10 Reasons to Use Programme Management

A programme manager oversees an organisation’s collection of related projects. You may be considering programme management training. It could be that your organisation is integrating it. To find out why it’s worth doing, here are 10 benefits that programme managers offer:

1. Business case management

Even if a project or programme has specialist support, the programme manager usually prepares the business case. Frameworks like Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) make better use of the business case, as they compare current business operations with more beneficial future operations.

2. Bring business benefits

Programme management helps you reach the organisation’s overall strategic goals. With a formal process in place, you can exercise greater control over costs, standards and quality.

3. Share resources

You can use resources more efficiently, through integration. For example, you can approve a software purchase for one project and then share it with other projects that could also use it. Without programme management, these projects could be isolated from each other. They would then miss a time and cost-efficient integration of resources.

4. Prioritise resources

Programme managers can move parts of a project efficiently without creating a radical impact / disturbance. They can work with limited resources without disrupting the flow of the business as usual (BAU). For example, you can move team members from one project to a more important one. Programme managers have the power to create tolerable delays in one project in order to save another.

5. Control a complex range of activities

Programme management offers a broad perspective of what the organisation is doing. This makes it easier to support managers and co-ordinate activities.

6. Define roles and responsibilities

This is one of the most useful ways programme managers co-ordinate activities. Every good project or programme guidance teaches defined roles and responsibilities. That’s why it’s important for programme managers to assign the right people to the right tasks.

7. Consistency

Programme managers can establish a consistent system of new or amended policies, standards and work practices. With the right planning, delivery, and by properly assuring any required changes, the organisation as a whole can run a lot smoother.

8. Change management

Programme managers are vital when an organisation wants effective change delivery. Senior management can also use programme management frameworks like MSP to direct the change process.

9. Transition management

Often, organisations want to change the way they work. When a programme manager is involved, every project can fall in line with new methods. Programme managers can deliver a smooth transition from the current to the future business operation.

10. Risk management

Programme managers are a useful part of any risk management strategy. They can share lessons learned and best practices with every project, reducing costs and delays.

Managing Successful Programmes comprises a set of principles and processes for programme managers. MSP founded on best practice, although it is not prescriptive. It is very flexible and designed to be adapted to meet the needs of local circumstances. To find out more, see our full list of MSP courses. For questions or queries about this or any of our other courses, please visit our contact page.