Understanding Program Management in IT

Sep 20, 2024

IT Foundations Course: Module 4 - Program Management

Introduction

  • Overview of the fourth and last module of the IT Foundations course.
  • Focus on program management, distinct from project management.

What is Program Management?

  • Definition: Group of related projects managed in a coordinated manner.
  • Example: NIS (Network and Systems Administration) has first and second-year projects.
  • Role of a program manager is to oversee these related projects.

Key Aspects of Program Management

  1. Program Planning
  2. Program Infrastructure
  3. Program Financial Management
  4. Program Management
  5. Program Governance

Program Governance

  • Defines roles and responsibilities within the program.
  • Provides oversight for the program as a whole.
  • Establishes a structure and practices for guidance.
  • Includes decision-making roles, relationship with business direction, and inter-project relationships.

Levels of Responsibility

  • Program Sponsor & Steering Committee:
    • Example: Norov board for NIS.
  • Program Manager:
    • Responsible for achieving specific outcomes (e.g., creating the study plan, learning outcomes).
  • Project Managers/Course Leaders:
    • Manage individual courses as projects within the program.

Program Financial Management

  • Financial management is complex; project costs are often lower than overall program costs.
  • Conformity to internal/external policies is essential.
  • Importance of expenditure reporting to track spending effectively.
  • Conduct a cost analysis at the start of each program to avoid overspending.
  • Example of a cost analysis with a car purchase (Ford Mustang).

Program Infrastructure

  • Encompasses roles, tools, and practices to support program services.
  • Good planning is crucial for sustainability after the program ends.
  • Example: Infrastructure planning for the Olympics in Lillehammer.

Program Planning

  • Identify components within each project.
  • Estimate and allocate necessary resources (money, time, personnel, tools).
  • Recognize inter-project dependencies and manage them accordingly.
  • Example of poor planning: delayed delivery of resources causing project inefficiencies.
  • Assessing costs is a major component of program planning.