Program management and project management might sound like similar practices, but they are very different. The difference between projects and programs has been ignored or confused by many people for too long. Project management is the process of leading a project performed by a team to achieve certain goals, such as building a new product. Common project management tasks include defining a detailed project plan, managing a project budget, allocating and assigning resources, and generating reports indicating status against schedule and budgets. Projects often have a defined budget, scope, and timeframe to be completed. Projects also have metrics and goals which determine their success and failure, typically on time and on budget.

Program management is a group of related projects managed in a coordinated manner to obtain benefits not available from managing them individually. It is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to meet program requirements. Since programs are linked to strategic initiatives, they are often long-running and possibly permanent. Programs continue through organizational change, contribute to multiple goals, and contain many projects that deliver specific components of the larger strategic initiative.

The key difference between program and project management is the scope. While program management focuses on the broader strategy, continuous improvement, and benefit realization, project management focuses on the specific tasks, deadlines, and tactical execution necessary to achieve the overall program goals. When executed properly, they are synergistic and complementary.

Five benefits of Programme Management are:

• Achieving the overall strategic goals of an organization.

Program management allows an organisation to initiate, define, redefine, accelerate or terminate projects in the program in accordance with achieving the overall strategic goals and visions of that organisation.

• Improve management of projects’ interdependencies and impact on the business as usual.

Program management enables organisations to oversee the interconnection between different projects in the program. That enables organisations to manage these projects efficiently in a manner that will avoid radical impact/disturbance from one project to another and subsequently to the flow of the business as usual.

• Effectively managing resources among projects within a program.

It enables organisations to effectively manage individual resources when there is a conflict in demand. Within a program, it is easier to prioritize the work and move resources among the projects accordingly.

• Manage risks, issues, and changes across the program efficiently.

Risks, and lessons learnt, are well communicated across the projects in a program through networks, share points, staff experience, etc. This approach allows reducing the costs and delays related to dealing with risks and issues since these will be repeatedly dealt with across the projects within a program as well as adopting best practices.

• Focus on the definition and management of strategic benefits.

Program management combines projects having the same vision, objectives, and goals to be managed together under one umbrella. That enables the organisation to tell which projects are contributing to the vision to be allowed in and which ones are not to be out.

We are here to assist you in project and program management, should you need any further information, kindly get in touch with us at info@precisemrc.co.zw / + 263 717 301 471