Project Vs Program.

Introduction
Many people are uncertain about the difference between a project and a program (also please refer to note on spelling conventions used on ICB.com).

Management consultants are regularly involved in supporting clients through periods of complex change and consequently clarity on the basic definitions of a project and a program, and the difference between a project and a program are important.

It is also important that management consultants use consistent terms and language when describing work to be undertaken in order that the client can understand the nature and scale of the consulting intervention that will be required. Although many of the change management considerations are common between a program and a project, the nature of the consulting work required to support each type of initiative is quite distinct.

Definition of a Project
A project is a temporary entity established to deliver specific (often tangible) outputs in line with predefined time, cost and quality constraints. A project should always be defined and executed and evaluated relative to an (Executive) approved business case which balances the costs, benefits and risks of the project. The project business case should be managed under change control.

Definition of a Program
A program is a portfolio comprised of multiple projects that are managed and coordinated as one unit with the objective of achieving (often intangible) outcomes and benefits for the organization.

Difference between a Project and a Program
The following table summarizes the main areas of difference between a project and a program

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How to Complete a Feasibility Study

Image
April 19, 2017 Would you personally risk a million dollars on the chance that something might succeed without at first researching its likelihood of success?  Of course not. Yet in a business context, it’s all too common to launch new projects and initiatives with little research into their feasibility. Common sense dictates that your project must be feasible or else you’re not going to successfully complete it. Right? That’s our starting point, always, as project leaders. But knowing the viability of a project upfront is easier said than done.  A  Feasibility Study  will help you identify critical goals and aspects of the project you might overlook if you plunge into the project without assessing its viability and potential impacts to the bottom line, in addition to helping you identify a range of different alternatives solutions to potential problems in advance. Therefore, it’s can also be a crucial tool to help a team decide on which solution is most feasible to implement. Whi
Read more
Image
Project management is like juggling three balls - time, cost and quality. Programme management is like a troupe of circus performers standing in a circle, each juggling-three balls and swapping balls from time to time. "Trying to manage a project without project management is like trying to play a football game without a game plan". "A badly planned project will take three times longer than expected - a well planned project only twice as long as expected." "A change freeze is like the abominable snowman: it is a myth and would anyway melt when heat is applied." "A little risk management saves a lot of fan cleaning." "A minute saved at the start is just as effective as one saved at the end." "A problem shared is a buck passed." "A project ain't over until the fat cheque is cashed." "A project gets a year late one day at a time." "A project is one small step for the project sponsor, one gian
Read more

A Project Plan for the Future

Image
The project plan for a business venture has to be set down and documented for its full potential to become a reality. This is most commonly done today in the digital format so time and energy can be saved in the arduous task. The creating of a modern project plan today is generally done with the use of several different project management tools that are available. Of these project planning tools, the most often used is the project management template sets. This is a collection of 52 different digital templates used for the planning and documentation of the projects many different components. There are nine different processes that every project plan has to have documented. These templates are laid out so each one is done in the most logical and effeicent manner so the execution phase of the project’s lifecycle can be achieved with the fewest problems. Each template has been created by applying the most current business models for that particular process along with the internal tool
Read more