Sergio Pellegrinelli

Programme management: organising project-based change

Abstract This article seeks to identify the nature and key facets of programmes and programme working and to create a coherent framework for understanding and exploiting the capacities programmes have to organise project-based activity. Based on consulting interventions and action research, the article argues that programme management has evolved a core set of actions, structural arrangements and approaches, which, when compared with project management, are distinct and address conceptually different issues. The article advocates the recognition of programme management as a distinct, albeit emerging, discipline and greater inquiry into the techniques which underpin its effective application, rather than the imposition of sometimes inappropriate project level concepts and practices.

Approach to governance

With the overall architecture and design broadly agreed for the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) programme, the next phase was making the necessary customizations at the regional level prior to rollout to the various country operations. As programme manager, Jan de Beers had been asked to propose governance arrangements for the three regions: Americas; Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA); and Asia Pacific.

Approach to risk

Gert Visser studied the financial analysis and realized that the only viable course of action was to outsource all the equity clearing and settlement to the Equities Backoffice Group (EBG). It would be a very difficult and risky programme, especially because EBG had been until recently the inhouse operations of a major financial services group. Home and Abroad would be its first “commercial” client. The outsourcing programme needed to manage the transition of Home and Abroad’s entire operation with minimum disruption to the day-to-day support of the Equities Trading business.

Expectations of others

As the Integration Manager, Lyn Evans was keen for the programme to not peter out leaving a wide cultural divide. Pressures from day-to-day business operations were already diverting senior management attention. Fatigue was beginning to set in for many of those who had been involved in the acquisition and its integration from the very start. Members of the integration teams had secured roles in the new organization structure and were leaving the programme or simply not performing their roles effectively. The following morning Lyn Evans had to speak to Jay Kumar, who was returning from a week’s holiday, about what had been done to tap into the informal discussions and gossip. In the afternoon Lyn Evans had to raise the issue of winning over hearts and minds at the Integration Steering Board.

Attitude to time

Sam Hall was aware that competitive pressures meant that all opportunities to improve operational effectiveness had to be taken and quickly. However, the timing of the programme and the timescale for outsourcing some key services appeared problematic.

Granularity of focus

Pat Mullins read the e-mail from Paul Ross, one of the project managers on the programme, and wondered what to do. As an experienced project and programme manager for IS-Con, a major international software firm, Pat’s professional life always had a good measure of challenge and frustration, yet this assignment was proving more difficult than anticipated.

Disposition for action

Kim Park wondered whether opportunities had been missed to reshape the Global Managed Voice Upgrade (GMVU) Programme. While the programme was on track and going to deliver, Telco might struggle to operate and develop the new technology effectively and this would make realizing the desired benefits more difficult. The GMVU Programme was of paramount strategic importance to Telco, which needed to upgrade its Global Managed Voice functionality to keep up with its competitors. Kim Park had been given the responsibility for programme managing the upgrade.

Approach to role plurality

It was great news. The Route Force consortium had won the contract to renew and maintain the Urbansprawl’s highways under a 25-year Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contract. Robyn Pleat, who had led Pryde, Wade, and Rawlins’ (PWR) involvement in the successful bid, was put forward for the role of interim Managing Director for the Asset Management Company, which would have direct responsibility for specifying and managing the work in the PFI contract.

Approach to conflict and divergence

Fran Sanchez, Programme Director for Retail Bank Strategy Implementation, had been aware of a growing tension between Sylvia Lawrence, the LC&consultant, and Nigel Mann, the IT manager responsible for the systems development workstream, but this was the first time that it had surfacec an explicit way. Sylvia Lawrence had raised a number of concerns and h requested Fran Sanchez to attend a meeting she was scheduled to have with Nigel Mann.

Attitude to scope

Chris Kowalski watched the Director of Operations closely as the consultants described the shortcomings in the sales function. There could be some arguments about the scale and importance of the shortcomings, but little doubt that they existed and that they were hampering the company’ development.