PMcom 2023 04 PMtoProgramManager

MOVING FROM
PROJECT MANAGER
TO PROGRAM
MANAGER:
A SURVIVAL GUIDE
Project HEADWAY Webinar Series
MARK MULLALY, PH.D., PMP

mark.mullaly@interthink.ca
@markmullaly
20 04 2022
Webinar Objectives
Explore The Challenges Of Moving From Project Manager To Program Manager
Understand The Role Of Program Management
Develop Strategies To Transition And Excel In The Program Management Role
Moving From Project Manager To Program Manager: A Survival Guide 20 APRIL 2023 3
Webinar Process – Things to Know
This Is A Zoom Webinar Presentation

• PowerPoint
• Computer-based audio stream
Problems or Help?
• Contact Heather using the Q&A box
Questions?
• Submit a question in the Q&A box
• Questions will be answered during the Q&A session
• We may not be able to answer all questions
This Presentation Will Be Recorded for Future Reference

PDUs
Agenda
• Introduction
• Defining Our Terms
• Challenges Of Transition
• Framing Program Management
• Transitioning & Excelling As A Program Manager
• Question & Answer Session
DEFINING OUR TERMS
Program
Moving From Project Manager To Program Manager: A

Survival Guide 20 APRIL 2023 6
Defining ‘Program'
Ø'Program' Means:
Ø A public notice
Ø A brief usually printed outline of the order to be followed, of the features to be presented,
and the persons participating (as in a public performance)
Ø A plan or system under which action may be taken toward a goal
Ø Curriculum
Ø Prospectus, syllabus
Ø A sequence of coded instructions that can be inserted into a mechanism (such as a
computer)
ØSource: merriam-webster.com
• Definition taken on 16 April 2023
There Are A Diversity Of Interpretations
‘Program’ Is Variously Understood To Mean:

• Really large projects
• Groups of related projects
• Groups of projects being managed by an organization
• Large-scale changes (which may or may not involve projects)
• On-going streams of operational or functional work

• Especially in a government context
Definitions Cover A Broad Range Of Behaviors

• Which make agreeing on what program management is altogether more
complicated
Defining ‘Program Management’
Different Sources Again Define It Differently:

• ”The process of managing several related projects, often with the intention of
improving an organization's performance.”
wikipedia.org
• “A group of related projects, subprograms, and program activities, managed in a

coordinated way to obtain benefits not available from managing them individually.”
PMI, Standard for Program Management, 4th Edition
• “A set of related projects and required organizational changes to reach a strategic

goal and to achieve the defined business benefits.”
IPMA, Organizational Competence Baseline
There Are Essential Commonalities
Programs Are Commonly Viewed As Involving:

• Multiple projects
• That are related
• Delivering benefits
The Differences Are In The Details

• Why programs are related
• The manner in which programs are coordinated
• The nature of the benefits to be realized
CHALLENGES OF
TRANSITION

It Is One Thing To Be A Project Manager…
Career Progression As A Project Manager Is Its Own Challenge

• Taking on bigger projects
• Tackling greater complexity
• Expanding overall responsibility
Stays Within The Realm Of The Overall Role

• The essential responsibilities are still the same
Shifts Magnitude Of Workload And Focus

• The effort and attention required to successfully do the work
…It Is Another Thing To Be A Program Manager
Being A Program Manager Is A Different Set Of Responsibilities

• The work is different
• The focus is different
• The challenges are different
• The accountabilities are different
• The strategies to succeed are different
Being A Good Project Manager Isn’t About Reaching A Specific Scale Or Scope
• It is an altogether different proposition
• It requires very different focus, attention and skills
The Thinking Process Is Different
Being A Program Manager Requires Different Levels Of Thinking

• Less about the details
• More about the conceptual whole and the points of integration between parts
This Requires Stepping Away From What Needs To Happen

• More of an emphasis on why that is necessary
• Clarity and specificity in terms of the value that is being delivered
Not Looking At The Specifics Of Any One Project

• Exploring how all of them connect and serve a larger whole
The Actual Work Is Different
Being A Project Manager Means Being On Top Of The Details

• That still happens
• It is, however, no longer your job
Second-Guessing The Details Is Not Helpful

• It’s simply micro-managing
• It doesn’t provide value or help anyone be more successful
• The only beneficiary is your own ego
Being A Program Manager Means Letting Go Of The Details

• It requires sustaining focus on the broader outcomes that matter
Expectations Are More Diffuse—And More Demanding
Being A Program Manager Means Accepting Broader Responsibilities

• Ensuring delivery of organizationally-important outcomes
That Is Inherently More Abstract And Less Direct Than Driving The Project
• You don’t have hands-on control of the work
• You are endeavoring to influence what is done and how it is accomplished
Accountability Is More Intense

• There tends to be more organizational scrutiny of what is being done
• Expectations of performance and follow-through are higher
• Answerability is often to the highest levels of the organization
Politics Are More Complicated—And More Intense
Hand-In-Hand With Expectations Are Organizational Politics

• The influence of creating specific outcomes for the organization
• Often any given project—and particularly any program—has competing outcomes
The Power Associated With Arguing For Expectations Can Be Intense

• Visibility and focus can extend to the highest levels of the organization
• Competing agendas can result in significant conflicts and disagreements
Resolving Differences Of Expectation And Opinion Take More Work And Effort
• Brokering and facilitating a cohesive understanding of what is needed
• Landing on a mutually acceptable and agreed-upon outcome
• Ensuring the organizational needs of the program are still best served
FRAMING PROGRAM
MANAGEMENT

The Origins Of Program Management
For The Most Part, It Evolved With Project Management

• Program management has always been a part
In Reality, It Was Probably The Initial Dominant Focus

• Industrial turnaround and maintenance efforts at Dupont
• Polaris nuclear missile platform for US DoD
Both Efforts Represented Large Scale Change Efforts

• Comprehensive efforts
• Multiple, integrated streams of work
• Even suggested within the term 'Program Evaluation & Review Technique'
• Meaning of the acronym that we know as 'PERT'
What's Involved In Program Management
From PMI's Perspective, Program Management Involves Five Key Domains:
Program
Strategy
Alignment
Program Life Program

Program
Cycle Benefits
Governance
Management Management
Program
Stakeholder
Engagement
Source: Standard for Program Management, 4th Edition
What's Involved In Program Management
And Three Essential Phases Of Work:
Program Program
Program Delivery
Definition Closure
Source: Standard for Program Management, 4th Edition

Delineating Program Management Focus
Taking PMI’s Structure, There Are Really Two Key Dimensions To Program
Management
Oversight And Delivery

• Program Governance – oversight and decision making
• Program Life Cycle Management – ensuring actual delivery
Attainment Of Results
• Program Strategy Alignment
• Program Benefits Realization
• Program Stakeholder Engagement
That Is A Lot Of Different Perspectives…
Yes, It Is…
• But there are essential areas of focus
The Core Elements Of Program Management Are:

• Defining the outcomes to be delivered
• Organizing the work to be done
• Providing co-ordination across all the projects to realize intended benefits
• Maintaining visibility and awareness of all of the above
What This Actually Looks Like
Being Clear About The Value To Be Delivered

• Knowing the value being provided by each project, and the program as a whole
Defining The Process To Be Followed

• Setting clear management expectations for how each project is coordinated
Maintaining Dependencies And Points Of Integration

• Knowing the alignment points and critical dependencies that make the program work
Keeping Aware Of How Projects Progress—Individually And Collectively

• Sustaining a consistent understanding of progress, roadblocks and resolutions
TRANSITIONING &
EXCELLING AS A
PROGRAM MANAGER

Recognize The Shift That You Are Making
Appreciate That This Isn’t Simply Managing Bigger Projects

• This isn’t an exercise in scale and complexity
What You Pay Attention To Is Materially Different

• You are not managing minutiae
• You are focused on how the overall pieces come together into an overall whole
You Are Stepping Away From Hands-On Direction

• You no longer have end-to-end control
• Your ability to shape outcomes is much more aligned with the exercise of
influence
Let Go Of Control
A Big Part Of This Is Letting Go Of Control

• Recognizing that your role is much less hands-on
• Allowing for the fact that you can influence, but not specifically require
• You are certainly well past the point of doing and building yourself
This Is Not To Say That Control Doesn’t Exist

• It simply operates at a very different level
You Are Controlling The Macro Perspective Of How Components Fit Together
• Not the details of how specific activities and deliverables get produced
Accept What It Means To Provide Oversight
Oversight Is About Coordination

• You are not guiding, directing or requiring
• You are verifying and ensuring important outcomes are realized
Oversight Has Three Important Dimensions

• The results that are to be produced, and their significance to overall outcomes
• The value of realizing those results, and their influence on the organization
• Maintaining the connection between components, and how these align to deliver value
Keep This Emphasis Front And Centre

• Know the results that matter, and ensure that they are delivered
• Know why those results are important, and the value that they are expected to produce
• Make decisions that keeps directing towards ensuring they are delivered
Create Reasonable Process Expectations
Part Of The Program Management Role Is Defining Process

• Creating consistent expectations around how projects will be delivered
Define The Management Structure Necessary To Function

• In the context of a program, every project should adopt the same essential
approach
• Where there are differences, there need to be very good reasons for them
• This is not about the project manager’s personal preferences
Define What You Need To Know From Each Project

• Plan, status, risks, decisions and changes, at a minimum
Maintain Alignment
This Covers Dimensions Of Both Planning And Preparation For Doing:

• Identifying the component projects to be done
• In essence, organizing the work
• Defining the standards by which the work will be managed
• These could be organizational or program standards
• Identifying the interdependencies
• Resource overlaps
• Gaps between the projects
• Overlapping areas of responsibility
• Actual interdependencies
In Essence, How Do You Organize Something This Big?

• What needs to be done?
• How do all the pieces fit together?
• What needs to be done to ensure a common approach?
Stay Focused On Value
What Overall Results Is The Program Intended To Produce?

• What will it tangibly deliver to the organization?
• What will that mean in terms of measurable outcomes?
This Covers Off Two Core Dimensions:

• Program strategy alignment
• Program benefits management
Most Of This Transpires In The Stage Of Program Definition

• Subsequent stages address ensuring this value continues to get delivered
• Managing changes in expectation where shifts in strategy are identified
Call Out Potential—Or Real—Problems
A Fundamental Dimension Of Program Management Is Addressing Risk

• Identifying potential or actual problems
• Defining and implementing appropriate mitigation strategies
Create Clear Accountability For Decisions

• What decisions get made
• Who needs to make each one
• How those decisions get communicated
• The very high threshold that must be cleared to change a decision once made
Coordinate Resolution Of Problems Across All Projects

• Not just how a problem gets resolved for one individual project
• How that choices plays out and influences all projects within the program
IN CONCLUSION…

In Conclusion…
Becoming A Program Manager Is A Logical Progression From Project Management

• It is also very different work to take on
• It requires different skills, focus, thinking and emphasis to succeed
A Significant Focus Of Successful Program Management Is Taking A Macro View
• Being clear about results and value to be delivered
• Building a coherent strategy to deliver those results
• Defining essential and consistent means by which those results are managed
• Identifying and maintaining awareness of linkages, dependencies and risks
Making The Transition Successfully Requires Shifting Focus And Emphasis
• Moving away from control to providing oversight and coordination
• Defining appropriate process to maintain visibility and coordinate alignment
• Staying focused on continuing to deliver the overall promised value
• Proactively addressing problems and risks with a big picture view of the whole
Q&A
MOVING FROM PROJECT

MANAGER TO PROGRAM
MANAGER:
A SURVIVAL GUIDE Moving From Project Manager To Program Manager: A
In Conclusion…
Quick Review:
Process to Pose a Question
Questions?

Mark Mullaly, PhD, PMP Survival Guide 20 APRIL 2023 36
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Mark Your Calendars!
Project HEADWAY
Measuring Intangibles
(and why that matters)
Thursday, 18 May 2023

@ 3:00 PM EDT
THANK YOU
QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTER?
MARK MULLALY, PH.D., PMP

mark.mullaly@interthink.ca
@markmullaly

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MOVING FROM

MARK MULLALY, PH.D., PMP

Explore The Challenges Of Moving From Project Manager To Program Manager

Understand The Role Of Program Management

Develop Strategies To Transition And Excel In The Program Management Role

This Is A Zoom Webinar Presentation

This Presentation Will Be Recorded for Future Reference

Moving From Project Manager To Program Manager: A

‘Program’ Is Variously Understood To Mean:

• Groups of related projects

• Groups of projects being managed by an organization

• Large-scale changes (which may or may not involve projects)

• On-going streams of operational or functional work

Definitions Cover A Broad Range Of Behaviors

Different Sources Again Define It Differently:

• “A group of related projects, subprograms, and program activities, managed in a

• “A set of related projects and required organizational changes to reach a strategic

Programs Are Commonly Viewed As Involving:

• That are related

The Differences Are In The Details

• The manner in which programs are coordinated

• The nature of the benefits to be realized

Moving From Project Manager To Program Manager: A

Career Progression As A Project Manager Is Its Own Challenge

• Tackling greater complexity

• Expanding overall responsibility

Stays Within The Realm Of The Overall Role

Shifts Magnitude Of Workload And Focus

Being A Program Manager Is A Different Set Of Responsibilities

• The focus is different

• The challenges are different

• The accountabilities are different

• The strategies to succeed are different

• It requires very different focus, attention and skills

Being A Program Manager Requires Different Levels Of Thinking

This Requires Stepping Away From What Needs To Happen

• Clarity and specificity in terms of the value that is being delivered

Not Looking At The Specifics Of Any One Project

Being A Project Manager Means Being On Top Of The Details

Second-Guessing The Details Is Not Helpful

Being A Program Manager Means Letting Go Of The Details

Being A Program Manager Means Accepting Broader Responsibilities

Accountability Is More Intense

Hand-In-Hand With Expectations Are Organizational Politics

The Power Associated With Arguing For Expectations Can Be Intense

Moving From Project Manager To Program Manager: A

For The Most Part, It Evolved With Project Management

In Reality, It Was Probably The Initial Dominant Focus

Both Efforts Represented Large Scale Change Efforts

From PMI's Perspective, Program Management Involves Five Key Domains:

Program Life Program

And Three Essential Phases Of Work:

Source: Standard for Program Management, 4th Edition

Oversight And Delivery

The Core Elements Of Program Management Are:

• Organizing the work to be done

• Providing co-ordination across all the projects to realize intended benefits

• Maintaining visibility and awareness of all of the above