Program Strategy Alignment Flashcards
What is the definition of Program Strategy Alignment?
Domain that identifies program outputs and outcomes to provide benefits aligned with org’s strategic goals and objectives
Since programs are to align with organizational objectives and realize benefits, what does the program manager need to do?
Have a thorough understanding of how the program will fulfill the portfolio and organization’s strategy.
When is the business case reviewed and what may precede it?
During the program formulation sub-phase; a concept may precede it to help develop the business case.
What happens if the organization is mature in terms of program and project management?
It likely will have a formalized process for program selection such as a portfolio review board or a program steering committee.
Who issues the charter?
The Program Sponsor or Program Steering Committee
What are four purposes of the charter?
- Authorize program manager to use organizational resources
- Link program to organization’s strategic objectives
- Define program scope
4, Confirm resource commitments
What happens after the scope is defined?
Presented to governance board to obtain approval, funding, and authorization
What are two significant items that happen after resources are confirmed?
- The program is evaluated to see if it is the best approach to achieve objectives
- The program definition phase begins
What is the program manager’s role with the individual project management plans?
To ensure alignment with the program’s goals and its intended benefits.
What are five elements of Program Strategic Alignment?
- Program Business Case
- Program Charter
- Program Roadmap
- Program Risk Management Plan
- Environmental Assessments
What precedes Program Strategic Alignment?
Organization’s strategic plan
What follows Program Strategic Alignment?
Program Management Plan
What initiates Program Strategic Alignment?
Program Business Case
What are three key purposes of the program’s business case?
- Establishes validity of benefits to be delivered
- Defines how outcomes support org goals and objectives
- Input to program charter and roadmap
When is the program’s strategy alignment process initiated?
During program formulation sub-phase
Why do organization’s build strategy?
To define how their vision will be achieved
How is the goal of linking the program to the organization’s strategic plan achieved?
Through the business case
Who does the program manager collaborate with to develop the business case?
Key sponsors and stakeholders
Why is the business case developed?
Assess the program’s investment against intended benefits.
What does the business case usually describe?
Describes key parameters that can be used to assess the objectives and constraints for intended program.
What is a required document before the program is chartered?
Business Case
What is the primary document for an investment decision?
Business Case
What document describes the program’s success criteria?
Business Case
How is program success measured?
Variance between achieved and planned outcomes.
What is the purpose of the Program Charter?
To assign and authorize a program manager and define the scope of a program.
What happens after the charter is prepared?
It is presented to governance for approval, funding, and authorization.
What document formally expresses the organization’s vision, mission, and benefits to be produced by the program?
Program Charter
To support the business case, what document defines program goals and objectives aligned with the organization’s strategic plan?
Program Charter
Assume you wanted to give the program manager authority over other subsidiary programs, projects, and related activities, you would prepare:
Program Charter
What is one key document that will be used to measure program success?
Program Charter
What is the program roadmap?
Chronological representation of program’s intended direction.
What does the roadmap show graphically?
Dependencies between major milestones and decision points.
Should the roadmap show component status?
Yes - Including details, durations, and contributions to benefits
What are two examples of influences outside of the organization?
Ones that are internal to the entire org or from sources external to it.
Why are enterprise environmental factors external to the program of interest?
They may influence the selection, design, funding, and management of a program.
Are the enterprise environmental factors under the program manager’s control?
No, which is why they are a concern
What is the effect of the enterprise environmental factors on the organization’s strategic goals?
Strategic goals change in response to environmental factors.
If the program becomes misaligned with the organization’s new strategic goals, what is the result?
Program may be changed, put on hold, or canceled.
How often should the environmental factors be assessed?
Throughout the program
What is comparative advantage analysis?
A type of environmental analysis in which what-if analysis is used to show how the program and its objectives and intended benefits could be achieved by other means.
How are feasibility studies used?
Assess the feasibility of the program within the organization’s financial, sourcing, complexity, and constraint profile.
What is used as the base to conduct a feasibility analysis?
Business Case
Why is a SWOT analysis conducted?
Provides info for optimizing program charter and program management plan.
When are assumptions first identified?
Business Case development
When do program managers identify and document assumptions and how often?
Regularly document as part of planning.
What is historical information analysis?
Using previously completed programs or phases of ongoing programs as a source for lessons learned and best practices for the program.
Why is a program risk management strategy important?
It facilitates successful delivery of the program roadmap and alignment to organizational strategy considering the environmental factors.
What is a risk threshold?
The measure of the degree of acceptable variation around a program objective that reflects the risk appetite of the org and program stakeholders
Who is responsible for ensuring the risk thresholds are established in the program and observed?
Program governance and the program management team
Why is the initial program risk assessment important?
Provides an opportunity to identify risks to org strategy alignment
What happens after the initial risk assessment is performed?
A risk response strategy is formed which completes the risk management strategy
What is a program risk response strategy?
It combines the elements of the risk thresholds and initial risk assessment into a plan for how program risks will be managed throughout the life of the program.
What happens once the response strategy is established?
The program risk management strategy drives consistency and effectiveness in program risk management activities throughout the program as part of program initiation.
What is the end result of Program Strategy Alignment?
Results in a program plan aligned with organizational goals and objectives.
