In the software development world, there is a distinction between Program and Project Managers.
What I have found is that program managers have expertise in "programming", that they come from the ranks of developers and into management.
My company went dot bomb in early Nov., and with 5 years of web development project management experience (8 yrs PM total), I am seen by some companies here in the Seattle area as too qualified for a project manager position but underqualified for a program manager position.
Any suggestions as to how to ramp up technically in a short amount of time or suggested counter-arguements for the next time I face the "a little light on the technical side" comment are greatly appreciated. The Standish Group's 5 needs of a pm will help. :-) Saving Changes...
I have a suggestion to help ramp up technically to the program manager position. The jobs I noticed posting in Seattle were focused on being able to deliver requirements to develelopment teams. You might pick up two books on the subject of requirements and the generation of. Mastering the Requirements Process by Suzanne Robertson, James Robertson and Karl Wiegrers book: Software Requirements (Dv-Best Practices). You will also need to go at it from the point that you can deliver a Product requirements doc and you know what it takes to gather requirements from customers. Be persistent...
The Program Manager is part of the Program Management Office, which provides checks, and balances of the many projects that an organization is working on at any given time.
The Project Manager is the leader of a specific or specialized project that relies on a team to keep moving the project forward.
The Program Management Office meets with all the project managers on an individual basis to make sure the projects are following the methodology that has been set up by the organization and Program Management Office. Maybe in simple terms they are the gatekeepers of the organization. All projects must follow these methodologies and have demonstrated that they meet the specifications before going further into the project. This meeting is to discuss resources, timelines, schedules, conflicts with other projects. This office can help the Project Manager stay on schedule to deliver the project on time and within budget.
Are there other specific books or journals that are specifically on Program Management? Saving Changes...
I am currently the Manager of the "Program Management Office" for the Canadian I/T arm of our company. In my previous life I was a Sr. Project Mgt. Consultant in what started out as a "Project Support Office" and soon evolved into a "Project Office".
So, believe me when I say I understand how people can get confused between a department name and it's actual function, titles of the team within that department and their actual functions.
In our "Program Management Office" we have Project Managers and a Project Mgt. Advisor. These Project Managers may indeed manage both Programs (A group of related projects managed in a co-ordinated way. Programs usually include an element of ongoing activity - *PMI PMBOK page 167) as well as Projects (A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service - *PMI PMBOK page 167). But, they are still referred to as Project Managers.
The reason the ogranization refers to us as a "Program Management Office" is because to the organization, Canada as a geographical region and all it's projects within are seen as an entire Program to the parent company based in the US.
In actual fact, it should not depend on what type of project you are managing, your technical or non technical background or your industry to determine if you are a Program Manager or a Project Manager. Under PMI (the Project Mgt. Institute) there are clear definitions of what each are.
Thank you Paul and Michael for your suggestions. I guess I punted: I joined a large software company in Silicon Valley that has Project Managers, Product Managers, Producers, Program Marketing Managers and Program Managers. It's only my 2nd day, so please don't ask me to explain the differences as I don't know. :-) Saving Changes...
In my company a project manager manages a single project.
A program manger manages multiple projects and sets up standards by which these projects should adhere to. For example - a program manager usually defines project quality metrics, the configuration management plan and the testing strategy, etc. for all projects within the program. Saving Changes...
Project managers typically manage one or more projects. Program managers should (in my experience) manage the interfaces between projects. They look for the gaps, overlaps, and conflicts in scheduling. If they are also playing the role of resource manager, they move folks between projects (otherwise, they can recommend). They facilitate resolution or mitigation of common risks, issues, or other conflicts. I have also seen them play the role of project manager coach.
In some cases they are the line manager to the project manager, but this is not necessary.
I don't think program managers necessarily should come from a PMO, but if the company has a PMO, these people typically have the requisite skills.
Roles can be different than titles. If a company is more functional, but is forming a team for a project, the required roles should be determined then figure out who is the best person. Titles can get in the way sometimes. Saving Changes...
As a veteran Program Manager (with many years as a project manager as well), I find that the real lines of division deal with the P & L, strategic and profitability aspects of a development cycle through infancy and then into maturity.
Many times the role of Program Manager and Product Manager are much more blurred as opposed to that of the Project Manager.
I believe the Project manager to be task specific in their oversight and responsibility where Program Management sees the big picture and has the ultimate responsibility for the success of a new product or program.
It is much to easy of senior management who have never dealt with program or project management to smear the roles of project and program together (due to project managers being lower cost) and then discover that their (program) primary role is to prevent the ever popular (not) “Oh, Shits” from ever happening.
As with any successful professional role within a company today, to move from project to program management you must be willing to take on and successfully lead and then mitigate risk at all levels, especially the high risk factors of hech tech applications which then positions you for the potential for high reward!
Sincere Regards Saving Changes...
Anonymous
Bradley, Thanks for your comments. I think you are on to something when you mention Product Management. In some ways Program and Product management are more closely related than Program and Project management are. Thoughts, anyone?
Titles have always confused me, so I try to describe the “hats” people wear or roles we play.
Program Managers Are… Strategic Are big picture focus More product line / system life cycle focus (womb to tomb - never ending). Systems Integration / Interoperability Theres a strong process focus / gate keepers. More importantly - they are masters at orgnizational learning AND they educate the project management (and functional management) people to make sure that projects get better by not making the same mistakes over and over again.
Project Managers Are.. Tactical Are smaller picture focus More out with the old product / project in with the new (begin / ends) Engineering changes - lower level coordination; they too can learn from their mistakes, but they usually do so from project to project. When you have multiple project managers managing multiple projects (many to many), the Program Manager can and should make sure that the other PM's learn from the others mistakes, efficiently & effectively.
Program vs project(Total project) managers. To me the helpful way to distinguish the two is to take as the starting point the idea that a program is a set of projects to realise a business goal. In most businesses this entails a range of very different projects. Identifying market requirements, translating into a product which is developed. Setting up production (or outsourcing), Marketing and then Selling, distributing and supporting. Managing such a scope requires different techniques and tools. Perhaps more accurately co-ordinating between different planning tools, ways of expressing milestones etc.
When it comes to resources, the focus is less on which resources to use for which project but on focus and co-ordination with other programs.
You could say program management is managing breadth, which presents its own range of challenges. From my (limited) experience Program management focusses more on co-ordination and issue management, hunting out weaks links in the chain & dealing with them. Saving Changes...
