The Misconception and Importance of Program Management

Amrit Bhatia

Published in

Agile Insider

6 min readMar 24, 2023

Author: Amrit Bhatia

MBA|PMP|PMI-ACP|CSM|SAFe|Six Sigma Black Belt|ITIL

Abstract:

Program management is a critical role that must be understood in the industry. The common understanding of program management involves the following:

Delivering projects on time.
Checking off a list.
Being a facilitator.
Removing blockers.

However, the most underappreciated and stressful job requires effective leadership without authority. This article explores the responsibilities of a program manager, including planning and designing the program, proactive monitoring of its progress, defining program governance arrangements, removing blockers and initiating corrective action, ensuring quality assurance, managing budgets, allocating resources, managing contracts and third-party involvement, managing communications standards and stakeholders, managing program interferences, risk management, escalation, and reporting the program status.

In this article, I have also presented some statistics to emphasize the importance of program management practices, the culture that values program management, and program portfolio management for business success. Additionally, I want to highlight the dissatisfaction with the current level of PM maturity in organizations and the need to create awareness of the concept of program management.

Strong leadership and investment in program management practices can lead to successful growth. My name is Amrit Bhatia, and I am a successful Program Manager with more than 18 years of experience in IT and Business. I am currently working in Amazon Web Services, and before it, I worked in multinational companies like HERE Technologies, Grainger, GE-GENPACT, and IBM.

I played a critical role and led large-scale programs, adding success stories to my career and the companies I worked in.

In this article, I want to share a few facts to provide awareness in the industry about our misconception about Program Management.

Introduction:

Program management is a critical role in organizations that involves leading and coordinating multiple related projects to achieve strategic goals. It requires a high level of expertise, leadership skills, and effective management practices to deliver complex programs successfully. The program manager is responsible for ensuring the effective execution of the program by working with cross-functional teams, managing resources, mitigating risks, and meeting the program’s objectives. Through this article, I highlight the misconception about program management and present the responsibilities of a program manager, as well as statistical evidence to support the importance of program management practices.

Common Understanding:

Program management is a critical role that needs to be more understood. Many people in the industry believe that program management is just about delivering projects on time and removing blockers. However, this needs to be completed and corrected understanding of program management.

In reality, program management is a complex and multifaceted role that requires effective leadership, strong management practices, and managing multiple projects simultaneously. The program manager must take a strategic approach to plan, designing, and executing the program while proactively monitoring its progress and ensuring that it stays on track to meet its objectives.

In addition, the program manager is responsible for defining program governance arrangements, ensuring quality assurance, managing budgets, allocating resources, managing contracts and third-party involvement, managing communications standards and stakeholders, managing program interferences, risk management, escalation, and reporting the program status.

Ultimately, the program manager must ensure the program meets its objectives while staying within the allocated budget and resources. This requires a combination of leadership, management, and technical skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with stakeholders across the organization.

Responsibilities of a Program Manager in Reality:

In reality, program management is the most underappreciated and stressful job. We lead without authority and still make sure we deliver effectively. From personal examples, I can tell that a program is like a baby to me. You have to nurture it a lot to be successful.

Here are a few facts about what a program manager’s responsibilities are :

Planning and designing the program:

Develop a comprehensive plan outlining the objectives, timeline, budget, and resources required to execute the program successfully.
Example: A program manager responsible for implementing a new software system may plan and design the program by creating a project charter, scope statement, and work breakdown structure.

Proactive monitoring of the program’s progress:

Tracking and reporting the program’s progress regularly ensures it is on schedule and within budget.
Example: A program manager overseeing the construction of a new office building may use a project management software tool to monitor the project’s progress in real-time and ensure that it is meeting the set milestones.

Defining program governance arrangements:

Establishing policies, procedures, and guidelines to ensure the program aligns with the organization’s strategic goals and objectives.
Example: A program manager responsible for implementing a new HR system may establish governance arrangements by defining the roles and responsibilities of team members, documenting procedures for data entry and access, and implementing security measures.

Removing blockers and initiating corrective action:

Identifying potential risks and issues hindering the program’s progress and taking disciplinary action to mitigate them.
Example: A program manager responsible for implementing a new marketing campaign may identify a delay in creating marketing materials and take corrective action by reallocating resources or hiring additional staff.

Ensuring quality assurance:

Ensuring that the program’s deliverables meet the stakeholders’ specified quality standards and that the program’s objectives are achieved.
Example: A program manager responsible for implementing a new product launch may ensure quality assurance by testing the product before it is released, conducting user acceptance testing, and getting customer feedback.

Managing budgets:

Developing and managing the program’s budget to ensure that the program is completed within the allocated budget.
Example: A program manager responsible for implementing a new IT infrastructure may manage the budget by estimating the costs of hardware, software, and licensing and managing any change requests or scope changes that may impact the budget.

Allocating resources:

Allocating the necessary resources such as people, money, and equipment to ensure the program is completed on time and within budget.
Example: A program manager responsible for implementing a new supply chain management system may allocate resources by assigning specific tasks to team members, hiring additional staff, or purchasing necessary equipment.

Managing contracts and third-party involvement:

Managing the relationships with vendors and contractors involved in the program and ensuring they meet its requirements.
Example: A program manager responsible for implementing a new ERP system may manage contracts by negotiating terms and conditions with vendors, ensuring that they provide the necessary training and support, and monitoring their performance.

Managing communications standards and stakeholders:

Establishing communication channels and protocols ensure that stakeholders are informed about the program’s progress, and that their needs and expectations are met.
Example: A program manager responsible for implementing a new employee engagement program may manage communication standards by meeting regularly with stakeholders, sending email updates, and providing progress reports.

Managing program interferences:

Ensuring the program is not impacted by external factors such as organizational structure changes or market conditions.
Example: A program manager responsible for implementing a new strategic initiative may manage program interferences by assessing the potential risks and impacts of changes in the organization’s structure or market conditions and taking corrective action if necessary.

Risk management and escalation:

Identifying and managing potential risks that may impact the program’s progress and escalating issues to higher management as necessary.
Example: A program manager responsible for implementing a new compliance program may manage risks.

The program manager needs to do all these things without authority. So, it’s wrong to say that Program managers are just facilitators or notes take care perse. On the contrary, a good program manager is a true leader.

Statistics:

Organizations using proven program management practices waste 28 times less money than those without. (CIO, 2019)
Only 46% of organizations prioritize a culture that values program management. (PMI, 2020)
8 out of 10 program managers believe program portfolio management is critical for business success. (Axelos, 2019)
52% of respondents are somewhat or very dissatisfied with their organization’s current level of PM maturity, up from 45% in 2016. (Wellingtone, 2020)

Summary:

Program management is often misunderstood as delivering projects on time and removing blockers. However, this is an inaccurate perception. In reality, program management is a complex and multifaceted role that requires effective leadership, strong management practices, and managing multiple projects simultaneously.

The program manager must ensure the program meets its objectives while staying within the allocated budget and resources. To carry out these responsibilities effectively, the program manager must have the authority to make decisions and act. Failure to properly understand the role and responsibilities of program management can lead to poor outcomes and wasted resources. Therefore, it is essential to recognize the complexity of program management and its critical role in ensuring organizations' success.