Program Strategy Alignment

Question 1

What is the definition of Program Strategy Alignment?

Answer 1

Domain that identifies program outputs and outcomes to provide benefits aligned with org’s strategic goals and objectives

Question 2

Since programs are to align with organizational objectives and realize benefits, what does the program manager need to do?

Answer 2

Have a thorough understanding of how the program will fulfill the portfolio and organization’s strategy.

Question 3

When is the business case reviewed and what may precede it?

Answer 3

During the program formulation sub-phase; a concept may precede it to help develop the business case.

Question 4

What happens if the organization is mature in terms of program and project management?

Answer 4

It likely will have a formalized process for program selection such as a portfolio review board or a program steering committee.

Question 5

Who issues the charter?

Answer 5

The Program Sponsor or Program Steering Committee

Question 6

What are four purposes of the charter?

Answer 6

1. Authorize program manager to use organizational resources
2. Link program to organization’s strategic objectives
3. Define program scope
   4, Confirm resource commitments

Question 7

What happens after the scope is defined?

Answer 7

Presented to governance board to obtain approval, funding, and authorization

Question 8

What are two significant items that happen after resources are confirmed?

Answer 8

1. The program is evaluated to see if it is the best approach to achieve objectives
2. The program definition phase begins

Question 9

What is the program manager’s role with the individual project management plans?

Answer 9

To ensure alignment with the program’s goals and its intended benefits.

Question 10

What are five elements of Program Strategic Alignment?

Answer 10

1. Program Business Case
2. Program Charter
3. Program Roadmap
4. Program Risk Management Plan
5. Environmental Assessments

Question 11

What precedes Program Strategic Alignment?

Answer 11

Organization’s strategic plan

Question 12

What follows Program Strategic Alignment?

Answer 12

Program Management Plan

Question 13

What initiates Program Strategic Alignment?

Answer 13

Program Business Case

Question 14

What are three key purposes of the program’s business case?

Answer 14

1. Establishes validity of benefits to be delivered
2. Defines how outcomes support org goals and objectives
3. Input to program charter and roadmap

Question 15

When is the program’s strategy alignment process initiated?

Answer 15

During program formulation sub-phase

Question 16

Why do organization’s build strategy?

Answer 16

To define how their vision will be achieved

Question 17

How is the goal of linking the program to the organization’s strategic plan achieved?

Answer 17

Through the business case

Question 18

Who does the program manager collaborate with to develop the business case?

Answer 18

Key sponsors and stakeholders

Question 19

Why is the business case developed?

Answer 19

Assess the program’s investment against intended benefits.

Question 20

What does the business case usually describe?

Answer 20

Describes key parameters that can be used to assess the objectives and constraints for intended program.

Question 21

What is a required document before the program is chartered?

Answer 21

Business Case

Question 22

What is the primary document for an investment decision?

Answer 22

Business Case

Question 23

What document describes the program’s success criteria?

Answer 23

Business Case

Question 24

How is program success measured?

Answer 24

Variance between achieved and planned outcomes.

Question 25

What is the purpose of the Program Charter?

Answer 25

To assign and authorize a program manager and define the scope of a program.

Question 26

What happens after the charter is prepared?

Answer 26

It is presented to governance for approval, funding, and authorization.

Question 27

What document formally expresses the organization's vision, mission, and benefits to be produced by the program?

Answer 27

Program Charter

Question 28

To support the business case, what document defines program goals and objectives aligned with the organization's strategic plan?

Answer 28

Program Charter

Question 29

Assume you wanted to give the program manager authority over other subsidiary programs, projects, and related activities, you would prepare:

Answer 29

Program Charter

Question 30

What is one key document that will be used to measure program success?

Answer 30

Program Charter

Question 31

What is the program roadmap?

Answer 31

Chronological representation of program's intended direction.

Question 32

What does the roadmap show graphically?

Answer 32

Dependencies between major milestones and decision points.

Question 33

Should the roadmap show component status?

Answer 33

Yes - Including details, durations, and contributions to benefits

Question 34

What are two examples of influences outside of the organization?

Answer 34

Ones that are internal to the entire org or from sources external to it.

Question 35

Why are enterprise environmental factors external to the program of interest?

Answer 35

They may influence the selection, design, funding, and management of a program.

Question 36

Are the enterprise environmental factors under the program manager's control?

Answer 36

No, which is why they are a concern

Question 37

What is the effect of the enterprise environmental factors on the organization's strategic goals?

Answer 37

Strategic goals change in response to environmental factors.

Question 38

If the program becomes misaligned with the organization's new strategic goals, what is the result?

Answer 38

Program may be changed, put on hold, or canceled.

Question 39

How often should the environmental factors be assessed?

Answer 39

Throughout the program

Question 40

What is comparative advantage analysis?

Answer 40

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.

Question 41

How are feasibility studies used?

Answer 41

Assess the feasibility of the program within the organization's financial, sourcing, complexity, and constraint profile.

Question 42

What is used as the base to conduct a feasibility analysis?

Answer 42

Business Case

Question 43

Why is a SWOT analysis conducted?

Answer 43

Provides info for optimizing program charter and program management plan.

Question 44

When are assumptions first identified?

Answer 44

Business Case development

Question 45

When do program managers identify and document assumptions and how often?

Answer 45

Regularly document as part of planning.

Question 46

What is historical information analysis?

Answer 46

Using previously completed programs or phases of ongoing programs as a source for lessons learned and best practices for the program.

Question 47

Why is a program risk management strategy important?

Answer 47

It facilitates successful delivery of the program roadmap and alignment to organizational strategy considering the environmental factors.

Question 48

What is a risk threshold?

Answer 48

The measure of the degree of acceptable variation around a program objective that reflects the risk appetite of the org and program stakeholders

Question 49

Who is responsible for ensuring the risk thresholds are established in the program and observed?

Answer 49

Program governance and the program management team

Question 50

Why is the initial program risk assessment important?

Answer 50

Provides an opportunity to identify risks to org strategy alignment

Question 51

What happens after the initial risk assessment is performed?

Answer 51

A risk response strategy is formed which completes the risk management strategy

Question 52

What is a program risk response strategy?

Answer 52

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.

Question 53

What happens once the response strategy is established?

Answer 53

The program risk management strategy drives consistency and effectiveness in program risk management activities throughout the program as part of program initiation.

Question 54

What is the end result of Program Strategy Alignment?

Answer 54

Results in a program plan aligned with organizational goals and objectives.