Program Management

Understanding the program management office

Is the program management office stuck between portfolios and projects, or the glue that holds everything together?

What is the difference between a project and program management office? The answer is in the nature of programs and projects.

The difference between project and program management

The Project was in trouble. Established to deliver vital business transformation through the implementation of a revitalised end-to-end IT system, The Project was several months behind schedule, and well over budget. Worse still, there was scant light at the end of the tunnel. Pressure was on to deliver or heads were going to roll, and stress inside the project team was high.

Program management education – where are we now?

Education in program management is currently provided through both vocational and postgraduate academic programs, leading to recognised qualifications. This is predominantly provided by organisations with courses and programs accredited by either or both of the Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM) and Project Management Institute (PMI). The relevant vocational qualification is an Advanced Diploma of […]

Disaster management for project managers

Disasters, emergencies, crises—call them what you will, but there’s no doubt adverse situations need their own special treatment. If you think a disaster situation would be the perfect fit for a project manager looking for the thrill of a high pressure role, perhaps it would be wise to take a look at what disaster management […]

Project prioritisation matters

In business, how often do you see a list of tasks or initiatives, yet only the high priority ones are worked on? Lower priority initiatives are then delayed until they are forgotten or until they become high priority. Worse still is when lower priority initiatives are halted before completion, so higher priority initiatives can commence. […]

A new paradigm for program management

There is often a gap between the strategic vision and plans of a corporate executive or board and the immediate needs experienced by staff at the coalface. Responding to the latter is generally a more tactical focus, possibly consuming resources that might otherwise be directed at addressing the corporate strategies. Likewise, without comprehensive communication and […]

Project, program and portfolio governance, the basis of successful delivery

Project, program and portfolio governance is vital to deliver on time, on cost, with the desired quality, and to deliver to stakeholder expectations.