Transitioning to Program Management

Curriculum

In this multi-episode adventure, you will step into the shoes of a bright, young program manager, Natasha, as she navigates her way through the key areas of program management. Here is a glimpse of each episode and what you will learn as you play:

Episode 1: Wearing the Program Manager’s Hat

Step into the shoes of Natasha, the program manager. Make smart decisions to get her program off to a promising start:

• Understand the difference between projects and programs
• Explore the roles and responsibilities of a program manager
• Appreciate the why behind your program

Episode 2: Plan. Plan. Plan.

Interact with your program sponsor and key stakeholders to come up with a detailed plan, before jumping into action:

• Create a dynamic program plan, with trackable milestones
• Negotiate scope and resources with key stakeholders
• Plan resource and project allocation
• Beware of biases in program planning

Episode 3: The Law That Governs

Without the right governance, chaos ensues. It’s up to you to find a way to bring everything back on track:

• Understand the need for program governance
• Define a clear governance framework for your program

Episode 4: Where are the Risks?

Programs are being shut down due to poor planning. Do what you must to keep yours afloat:

• Identify potential risks from various sources
• Determine contingency and mitigation plans
• Steer clear of the biases in risk management

Episode 5: The Stakeholder Challenge

Your stakeholders have concerns that can bring your program to a halt. It’s up to you to get them back on board:

• Map stakeholders on the power-interest matrix and the engagement continuum
• Understand and address their needs through empathy and mindful communication
• Use key influencing techniques to get their buy-in

Episode 6: Share the Knowledge

A lot of time is being wasted by reinventing the wheel. Help improve effectiveness by building strong knowledge sharing practices:

• Understand the different roles in knowledge sharing
• Create a culture of knowledge sharing
• Devise a customized communication strategy to circulate key information to all stakeholders

Episode 7: Change Alert

With everything on track, a sudden request from a senior stakeholder creates panic all around. Take control and handle the situation:

• Understand the why behind the change request
• Utilize the triple constraint model to address the change
• Bring about greater agility and avoid biases when dealing with change

Episode 8: And, So It Ends.

All’s well that ends well. Bring your program to a logical close, before you call it a day:

• Ensure a maintenance plan is place
• Conduct a lessons learnt with the team
• Ensure program documentation is complete
• Celebrate success. You did it!