge Train. In this podcast, we explore insights and tips to help you manage your way to success in your career and business. I’m Simon Buehring, your conductor on this journey to knowledge, and I’m thrilled to have you with us today.

Let’s get started by rolling out the tracks on a topic that’s essential for anyone aspiring to climb the ladder of management success: programme management.

If you’ve ever wondered how experienced project managers climb up the career ladder, today’s episode is just for you. Programme management is a natural career progression for those who’ve been successful in the trenches of project work. It’s all about taking a step back and seeing the bigger picture – not just a single project but a collection of them, all interlinked and all aimed at realising strategic goals.

Let’s break down what programme management actually involves. Imagine you’re overseeing not one, but several projects. Now, these projects aren’t just a random assortment. They are carefully chosen, interconnected, and collectively aimed at achieving something significant for your organisation. This is what we call a programme, and managing it is a high-stakes, complex endeavour that requires a sharp strategic mind and a firm handle on governance, stakeholder engagement, and benefit management. The programme manager is the maestro, ensuring each project hits the right note at the right time to contribute to the program’s symphony.

And for organisations aiming to up their game in programme management, there are frameworks out there like Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) and tried-and-tested methodologies such as PRINCE2 that keep individual projects in perfect harmony within the grander scheme of things.

Now, why is programme management so important, you might ask? It’s the glue that holds multiple projects together, ensuring they all march in the direction of those broader strategic objectives. It’s about more than just being efficient; it’s about optimising resources, reducing risks, and really getting the best out of every project you manage. Programme management weaves together a robust governance structure that provides clarity and accountability, steering everything and everyone towards that singular organisational vision.

Programmes aren’t standalone entities either. They often fit within something even larger—a portfolio. Think of it as a collection of programmes and projects that together strive to realise your organisation’s long-term aims. The success of your portfolio hinges on how well these programmes and projects synergise to deliver these strategic goals. Each contributes in its own way, but when combined, they pack a powerful punch in achieving the organisation’s ambitions.

Now, let’s distinguish between project management and programme management, as they’re not one and the same. Project management is all about nailing down those specific tasks, delivering on time, within budget, and to the required quality. It’s hands-on and detail-oriented, with methods like Waterfall or Agile to guide the process. Programme management, on the other hand, is like taking a step up to the conductor’s podium. It’s broader, more strategic, focused on synchronising multiple projects to align with and achieve larger organisational goals. It requires a holistic approach and a knack for managing not just tasks but also people, expectations, and resources across the board.

Effective programme management isn’t something you just pick up overnight. It’s a skill set. Strategic vision, organisational prowess, leadership, risk management, and communication—these are the tools of the trade. And let’s not forget personal attributes like negotiation skills, priority setting, time management, and an eye for detail. All these are what make a programme manager stand out and successfully drive initiatives towards their strategic objectives.

Delving into the toolkit of a programme manager, you’ll find an arsenal of software solutions to track progress, risk management tools to keep surprises at bay, and communication platforms that ensure everyone’s on the same page. Then there are analytical tools like SWOT and PESTLE analyses, cost-benefit evaluations, all adding a strategic edge to decision-making.

But managing programmes isn’t just about hitting deadlines or keeping costs in check. It’s about reaping the benefits—the actual improvements or gains the organisation aimed for when it commissioned the programme in the first place. Assessing success means continuous measurement against performance benchmarks, both the tangible ones like cost savings and the more intangible, such as customer satisfaction or brand reputation. It’s about demonstrating a clear return on investment and laying the groundwork for even better results in the future.

Interestingly, there are fewer programme managers out there compared to project managers, but they often command higher salaries due to the broader skill set and experience required. Many project managers transition into this role after years of honing their skills on projects, especially when opportunities arise within their current organisation. Training and certification, like the UK’s Managing Successful Programmes (MSP), are common pathways for those ready to step up their game.

Let’s look at a real-world case that exemplifies stellar programme management—the London 2012 Olympic Games. A sweeping, complex event like the Olympics is the perfect example of a programme requiring exemplary coordination, foresight, and attention to detail. From infrastructure to security, each project within the Olympic programme was a cog in a larger machine, each needing to work in concert to produce a successful event.

But London’s sights were set on more than just a couple of weeks of sports. The programme management efforts had a vision for enduring legacies—urban regeneration, a boost in tourism, and economic opportunities. From transforming Stratford with the Olympic Park to creating lasting impressions with tourists and providing new job opportunities, the Olympic programme was about long-term value, continuous improvement, and engaging a wide array of stakeholders. It wasn’t just an event; it was a catalyst for transformation.

To sum up, programme management is about seeing the forest and the trees. It’s an intricate dance of aligning unique yet interrelated projects with strategic organisational goals, all to amplify benefits realisation and boost investment returns. Organisations that place a premium on standardising their programme management practices are setting themselves up for success in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Thank you for joining us on the Knowledge Train as we explored programme management. Don’t forget to subscribe for more insight-packed episodes, and swing by the Knowledge Train website for resources galore. Until the next episode, keep learning, keep managing, and I’ll see you further down the track. Goodbye!