Enhancing your project delivery framework with a programme management component is essential for ensuring all your initiatives contribute to a cohesive, strategic vision for your organisation. Ray Wall, PM-Partners Client Engagement Director, explains the benefits of this approach and the steps you need to take to start integrating a programme-level view.

In today’s fast-paced and complex business environment, organisations are increasingly adopting a project-driven approach to meet evolving market demands. A robust project management (delivery) framework is essential to ensure that individual projects are delivered on time, within scope and budget, and to appropriate quality standards. However, while these frameworks provide structure and governance for project delivery, they often fall short when it comes to managing multiple related projects or achieving long-term strategic goals. This is where a programme management component becomes critical.  

Key differences between project and programme management  

A project management framework outlines the tools, processes, and standards used to manage individual projects. It provides project managers with structured approaches for planning, executing, and closing projects, ensuring consistency, reducing risk, and enhancing control. These frameworks are designed to be flexible, accommodating projects of various sizes and scales, but they primarily focus on specific project outcomes, often neglecting the broader organisational objectives. 

Programmes are essentially collections of projects that deliver common goals. Unlike projects, they often have longer durations and evolve over time, requiring greater governance and control. So, where a project management framework focuses on delivering individual project outcomes, programme management practices operate at a higher level – this is not just about managing more projects but ensuring that all projects work in harmony toward longer-term goals and strategic objectives. 

5 key reasons why you need a programme management component 

Particularly for organisations undergoing transformation or managing complex initiatives, introducing a broader programme management component into their existing delivery framework can bring significant strategic benefits. 

1. Alignment with strategic goals 

One of the key advantages of programme management is its ability to ensure that all projects align with the organisation’s strategic objectives. Without this, projects may operate in silos and fail to deliver meaningful contributions to the long-term vision. 

Programme management ensures that every project supports the broader goals of the organisation, reducing the risk of wasted resources and ensuring that efforts are driving value where it’s needed most. 

2. Optimised resource utilisation 

In organisations running multiple projects simultaneously, competition for resources often leads to conflicts, delays, or inefficiencies. A project management framework, though effective for managing individual resources within a project, may not have the capacity to resolve resource conflicts across multiple projects or protect teams from being stretched too thin. 

Programme management provides a big-picture view of all ongoing projects, enabling better allocation of resources. It ensures that resources are directed toward the most strategically important projects and that the right people and tools are available where they’re needed most. 

3. Improved risk management 

While a project management framework helps manage risks specific to individual projects, it may not account for risks that span across multiple projects. This can leave organisations vulnerable to larger, systemic risks that, left unchecked, could jeopardise the success of an entire programme. 

A programme management component introduces a more holistic view of risk, identifying and mitigating issues that affect not just one project but the entire set of projects. This proactive approach helps organisations avoid costly mistakes and improves the likelihood of successful outcomes across the board. 

4. Consistency and standardisation 

Consistency is key when managing multiple projects, especially when they are part of a larger transformation programme. A project management framework provides guidelines for managing individual projects, but without programme management, each project may apply different standards, leading to inefficiencies and quality issues. 

By integrating a programme management approach, organisations can ensure that each project adheres to a standardised set of best practices, and that lessons learned from one project are shared and applied to others. This not only improves efficiency but also helps maintain the quality and integrity of the programme outcomes.  

5. Better stakeholder engagement 

Managing stakeholder expectations across multiple projects can be challenging. A project management framework typically handles communication and engagement at the project level, but as projects grow in scope and complexity, this can lead to fragmented communication and misaligned priorities. 

Programme management provides a centralised approach to ensuring that all stakeholders – across various projects – are aligned and working towards the same goals and expectations. This prevents communication gaps and helps keep everyone on the same page, reducing the risk of misunderstandings or conflicting demands. 

Best practices for integrating a programme management approach 

Successfully integrating a programme management component requires more than simply layering it on top of your existing delivery framework. It involves thoughtful planning and clear governance to ensure a seamless fit. Here are some best practices: 

Senior leadership buy-in – Ensure that senior leaders understand the value of programme management and provide their support. Their backing is essential for setting the tone and securing the necessary resources for successful implementation. 

Define clear roles – Clearly outline the roles of both project and programme managers. Project managers should focus on delivering specific project outcomes, while the programme manager maintains a broader view, ensuring alignment with strategic goals. 

Focus on integration – Many organisations frequently run both programmes and projects; however, these are often poorly defined and the key ingredient for success is missing. This ingredient is integration. Integration requires that projects within a given programme are aligned to the programme’s overall objectives, goals and benefits. It is also imperative to identify and manage dependencies as these cause undue challenges and delays if not handled appropriately.  

Define clear measures and measure often – To ensure you are getting optimal value from investing in programme and project management frameworks and protocols, measures must be clearly defined and frequently used. Typical metrics will provide you with the ability to measure a given project’s contribution to the programme objectives, goals and benefits.   

Leverage technology – Use project and portfolio management (PPM) tools to gain visibility into how projects within a programme are progressing. These platforms can help track resources, monitor risks, and report on project performance across the entire programme. By leveraging PPM tools, programme managers can ensure strategic alignment and make data-driven decisions that enhance overall programme success. 

Drive long-term success with programme management 

Incorporating programme management practices into your project management framework can drive widespread improvements in resource allocation, risk management, and stakeholder engagement. By integrating a programme-level view that promotes greater governance and alignment with strategic objectives, your organisation can maximise the impact of all projects, paving the way for sustainable growth and transformation. 

If you’re ready to enhance your project management framework with programme management, our advisory and delivery services can provide the guidance and support you need to succeed. Contact our experts today to learn more about how we can help you implement a framework that supports your organisation’s long-term strategic goals.