The roles and responsibilities of an effective programme management department can be wide and varied. A typical definition looks at this activity as a though it were a department. Which it is probably not. If it were, then there would be more vehicles for its research and development, more decisions to take to manage which would mean that some might not be very effective as they only do what is necessary to continue to support the role. But let us take a look at their primary roles. Defined on an accredited msp training course.
The first is in its charter review function. If this were its primary function, then it would have to demonstrate its achievements in these areas first and foremost. Whether they can sufficiently support the methods they need to learn from the research they have done already is a potentially important check against the success of this function.
The review results need to be sufficiently rigorous that they will able to show, in a simple and relevant fashion, what the correct ways of planning have been (conformity versus Australia explores have been well documented as a good guide), what the performance has been, and why it has been or not. This needs to illustrate that a strong performance not only indicates compliance with the charter but also achieved through processes and people that operate to the required standards.
However, the dual role that the ‘programme management’ department has is in research and development. Historically this has been seen as an essential part of the programme management function. Now, however, times have changed. While it will always require research to determine what will be in the charter to enable the methodology, and the research is not restricted to the scope that it used to be in the earlier days (they still do have research needs), its nature has changed. Today, where the charter and the research are a much more critical part of the research department’s function, see the program management department supporting the research. It provides management support to the research.
The case-based experience will show that the research and development component stays relatively high on the essential skills that program managers need to possess. Suppose we are to use an external resource to support our managers in developing these skills. In that case, this skill sits on the believer list, just after the victims and the accountability and resources. However, the other big skill sets and equipment for the programme management function are implementing the program methodology to implement all of the itsspective successfully.
So what can we conclude?
It has to be stated that the underlying aspect (not the more specific constituents) of the standard practices of ‘programme management’ is that it may exist to support the research. It is no more complex than that.
Every day, there is too much to do in the day-to-day repercussions of the research funded in terms of energy resources. The event times, design stages, the delivery of the product all have to be looked at in terms of costs and the subsequent strategies to ensure that they are within the scope of the main programme within the organisation.
The key is to have such a main programme designed to deal with the minor amenable activities from either an organisational or a national government perspective and more amenable from a research and development standpoint.
