New Horizons Computer Learning Center
410-597-9722

Essentials of Program Management

Course Length: 3 Days

Overview:
The Program Management course addresses the essential aspects or Program selection, Scope, Planning, Execution, and Control. The course provides a comprehensive introduction to the concept of "Program" distinguishing between the ideas of Project Management and Program Management. Students will investigate the relationship between Project success and Program success understanding the ideas of Cost/Benefit Analyses, Benefits Assurance and Sustainment, and Program Benefit. Program Life Cycle is explored and several types of life cycles are presented and discussed. As with Project Management, Program Management is comprised of sets of Program Management Processes segregated into 5 groups; students, with the use of a case study, will study and utilize the process groups of Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring and Control, and Closeout. This class is compliant with the Project Management Institute's Standard for Program Management dated 2006.

Prerequisites:
Fluency in Project Management best practices and/or the 3rd Edition of the Project Management Institutes Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge
Real world Program and Project management experience

Course Goals and Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will gain:

• Fluency in understanding the concepts of Program Management
• Understanding the Program Life Cycle
• Understanding the Life Cycle Governance
• Program/Project Selection and Scoping
• Program Planning
• Implementing Program Management and its associated Technical Infrastructure
• Understanding and maximizing Program Benefits

Tactical Skills:

• Understanding the mechanics or Program Initiation including development of the Business Case, development of the Benefit model, Initial strategic and Tactical planning, Program Scoping, and Program Authorization
• Development of the Program Management Plan
• Program Management Plan
• Program Benefits Statements
• Internal and External interface identification and planning
• Interface Management Plan
• Program Interface Identification
• Program to Operations Planning
• Transition Plan and Integrated Transition Agreements
• Resource Planning
• Resource identification at the project level
• Human resources
• Cross-project resource management
• Organizational charts
• Roles, Responsibilities, Accountability and Authority
• Program deliverable hierarchy and Program Breakdown Structure
• Program Breakdown Structure and Dictionary
• Development of a resource loaded Program Schedule
• Cost Estimating and Cost Budgeting
• Program Communications
• Managing Programmatic risks at the Project level
• Procurement Management
• Program Implementation
• Program Quality
• Program Integrated/Cross Project Change Control
• Change requests
• Forecasting
• Issue Management
• Escalation protocol
• Issue registers
• Program Performance Assessment
• Performance Reporting
• Requests for Change

Course Content

Lesson 1: Program Management versus Project Management

• Definitions
• The benefits of Program Management
• Products versus Projects

Lesson 2: The Rationale for Program Management

• A model for success
• Portfolio versus Program

Lesson 3: The Rationale for a Program Office

• Program office structure
• Roles, Responsibilities, Accountability, and Authority
• Performance reporting
• Subcontracts management
• Risk and Issue management

Lesson 4: Program Management Metrics

• The definition of Program Success and Benefit
• The Program Management Value Pyramid and Metrics
• Projected Value of the Program Roadmap
• Strategic Alignment
• Program Breakdown and Distribution
• Risk
• Customer Satisfaction
• Profitability
• Milestone Management
• System Acceptance and Adoption
• Quality
• Life Cycle Metrics
• Profit and Cost

Lesson 5: Program Management Tool Set

• Program Risk and Complexity Analysis
• Product Alignment Matrix
• The Business Case
• Project Mapping
• Program Management Roadmap

Lesson 6: Program Governance and Management Models

• Standards
• Policies and Procedures
• Documentation
• Reviews and Oversight
• Quality Control and Assurance

Lesson 7: Multi-Project Integration

Lesson 8: The Program Management Life Cycle and the Systems Engineering

Lesson 9: The Program Mission Statement

Lesson 10: Program and Project Stakeholders

• The Program Manager
• Assignment and responsibility
• Core competencies
• The Customer
• The User

Lesson 11: Program Execution Processes

• Process 1 - Program Initiation
• Project selection criteria
• Program staff
• Program critical success factors
• Process 2 - Program Analysis, Planning and Setup
• Interface management
• Transition planning
• Resource planning
• Program boundary conditions
• Process 3 - Infrastructure, Decomposition and Design
• The Program Breakdown Structure
• The Program Costs and Schedule
• Communications Management
• Risk Management
• Planning for constant change
• Quality Planning
• Process 4 - Program Execution
• Program Implementation
• Scope, Cost, and Schedule Change control
• Quality Assurance
• Controlling program communications
• Controlling programmatic risk
• Process 5 - Delivery of Programmatic Benefit
• Assuring and sustaining benefits
• Maintenance of critical success factors
• Analysis of Program Metrics
• Process 6 - Program Shutdown
• Phased project closure
• Preparing for program re-initialization

6940 Tudsbury Road, Baltimore, MD 21244
P: 410-597-9722
www.nhbaltimore.com