|
Michelle Breslin, USA
|
Criteria Program versus Project?
I am trying to develop general criteria for determining if a group of projects should stay projects or if there is enough interdependency to make them a program or one large project.
Anyone having theory or guidance on what type of criteria or questions to use to help to make this determination?
X
Sign up for free
Welcome to the Program and Project Management forum of 12manage.
Here we exchange knowledge and experiences in the field of Program and Project Management.
❗Sign up now to gain access to 12manage. Completely free.
X
Continue for free
Please sign up and login to continue reading.
Here we exchange knowledge and experiences in the field of Program and Project Management.
❗Sign up now to gain access to 12manage. Completely free.
| |
|
|
| |
|
Codrin Nicolau, Romania
|
|
Same Processes, Stakeholders, Governance Very interesting issue. Having in mind that in a program benefit management, stakeholders management and governance should count first (see PMI Program management standard), I think that research should focus on similar/same processes found in particular projects in the group, in order to "standardize" them and transform the group in a program. Find also if projects are conflictual or synergetical in respect to resources or results. Through this optimization benefits can start to be managed (this is particular to programs). Second, see if it is about same/similar stakeholders and the same "project marketing". Third, see if the same governance schema can be applied. Of course this is more to say, but this is a start.
|
| |
|
Jean-Michel DE JAEGER, EMBA, PMP
Project Manager, France
|
|
Same High Level Objectives In my opinion, to make it as simple as possible, if we go back to basics program characteristics, if the group of projects have the same high level objectives and then only, you can manage them as a program.
|
| |
|
Dennis van der Spoel
Management Consultant, Netherlands
|
|
Programme or Multi-Project - A programme consists of various activities, including one or more projects, that contribute to attaining a COMMON GOAL. This means the projects and the outcomes and benefits of the activities reinforce, compliment each other for greater impact towards the same (strategic) objective/goal.
- A multi-project environment is typically a collection of projects that draw from the SAME RESOURCE POOL or the SAME BUDGET, which therefor calls for priority ranking between the projects.
Project portfolio management is the art of selecting the right projects and prioritize accordingly.
|
| |
|
Dave T, UK
|
|
Program versus Project Yes, a programme concerns the management of a portfolio of projects, the combined outcomes from which the business benefits are derived. You need to measure if your projects (or are they work-streams) are related or not. If they are related work-streams then it could be said they form a programme. All feedback on this is really stating the same thing.
|
| |
|
Mellacheruvu Adi Saasthry
Director, India
|
|
Detailed Criteria for Determining Project versus Program Following somewhat more detailed criteria/guidance to help determine the decision for a program or for a collection of projects:
- What is the ultimate goal vs our organization goal?
- By executing these projects are we going to get there as per our vision and strategy?
- Are all or group of your projects related?
- What are we achieving by executing these projects?
- Who are the beneficiaries? What are they achieving?
- What are the business drivers?
- What is the business value?
- What are the various technologies that should be leveraged?
- What are the CSFs?
- What kind of dependencies (resources, technology etc.) exists between projects, can they be executed in isolation?
- Can these projects be executed separately – identify the risks (if any) and identify all the assumptions and constraints.
|
| |
|
Fulvio Polo
Italy
|
|
Criteria Program Vs. Project Hi Michelle an idea may be:
- Find the projects terms, items, components by analyzing each project.
- Try to give them a numeric value or qualitative attribute
- Use a technique like clustering analysis or similar, in order to group together the projects.
- Probably every group generated can be an unique project.
|
| |
|
Richard Davis
Management Consultant, United States
|
|
Program versus Project: Practical Considerations Hi Michelle, all of the above have a common thread (similar goals), but look at the PRACTICAL side as well. Will creating an overarching program benefit the business in any important way?
If the projects are large, they already may have administrative overhead (project administrators etc. assigned to them.
* Can the creation of a program reduce the administrative overhead by consolidating these support resources? If it does, there is a clear improvement to the projects' collective business case (reduced administrative costs).
* Is there a long-term benefit by assigning a program manager that can create consistency of vision across multiple projects/long phases? If so, the business may want to bear the additional cost of a program manager rather than re-teach new project managers whenever one changes.
Look for other clear benefits you can easily quantify, rather than theoretical benefits, and you'll have an easier time selling the creation of a program organization.
|
| |
|
T. Stahl, Canada
|
|
When Does a Project Belong in a Program? The process to determine if a project belongs in a program is simple:
1. Ensure that your program has a good goal statement.
2. Ask this one question: is the project in question vital or key to the accomplishment of the program goal?
|
| |
|
David Dicanot
Analyst, France
|
|
Criteria Program versus Project The different provided criteria make me think we can't define and launch a programme before having a clear definition of the set of projects which it consist of.
|
| |
|
Mudukula Mukubi
Business Consultant, Zambia
|
|
Program versus Project If the respective projects target the same clientele, with evidence of mutuality of goals and a clear benefit in sharing both management and financial resources, then there is a case for declaring them a program.
On the contrary, if the said projects have disparate target groups or unrelated aims, they may be better running in their separate ways, even if there could be a unified chain of command.
|
| |
|
sweety, United States
|
|
Program versus Project Management A program is a super set of all projects. If all projects share the same technology, manufacturing process, design then one can apply a common strategy to all projects and create a program for that purpose.
|
| |
|
Vaibhav Behere, India
|
|
Criteria for Program versus Projects A program may be created if a group of projects
1A) has common beneficiaries AND
1B) are interdependent
OR
2A) serve a set of business goals or function or service AND
2B) to logically re-align resources and reduce overheads
Technology is not necessarily a factor to be considered prior to the creation, but it can be. A program may also impact communication in a positive manner as it brings people on a common platform.
|
| |
|
sweety, United States
|
|
Program versus Project Management @Vaibhav Behere : in my experience, in hi tech industry, technology does matter. In production, different products built using the same technology have many common features and issues.
Hence same strategy could be used in the execution.
|
| |
|
Vaibhav Behere, India
|
|
Criteria for Program versus Project @Sweety: I do agree that technology very much matters in a way that it addresses the stated objective. A program, as against a project, need not have a technological constraint, since it is initiated ...
|
| |
|
Jaap de Jonge
Editor, Netherlands
|
|
Is Common Technology a Reason for a Program? In my opinion, a common technology is not a necessary condition for or characteristic of a program, but it CAN be a reason for a program:
- Firstly, if creating the technology (platform) is the goal ...
|
| |
|
Luis, China
|
|
Program or Projects, Criteria to be Defined - Do these projects serve the same business purpose or objectives?
- Are there any dependencies among these projects?
- Will these projects be finished almost in the same period?
Note also that som...
|
| |
|
Dennis van der Spoel
Management Consultant, Netherlands
|
|
Best Practices of When to Have a Program Rather than a Project When you need a program? When you need an effective way to attain your bounding (primairy) objective through benefits. A program can be used to achieve:
- Organizational changes (change managers)
- ...
|
| |
|
Ashok Kella
Manager, India
|
|
A Program is Like a Federal Governing System Also look at the following:
Is every project (block of a program) independent, and is producing its own individual output and scale enough?
Or should it work as a block, and must synergy be ensured ...
|
| |
|
George Lobb, Canada
|
|
Program versus Project(s) - PROJECTS: There is a clear time-bounded intended result inherent in a project... Projects are generally short-term endeavours with a limited-scope that is physical deliverable.
- PROGRAMS may take ...
|
| |
|
Mrs.Sayran Ghafuri,Kittani
Coach, Iraq
|
|
The Program is a Group of Projects that are Related to Each Other Michelle Breslin : Projects that are related to each other become a program such as a graduate program that includes a large number of small projects related to each other....
|
| |
|
Jaap de Jonge
Editor, Netherlands
|
|
Related Projects is not Enough for a Program @Mrs. Sayran Ghafuri,Kittani: If projects are related that is relevant, but not enough to justify a program. What really matters is a common GOAL of the projects.
When we are discussing "programs"' h...
|
| |
|
Mrs.Sayran Ghafuri,Kittani
Coach, Iraq
|
|
Integration Standard The standard of integration between different projects may also be a reason for the possibility of combining a number of different projects in one program....
|
|
Log in
Comments by date▼