Program Governance Flashcards
What does program governance comprise?
The framework, functions and processes by which a program is monitored, managed, and supported.
What is the focus of program governance?
Delivery of program benefits by establishing systems and methods by which a program and its strategy are defined, authorized, monitored, and supported by the organization.
What is the program manager’s responsibilities concerning the governance framework?
To ensure the program follows framework and manage day to day program activities.
If the program manager has governance of the components, what is it called?
Component governance
What is organizational governance?
A structured way to provide control, direction, and coordination through people, policies, and procedures to meet organizational strategic and operational goals.
If governance is handled by the portfolio, what does it provide to the program?
Governance policies, oversight, control, integration, and decision-making functions and processes.
What should you do if the organization has not set up a portfolio in a formal way?
Ensure process to develop the idea and steps to authorize the program should be carried out within the organizational governance framework.
Should the governance plan be a standalone document?
May be standalone doc or part of program management plan
Can one governance plan be used for different programs?
Yes, often organizations use a single program governance plan to govern several programs.
What is the purpose of a governance plan?
To describe systems and methods to use to monitor, manage, and support a given program and responsibilities of specific roles for ensuring timely and effective use of systems and methods.
What is in the governance plan concerning roles and responsibilities?
Who will have accountability and authority with respect to key decision-making categories and responsibility boundaries.
What are four examples of planned governance meetings?
Decision-point reviews, phase gate reviews, program health checks, required audits
How should information on components be collected and reported?
Balanced scorecard or dashboard
What happens in most organizations concerning governance and program approval, endorsement, and definition?
Governance outlines responsibility for the program’s approach and for achieving goals and authorizes the use of resources.
When does governance make these approvals (Program approval)?
In program definition phase
What two artifacts does the governance board use in making these approvals?
Program Business Case and Program Charter
How are organizational priorities determined?
Through the portfolio management processes.
What are the program success factors governance establishes?
Minimum acceptable criteria for a successful program and methods by which criteria is measured, communicated, and endorsed.
What is governance’s involvement to ensure there are effective risk and governance practices?
Ensure key risks and issues are escalated, approved, and resolved in a timely manner.
Who establishes the risk thresholds for the program?
Program Governance
Can quality control activities differ at the component level?
Yes, based on complexity and uncertainty of given components.
What is governance’s role in program changes?
Program Steering Committee defines types of changes program manager can make on his/her own and ones that require further discussion.
WHat is the extent to which the program steering committee can authorize a change?
It is bounded by program business case and organizational strategy.
What should the program management team do if there is a proposed change?
Record it, its rationale, and its outcome.
What is the purpose of a decision-point review?
They are conducted at initiation or completion of significant segments and enable governance to approve or disapprove passage of a program from one segment to the next.
How are changes handled at decision point reviews?
Governance facilitates the review and approval of any required changes.
When do key decision points occur?
At the end of program phases
What are phase-gate reviews?
A review to decide whether to continue to next phase, continue with modifications, or end program/component.
During the reviews, what is the program steering committee authorized to do?
Confirm support to continue program or make recommendations for adaptive changes to improve program’s likelihood to deliver benefits.
Where should the organization’s expectations for governance reviews be documented?
Program Governance Plan
How is a program periodic health check used?
Held between decision-point reviews to assess performance and progress in realizing and sustaining benefits.
Where are the requirements for periodic health checks documented?
Program Governance Plan
Who approves initiation of program components?
Program Steering Committee
Who frequently acts as the proposer for a new component?
Program Manager
What happens when a new component is initiated?
All program-level documentation and records are updated.
Who makes the decision to close the program?
Program Steering Committee
Who approves the final program report?
Program Steering Committee
What are three other terms for a program steering committee?
Program Governance board, Oversight Committee, or board of directors
List six key roles in program governance.
- Program Sponsor
- Program Steering Committee
- Program Management Office (PMO)
- Program Manager
- Project Manager
- Other - Portfolio Managers, Operations Managers
When can the program sponsor be on the program steering committee?
If the sponsor has a senior role in the organization and its investment decisions and who is vested in the success of the organization’s programs.
What are three typical responsibilities of the program sponsor?
- Secure funding for the program and ensure the program is aligned with strategic vision
- Enable benefit delivery
- Remove any barriers and obstacles to program success
How are program steering committees usually staffed?
By people who are individually or collectively recognized as ones with organizational insight and decision-making authority.
How is a program oversight committee handled in a small organization?
By a senior-level executive.
What is PMO’s role in governance?
To facilitate the governance practices.
When are PMOs considered as centers of excellence?
When the organization wants high level of consistency and professionalism in managing and governing programs.
What are two key positions for a PMO?
Change and Benefits management specialists
Who grants the program manager authority to make decisions?
The Program Steering Committee
What is component governance?
Similar to program governance but program manager and his/her team are the steering committee members.
What is the role of the portfolio manager in program governance?
To ensure the program is selected, prioritized, and staffed according to the organization’s plan for realizing benefits.
What is the role of functional representatives and product owners in program governance?
Ensure the program’s direction is aligned to end customer’s potentially evolving requirements.
What is the role of the operations manager in program governance?
Responsible for receiving and integrating the capabilities delivered by other program components.
How does program governance begin?
With the identification of governance participants and establishment of governance practices.
