Many organizations embark on growth and evolution each year to stay competitive. As part of that process, organizations often lose sight of the fact that to ensure successful implementation, someone needs to drive those activities. Program Managers do that for
you. Their passion is to ensure they understand your vision and execute it flawlessly. Program Management is a strategic approach to leading a portfolio of project activities and initiatives aligned to business objectives. According to Gartner, program management is the coordinated planning, management, and execution of multiple related projects that are directed toward the same strategic, business, or organizational objectives.
Leveraging an outside Program Management consultant brings a broad perspective and skills to drive change across a digital landscape. Their experience gives them the ability to see the big picture and tactical tasks required to keep you moving forward on your business roadmap. A good Program Manager will focus on ensuring success through time, quality, and cost.
Program Management encompasses:
- Objectives and goals defined for the project
- Defining business and solution requirements
- Aligning a project plan with tasks, to business goals
- Aligning resources to ensure delivery success
- Project plan control to ensure execution from start to finish
- Managing costs for budget transparency so budget tradeoffs can be made in a dynamic fashion
- Action, issue, and risk management to make sure communication and mitigation strategies are in place to succeed
- Quality assurance to manage the quality of a service or product in production to meet business standards
- Lessons learned by identifying success and failures to facilitate improvement in future projects
Many organizations start by defining their goals, and then select a person or team of individuals from within their organization to step in and ensure the success of those goals. The challenge with this approach is there are usually competing priorities with that individual’s day-to-day role. The strategic objectives of the company end up competing with daily operational activities resulting in failure. A dedicated, limited-duration team has the skills, experience, and finite focus on these activities resulting in execution success.
Top qualities you should look for in a Program Manager:
- Scope management
- Budget management
- Resource management
- Stakeholder management
- Actions/Issues/Risk management
- Relationship management skills
- Conflict resolution skills
- Negotiation skills
- Communication and reporting
Many companies are successful in operating with their team wearing multiple hats; this is a great way to ensure agility in your workforce. However, there are times when bringing in outside strategic support will help you be more successful at staying in line with your organization’s vision. An outside Program Management office can bring objectivity and best practices you may not have thought of, and they bring a finite focus to your vision ensuring a higher level of success.
If you are investing in your roadmap, then invest in the right individual or team to ensure you see results.
Author: Y’vonne Ormond